Historic firsts at the Tour

by VeloNews.com

• June 27, 2003
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By VeloNews

Photo: Presse Sports L’Equipe

In its 100 years, the Tour has created countless pages of sports history. Some are astonishing (the first ascent of the Pyrénées in 1910) and some banal (first TV coverage, 1952). Here are some significant firsts of the Tour.1903 (July 1) – The first stageof the inaugural Tour de France, sponsored by the sports newspaper L’Auto,leaves Montgeron, just outside the Paris city limits, at precisely 3:16p.m. with Maurice Garin taking the monumental 467km opening stage to Lyonin 17:45:44. Note that this is an estimate, as Garin crossed the line beforeGéo Lefèvre, the race director, and the time judges had arrived.Circulation of L’Auto doubles as a result of the event.1903 (July 12) – The first foreignstage winner of the Tour, the Swiss rider Charles Laeser, takes the 268kmfourth stage from Toulouse to Bordeaux.1904 – The first controversy ofthe Tour. Despite the additions of assistant race director Jacques Miraland controller Gaston Rivière, the second Tour was marred by manyproblems. Maurice Garin, Lucien Pothier, César Garin and HyppoliteAucouturier, the first four on general classification, are disqualifiedby the Bike Racing Union of France. Henri Cornet, 20, finishing three hoursbehind Garin, inherits the victory. He remains the youngest winner in thehistory of the Tour.1905 (July 11) – The first tripinto the mountains. Remarkably, René Pottier ascends the Ballond’Alsace in the Vosges mountains at more than 20 kph. The overall classificationis not established by time but by points for placings on each stage, aformula that will last until 1912.1906 – The creation of the red flag,to indicate the last kilometer of the day’s stage.1907 – For the first time, the Tourgoes beyond the French border. It passes1903 (July 1) – The first stageof the inaugural Tour de France, sponsored by the sports newspaper L’Auto,leaves Montgeron, just outside the Paris city limits, at precisely 3:16p.m. with Maurice Garin taking the monumental 467km opening stage to Lyonin 17:45:44. Note that this is an estimate, as Garin crossed the line beforeGéo Lefèvre, the race director, and the time judges had arrived.Circulation of L’Auto doubles as a result of the event.1903 (July 12) – The first foreignstage winner of the Tour, the Swiss rider Charles Laeser, takes the 268kmfourth stage from Toulouse to Bordeaux.1904 – The first controversy ofthe Tour. Despite the additions of assistant race director Jacques Miraland controller Gaston Rivière, the second Tour was marred by manyproblems. Maurice Garin, Lucien Pothier, César Garin and HyppoliteAucouturier, the first four on general classification, are disqualifiedby the Bike Racing Union of France. Henri Cornet, 20, finishing three hoursbehind Garin, inherits the victory. He remains the youngest winner in thehistory of the Tour.1905 (July 11) – The first tripinto the mountains. Remarkably, René Pottier ascends the Ballond’Alsace in the Vosges mountains at more than 20 kph. The overall classificationis not established by time but by points for placings on each stage, aformula that will last until 1912.1906 – The creation of the red flag,to indicate the last kilometer of the day’s stage.1907 – For the first time, the Tourgoes beyond the French border. It passes through Geneva, Switzerland, duringthe Lyon–Grenoble stage.1909 – The first foreign winnerof the general classification: Luxembourg’s François Faber.1910 (July 21) – The first passagein the Pyrénées, with the notable inclusion of the Peyresourde,Aspin, Tourmalet and Aubisque passes. Gustave Garrigou, the only one tohave climbed the Tourmalet without putting foot to earth, receives a bonusof 100 francs.1911 (July 10) – The first ascentsof the high Alps, with the Col du Télégraphe and Col du Galibier.1913 – The order of the mountainsis reversed: for the first time, the Pyrénées are climbedbefore the Alps. An 18-year-old Tunisian, Ali Neffati, becomes the youngestto participate in the race.1914 – Creation of race numbersaffixed to the riders’ bike frames.1919 – Introduction of the yellowjersey (maillot jaune). Eugène Christophe is the first oneto don it, with the reintroduction of the race after four years of WorldWar I.1923 – Creation of bonuses for winnersof the stages. Outside mechanical assistance is allowed for the first timeand the total purse reaches 100,000 francs. L’Auto prints 1 millionissues the morning after Henri Pelissier’s victory.1926 – For the first time, the Tourdoesn’t start in the Paris region, but from the provincial town of Évian.The race distance is a record 5745km, while few take notice of the firstJapanese rider, Kisso Kawamuro, who abandons on the first stage.1929 – The first radio transmissionsof the Tour.1930 – Henri Desgrange creates newrules declaring national and regional teams, ending the run of trade teams,with all bicycles supplied by the organization and painted a uniform color,yellow. Sponsorship is achieved through a pre-race caravan of promotionalvehicles. This is also the year of the first live radio reports, hostedby John Antoine and Alex Virot.1933 – Creation of the “King ofthe Mountains” competition.1934 – The first individual timetrial, 80km between the La Roche-sur-Yon and Nantes, is held.1935 – Victim of a heavy fall descendingthe Galibier, the Spanish rider Francesco Cepeda dies. This is the firstdeath of the Tour.1936 – Sick, race founder HenriDesgrange leaves the Tour after the second stage. The young editor of L’Auto,Jacques Goddet, succeeds him.1937 – Derailleurs are used widelyfor the first time at the Tour.1947 – After a seven-year interruptionfor World War II, the Tour returns. For the first time, Félix Lévitanappears in the organization of the race as Goddet’s assistant.1952 – For the first time, televisionis present at the Tour. Henri Persin holds the camera to shoot daily newsreels,while Georges de Caunes commentates. First mountaintop finishes at L’Alped’Huez, Sestriere and the Puy de Dôme.1953 – The creation of the greenjersey to reward the sprint points leader.1954 – The Tour begins at Amsterdamin the Netherlands. This is the first time the Tour begins outside France.1955 – The first photo finish occurs.1962 – For the first time since1929, the Tour ends the national team rule and, once again institutes theinclusion of trade teams. The race crosses the highest peak in its history,the Col du Restefond, at 2802 meters (9192 feet) elevation.1965 – First use of a starting rampfor individual time trials.1966 – Drug controls arrive at theTour in Bordeaux. Raymond Poulidor is the first to be tested and the nextday, the peloton stages a demonstration as a sign of protest.1967 – The first prologue time trialis held at the Tour, at the start in Angers. Return to national-team formulafor first of two Tours.1968 – Systematic anti-drug controlsare instituted.1969 – Return to the trade-teamformula. The first Tour and first victory for Eddy Merckx. During his prestigiouscareer, he will wear the yellow jersey for 96 days and win 34 stages, recordsthat still stand.1970 – First entry of Joop Zoetemelk.He will participate in 16 Tours, a performance yet to be equaled.1971 – First transfers by air betweencertain stages.1974 – The first visit of the Tourto England. Dutchman Henk Poppe wins the stage at Plymouth.1975 – Creation of the white jerseyto reward the best young rider, and the polka-dot jersey is introducedto mark the best climber. For the first time, the Tour finishes on theChamps-Élysées in Paris.1978 – After the stage finish atL’Alpe d’Huez, Michel Pollentier, the yellow jersey holder, is disqualifiedfor attempting to cheat the drug control.1981 – Phil Anderson becomes thefirst Australian to wear the yellow jersey.1983 – Debut of open racing withthe participation of amateur racers from the Colombian national team, amove that attracts 32 reporters from their homeland.1984 – Luis Herrera, a Colombian,wins the L’Alpe d’Huez stage, the first South American stage winner inhistory.1986 – Alex Stieda is the firstCanadian to wear the yellow jersey, and Greg LeMond becomes the first Americanto win the overall title. His compatriot and La Vie Claire teammate AndyHampsten takes the white jersey as best young rider.1987 – The Tour starts in West Berlin,Germany, where Lech Piasecki becomes the first Polish rider to wear theyellow jersey. Félix Lévitan leaves the organization aftermisappropriation of funds.1988 – Creation of the Village-Départ,the tented sponsor compound at the stage starts.1989 – The departure of the elderlyJacques Goddet leaves the door open for new Tour organization with Jean-MarieLeblanc, a former Tour racer and sports journalist, taking over as directorof competitions. Introduction of team invitations based on UCI rankings,with first wild-card teams. Greg LeMond and the 7-Eleven team introduceaero bars to the Tour.1990 – The first stage victory fora Soviet, Dmitri Konyshev.1998 – The Festina Scandal rocksthe Tour as the race starts in Ireland for the first time, while drug raidsby French police on team hotels almost force the Tour to be abandoned ontwo occasions.1999 – Cancer survivor Lance Armstrongwins the 3870km Tour at a record average speed of 40.276 kph.