David's

Tour

Stat's

The Yellow Jersey

The Winners

2001-Lance Armstrong                             2000-Lance Armstrong                             1999-Lance Armstrong                             1998-Marco Pantani                                 1997-Jan Ullrich                                       1996-Bjarne Riis                                       1995-Miguel Indurain                                1994-Miguel Indurain                                1993-Miguel Indurain                                1992-Miguel Indurain                                1991-Miguel Indurain                                1990-Greg LeMond                                  1989-Greg LeMond                                  1988-Pedro Delgado                                 1987-Stepheh Roche                                 1986-Greg LeMond                                  1985-Bernard Hinault                                1984-Laurent Fignon                                1983-Laurent Fignon                                1982-Bernard Hinault                                1981-Bernard Hinault                                1980-Joop Zoetemelk                                1979-Bernard Hinault                                1978-Bernard Hinault                                1977-Bernard Thevenet                             1976-Lucien Van Impe                              1975-Bernard Thevenet                             1974-Eddy Merckx                                   1973-Luis Ocana                                      1972-Eddy Merckx                                   1971-Eddy Merckx                                   1970-Eddy Merckx                                   1969-Eddy Merckx                                   1968-Jan Janssen                                      1967-Roger Pingeon                                 1966-Lucien Aimar                                   1965-Felice Gimondi                                 1964-Jacques Anquetil                               1963-Jacques Anquetil                              1962-Jacques Anquetil                              1961-Jacques Anquetil                              1960-Gastone Nencini                               1959-Frederico Bahamontes                       1958-Charly Gaul                                     1957-Jacques Anquetil                              1956-Roger Walkowiak                             1955-Louison Bobet                                  1954-Louison Bobet                                  1953-Louison Bobet                                  1952-Fausto Coppi                                   1951-Hugo Koblet                                    1950-Ferdi Kubler                                    1949-Fausto Coppi                                   1948-Gino Bartali                                     1947-Jean Robic                                      1940-46 race not held                               1939-Sylvere Maes                                   1938-Gino Bartali                                     1937-Roger Lapebie                                  1936-Sylvere  Maes                                  1935-Romain Maes                                   1934-Antonin Magne                                1933-Geogres Speicher                             1932-Andre LeDucq                                 1931-Antonin Magne                                 1930-Andre LeDucq                                 1929-Maurice De Waele                            1928-Nicolas Frantz                                 1927-Nicolas Frantz                                 1926-Lucien Buysse                                 1925-Ottavio Bottecchia                            1924-Ottavio Bottecchia                            1923-Henri Pelissier                                  1922-Firmin Lambot                                 1921-Leon Scieur                                     1920-Philippe Thys                                   1919-Firmin Lambot                                 1915-1918 race not held                            1914-Philippe Thys                                   1913-Philippe Thys                                   1912-Odile DeFraye                                  1911-Gustave Garrigou

1910-Octave Lapize 1909-Francois Faber 1908-Lucien Mazan dit Petit-Breton 1907-Lucien Mazan dit Petit-Breton            1906-Rene Pottier                                     1905-Louis Trousselier                              1904-Henri Cornet                                    1903-Maurice Garin

The History of Le Tour de France and Le Maillot Jaune (the yellow jersey).

The Tour was the brain-child of Henri Desgrange who in 1902 started planning a way to sell more of his sports newspapers "L'Auto"and thought that a national cycle race would be a good idea.In 1903 the first Tour de France left Paris although it was only six days long the riders cycled through the night and by the end of the time the Peleton returned to the capital it had traveled an amazing 2428km.

So the worlds greatest cycle race was on its way .In 1904 the night rides were stopped due to over exuberant fans attacking cyclist to give thier favourites an advantage ,by the end Desgrange was sure that he had witnessed the last Tour by writing in his paper "The Tour is finished"how wrong he was.The Tour had shown for the first time its will to survive and its never looked back. In 1919 the Yellow Jersey was introduced in order that spectators at the roadside could see the race leader more clearly,it was just coincidence that it was the same colour as the paper that L'Auto was printed on.

In 1964 Jacques Anquetil became the first man in a very elite group,he is the first rider to win a fifth Tour de France title,this is now a bench mark for the greats as only three other cyclist have managed to equal such a feat Eddy Merckx widely regarded as the greatest of them all having been in Yellow for 96days in his seven tours.Bernard Hinault won five Tours in the 70's and 80's,then there is Miquel Indurain not the bets of the bunch but the only man in history to win five Tours de France consecutively.

Eddy Merckx is the only man to have won all three jerseys in the same year 1969.       Joop Zoetemelk rode and finished a total of sixteen Tours.       Fastest Tour de France 40.276km/h in 1999.       Longest Tour 5'745km in 1926.       Slowest Tour 23.96km/h in 1924.       Shortest Tour 2'428km in 1903 and 04.

The Tour de France is a remarkable event in the sporting world not only for the unbareable pressure put upon every cyclist and the unbelieveable organisation of such an event but especialy because of the human stories that go along with it whether it be pain,failure,joy,hurt, success,anquish,elation or victory the full range of emotion is evident in every pedal stroke.I hope you enjoy reading some of these stories in my other pages.

The Green Jersey