The History of the Tour de France

The Tour de France is the world’s best-known bicycle race. Winding through the French countryside, the race is a grueling series of sprints and mountain climbs that test every aspect of a rider’s ability. While even the most casual sports fans are familiar with the race, few people know the history of the race and its origins.

First Race
The first Tour de France was held in 1903 as a promotional event for the magazine L’Auto. L’Auto was a French sports newspaper that was struggling financially and looking for something that would attract attention to the paper. The inaugural race started with about 70 riders, but only 24 were left competing when the final stage begun. Maurice Garin was the winner of the first race. As the Tour de France became more popular, so did L’Auto. The paper’s circulation was about 25,000 before the first race and jumped to 65,000 by the end of the first race.

Early Tactics
Cyclists in the early Tour de France races had to worry about both their times and their health. Fans  would often create roadblocks, throw sharp objects onto the road or physically assault other riders to delay them along the route. Nighttime attacks were common as the first race included night riding, but night riding was quickly dropped for safety reasons. It was also rumored there were attempts to poison the food and drinks of rival riders.

Steady Growth
The Tour de France has seen steady growth over the years, with the race being held annually except during the world wars. The modern Tour de France got its start in 1947 after the end of World War II. L’Auto printed unfavorable comments about the Nazis and the paper closed its doors after the war. Today, the Tour de France is a national event that brings national attention to bicycle racing and to France itself. The race also provides an important boost to the nation’s economy.