{"id":654605,"date":"2025-12-25T19:41:16","date_gmt":"2025-12-25T19:41:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/654605\/"},"modified":"2025-12-25T19:41:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-25T19:41:16","slug":"what-it-is-and-how-long-it-lasts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/654605\/","title":{"rendered":"What it is and how long it lasts"},"content":{"rendered":"


\nThe race began in 1903 as a marketing gamble by L\u2019Auto,<\/a> a
\nFrench sports paper hoping to outdo its rival Le V\u00e9lo. Editor Henri Desgrange,
\na former cyclist, pushed ahead with what many thought was folly: send lightly
\nequipped riders around France on rough, often unpaved roads, and see who
\nsurvived.<\/p>\n

That first Tour, which began on 1 July 1903, had just six
\nstages but those stages were vast, many running overnight. The 2,428-kilometre
\nroute was shorter in total than modern editions, yet each day averaged around
\n400 kilometres, which helps explain why only 21 of 60 starters reached the
\nfinish and why the last rider came in nearly 65 hours behind the winner.
\nMaurice Garin triumphed in 94 hours, 33 minutes, and 14 seconds, nearly 3 hours
\nahead of Lucien Pothier in second.<\/p>\n

Desgrange wanted the Tour to create legends. He imagined it
\nproducing \u201csupermen\u201d and believed that the perfect Tour would have only one
\nrider finish, with the others having been defeated by the magnitude of the
\nchallenge. Early editions reflected this vision. Riders repaired punctures and
\nbroken parts themselves, found their own food, and rode through long stretches
\nof countryside in the dark. In 1904,<\/a> some riders took trains or received
\nillicit help during night stages, causing such uproar that Desgrange briefly
\npublished \u201cTHE END\u201d as if cancelling his own race.<\/p>\n

Instead of abandoning it, organisers restructured the event.
\nFrom 1905 onwards, they added more but shorter stages, confined racing to
\ndaylight, and expanded the route to 11 stages. It quickly proved the right
\nbalance: the spectacle grew, cheating became easier to police, and
\nparticipation rose.<\/p>\n

A turning point arrived in 1910 when the race entered the
\nPyrenees for the first time. Riders had minimal gearing and faced steep, rutted
\nclimbs. On one ascent, an exhausted Octave Lapize famously yelled at
\norganisers: <\/a>\u201cYou\u2019re assassins! All of you!\u201d<\/p>\n

The Alps followed in 1911, securing mountain stages as
\ndefining features of the Tour\u2019s character. Apart from wartime interruptions
\nbetween 1915\u20131918 and 1940\u20131946, the Tour became a mainstay of French sporting
\nculture. Through the 1920s and 1930s the race ventured into neighbouring
\ncountries and began drawing elite riders from across Europe. What began as a
\nnewspaper stunt evolved into cycling\u2019s premier event and the first of the
\ncalendar\u2019s Grand Tours.<\/p>\n

\"TadejPogacar\"\/<\/p>\n

Tadej Pogacar leads Wout van Aert up the final stage of the 3338km long 2025 Tour de France<\/p>\n

Modern format<\/p>\n

While the route changes each year, the modern Tour\u2019s
\nstructure is stable. It is typically 21 stages over 23 days with two rest days,
\nusually in July. 23 teams of eight riders compete, and each stage is timed,
\nwith cumulative time deciding the overall winner in the yellow jersey. Most
\ndays are mass-start road stages. Flat and rolling stages often lead to
\nhigh-speed bunch sprints, while mountain stages in the Alps and Pyrenees shape
\nthe general classification. Time trials, \u201cTT\u201d stages, add further complexity,
\nasking riders to race alone against the clock over 20\u201340 kilometres.<\/p>\n

Stage length varies dramatically. A typical flat stage runs
\n180\u2013220 kilometres, while a time trial might be just 30 kilometres. Historically,
\nthe range has been much wider. Early Tours routinely included stages over 300
\nkilometres, and the longest in history<\/a>, used in 1919, stretched 482 kilometres
\nfrom Les Sables-d\u2019Olonne to Bayonne. At the other extreme, the shortest stage in
\nmodern history came in 2018 on stage 17, at just 65km between Bagneres de
\nLuchon to Col du Portet.<\/p>\n

Another evolution concerns how stages are spread across the
\ncalendar. The all-night marathons of the early years have long gone. Since the
\n1920s the norm has been one stage per day, though mid-century editions
\nsometimes packed in split stages, two races in a single day, to add mileage and
\ndrama. That practice faded by the late 1980s, replaced by a simpler rhythm of
\none stage per day plus two rest days. This daily structure helps the race
\nunfold as a continuous narrative and gives riders a fighting chance at
\nrecovery.<\/p>\n

Total distance is where the Tour\u2019s evolution becomes most
\nvisible. Recent Tours generally measure 3,300\u20133,500 kilometres. The 2025 route,
\nfor instance, was 3,338, slightly shorter than the previous year\u2019s 3,492 km.
\nSpread across 21 stages, that means an average of around 150\u2013170 kilometres per
\nday. But earlier eras looked very different. The original Tours in 1903 and
\n1904 were roughly 2,400 kilometres, but that modest total hid their giant
\nstages.<\/p>\n

As the race grew, organisers inflated the distance to
\nincrease difficulty and spectacle. The 1926 edition remains the longest ever at
\nroughly 5,745 kilometres across just 17 stages, which was won by Lucien Buysse.
\nThroughout the 1920s and 1930s the Tour regularly exceeded 5,000 kilometres,
\nand even after World War II many editions were still in the 4,000\u20134,500
\nkilometre range.<\/p>\n

Reducing the length<\/p>\n

From the 1980s onwards, organisers steadily reduced the
\ncourse length to improve rider welfare and encourage more dynamic racing. By
\nthe 1980s and 1990s, most Tours fell within 3,500\u20134,000 kilometres. In the 21st
\ncentury the event has tightened further into the mid-3,000s, with the shortest
\nmodern edition coming in 2002 at roughly 3,278 kilometres.<\/p>\n

Speed provides another lens on the Tour\u2019s length. Modern
\nflat stages are raced at 40\u201345 km\/h, so a 200-kilometre day often finishes in
\nfour and a half to five hours. Mountain days are slower, sometimes averaging
\nclose to 30 km\/h, but still usually end within a similar window because the
\ndistance is shorter. Today, overall winners typically complete the Tour at an
\naverage near 40 km\/h.<\/p>\n

The 2022 edition reached about 42 km\/h, the fastest at the
\ntime. Contrast that with Maurice Garin\u2019s pace in 1903 or the 1919 winner\u2019s
\naverage of around 24 km\/h over 5,560 kilometres. A century of technological,
\nnutritional, and tactical improvements, along with darker periods influenced by
\ndoping, has dramatically lifted speeds. In fact, in 2025, the average speed was
\n42.8km\/h (26.6mph), which is eye-watering for mere mortals.<\/p>\n

On particularly rapid days with supportive winds, the
\npeloton has exceeded 50 km\/h for an entire road stage. The record sits at
\naround 50.4 km\/h in a 1999 sprint stage. On gruelling climbs such as Alpe
\nd\u2019Huez, however, speeds drop to roughly 23 km\/h, half of what riders achieve on
\nflat terrain.<\/p>\n

Despite reductions in overall distance, the Tour remains
\nexhausting. Most stages last four to six hours. Riders start late morning and
\nare often racing into late afternoon. Weather can shape the rhythm: tailwinds
\naccelerate stages dramatically, while heat or climbing can slow them down. The
\ncumulative effect of these hours, repeated for 21 stages, is what truly defines
\nthe Tour\u2019s severity.<\/p>\n

Evolution<\/p>\n

Over time, the Tour has transitioned from a near-impossible
\nordeal to a refined sporting spectacle. Early editions featured minimal
\nassistance and even restrictions on drafting and team tactics, with Desgrange
\ninsisting on a contest of individuals. Now the race is a choreographed blend of
\nteamwork, equipment, sports science, and strategy. Team cars follow with spare
\nbikes, mechanics, doctors, and soigneurs. Roads are paved and closed to
\ntraffic. In 1913, a rider famously had to solder his broken frame at a village
\nblacksmith before continuing; today, a mechanic simply hands over a new bike in
\nseconds.<\/p>\n

The number of stages grew from six in 1903 to around 15 by
\n1910 and stabilised at 20\u201324 after World War II. Since the 1980s, 21 stages has
\nbeen the standard. Rest days are planned, and the variety of stage types has
\nincreased. The move away from ultra-long distances and split stages has allowed
\norganisers to shape more tactical, spectator-friendly racing, without stripping
\naway the Tour\u2019s defining difficulty.<\/p>\n

Even with these refinements, the Tour remains by a distance the
\nworld\u2019s biggest bike race. Covering roughly 3,500 kilometres across 21 days is
\nstill one of the harshest tests in world sport. Only complete riders, climbers
\nwho can time trial, sprinters who can survive mountains, and all-rounders who
\ncan stay sharp for three weeks, have any chance of winning in July.<\/p>\n

Desgrange\u2019s fantasy of a race<\/a> so hard that the perfect Tour
\nwould have only one rider finish remains an echo from the past rather than a
\nreal target. Today, the focus is on creating drama rather than complete destruction.
\nStill, the essence of his idea survives: the Tour is designed to push the
\nworld\u2019s best cyclists to their limits. Those who reach Paris have not only
\nmastered mountains, speed, distance, and tactics, they have endured one of
\nsport\u2019s most relentless journeys.<\/p>\n

Read below for a full recap of all the most important details.<\/p>\n

When did the Tour de France start?<\/b><\/p>\n

The first Tour ran in 1903, created by L\u2019Auto to boost newspaper sales.<\/p>\n

How long was the first edition?<\/b><\/p>\n

It covered 2,428 km across six massive stages.<\/p>\n

When were mountains added?<\/b><\/p>\n

The Pyrenees arrived in 1910, and the Alps followed in 1911.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the modern format?<\/b><\/p>\n

Usually 21 stages over 23 days, mixing flat, mountain, hilly, and \u201cTT\u201d
\ntime-trial stages.<\/p>\n

How long is the Tour today?<\/b><\/p>\n

Recent editions are 3,300\u20133,500 km: the 2025 route was 3,338 km, and next year’s route <\/a>will be 3,333km.<\/p>\n

How fast do riders go?<\/b><\/p>\n

Flat stages often hit 40-45 km\/h, with recent overall averages near 40 km\/h.<\/p>\n

What changed from early Tours?<\/b><\/p>\n

Distances shrank, support improved, and stages shortened, from 300+ km epics to
\n130-200 km days, shifting the race from pure survival to controlled intensity.<\/p>\n

List of Tour de France winners\u00a0<\/p>\n\nYear<\/b><\/td>\nWinner<\/b><\/td>\nCountry<\/b><\/td>\nTeam<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2025<\/td>\nTadej Poga\u010dar<\/td>\nSlovenia<\/td>\nUAE Team Emirates XRG<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2024<\/td>\nTadej Poga\u010dar<\/td>\nSlovenia<\/td>\nUAE Team Emirates<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2023<\/td>\nJonas Vingegaard<\/td>\nDenmark<\/td>\nTeam Jumbo\u2013Visma<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2022<\/td>\nJonas Vingegaard<\/td>\nDenmark<\/td>\nTeam Jumbo\u2013Visma<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2021<\/td>\nTadej Poga\u010dar<\/td>\nSlovenia<\/td>\nUAE Team Emirates<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2020<\/td>\nTadej Poga\u010dar<\/td>\nSlovenia<\/td>\nUAE Team Emirates<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2019<\/td>\nEgan Bernal<\/td>\nColombia<\/td>\nTeam Ineos<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2018<\/td>\nGeraint Thomas<\/td>\nUnited Kingdom (Wales)<\/td>\nTeam Sky<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2017<\/td>\nChris Froome<\/td>\nUnited Kingdom<\/td>\nTeam Sky<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2016<\/td>\nChris Froome<\/td>\nUnited Kingdom<\/td>\nTeam Sky<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2015<\/td>\nChris Froome<\/td>\nUnited Kingdom<\/td>\nTeam Sky<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2014<\/td>\nVincenzo Nibali<\/td>\nItaly<\/td>\nAstana Pro Team<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2013<\/td>\nChris Froome<\/td>\nUnited Kingdom<\/td>\nTeam Sky<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2012<\/td>\nBradley Wiggins<\/td>\nUnited Kingdom<\/td>\nTeam Sky<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2011<\/td>\nCadel Evans<\/td>\nAustralia<\/td>\nBMC Racing Team<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2010<\/td>\nAndy Schleck *<\/td>\nLuxembourg<\/td>\nTeam Saxo Bank<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2009<\/td>\nAlberto Contador<\/td>\nSpain<\/td>\nAstana<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2008<\/td>\nCarlos Sastre<\/td>\nSpain<\/td>\nTeam CSC Saxo Bank<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2007<\/td>\nAlberto Contador<\/td>\nSpain<\/td>\nDiscovery Channel<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2006<\/td>\n\u00d3scar Pereiro *<\/td>\nSpain<\/td>\nCaisse d’Epargne<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2005<\/td>\n*Lance Armstrong<\/td>\n*United States of America<\/td>\n*Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2004<\/td>\n*Lance Armstrong<\/td>\n\u00a0*United States of America<\/td>\n*US Postal Service p\/b Berry Floor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2003<\/td>\n*Lance Armstrong<\/td>\n\u00a0*United States of America<\/td>\n*US Postal Service p\/b Berry Floor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2002<\/td>\n*Lance Armstrong<\/td>\n\u00a0*United States of America<\/td>\n*US Postal Service<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2001<\/td>\n*Lance Armstrong<\/td>\n\u00a0*United States of America<\/td>\n*US Postal Service<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2000<\/td>\n*Lance Armstrong<\/td>\n\u00a0*United States of America<\/td>\n*US Postal Service<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1999<\/td>\n*Lance Armstrong<\/td>\n\u00a0*United States of America<\/td>\n*US Postal Service<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1998<\/td>\nMarco Pantani<\/td>\nItaly<\/td>\nMercatone Uno<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1997<\/td>\nJan Ullrich<\/td>\nGermany<\/td>\nTelekom<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1996<\/td>\nBjarne Riis *<\/td>\nDenmark<\/td>\nTelekom<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1995<\/td>\nMiguel Indur\u00e1in<\/td>\nSpain<\/td>\nBanesto<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1994<\/td>\nMiguel Indur\u00e1in<\/td>\nSpain<\/td>\nBanesto<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1993<\/td>\nMiguel Indur\u00e1in<\/td>\nSpain<\/td>\nBanesto<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1992<\/td>\nMiguel Indur\u00e1in<\/td>\nSpain<\/td>\nBanesto<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1991<\/td>\nMiguel Indur\u00e1in<\/td>\nSpain<\/td>\nBanesto<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1990<\/td>\nGreg LeMond<\/td>\nUSA<\/td>\nZ<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1989<\/td>\nGreg LeMond<\/td>\nUSA<\/td>\nADR<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1988<\/td>\nPedro Delgado<\/td>\nSpain<\/td>\nReynolds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1987<\/td>\nStephen Roche<\/td>\nIreland<\/td>\nCarrera<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1986<\/td>\nGreg LeMond<\/td>\nUSA<\/td>\nLa Vie Claire<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1985<\/td>\nBernard Hinault<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nLa Vie Claire<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1984<\/td>\nLaurent Fignon<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nRenault<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1983<\/td>\nLaurent Fignon<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nRenault<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1982<\/td>\nBernard Hinault<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nRenault<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1981<\/td>\nBernard Hinault<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nRenault<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1980<\/td>\nJoop Zoetemelk<\/td>\nNetherlands<\/td>\nTI Raleigh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1979<\/td>\nBernard Hinault<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nRenault<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1978<\/td>\nBernard Hinault<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nRenault<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1977<\/td>\nBernard Th\u00e9venet<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nPeugeot<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1976<\/td>\nLucien Van Impe<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\nGitane<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1975<\/td>\nBernard Th\u00e9venet<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nPeugeot<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1974<\/td>\nEddy Merckx<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\nMolteni<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1973<\/td>\nLuis Oca\u00f1a<\/td>\nSpain<\/td>\nBic<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1972<\/td>\nEddy Merckx<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\nMolteni<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1971<\/td>\nEddy Merckx<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\nMolteni<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1970<\/td>\nEddy Merckx<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\nFaemino<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1969<\/td>\nEddy Merckx<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\nFaema<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1968<\/td>\nJan Janssen<\/td>\nNetherlands<\/td>\nHolland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1967<\/td>\nRoger Pingeon<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1966<\/td>\nLucien Aimar<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nFord<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1965<\/td>\nFelice Gimondi<\/td>\nItaly<\/td>\nSalvarini<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1964<\/td>\nJacques Anquetil<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nSt-Raphael<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1963<\/td>\nJacques Anquetil<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nSt-Raphael<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1962<\/td>\nJacques Anquetil<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nSt-Raphael<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1961<\/td>\nJacques Anquetil<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1960<\/td>\nGastone Nencini<\/td>\nItaly<\/td>\nItaly<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1959<\/td>\nFederico Bahamontes<\/td>\nSpain<\/td>\nSpain<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1958<\/td>\nCharly Gaul<\/td>\nLuxembourg<\/td>\nHolland-Luxembourg<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1957<\/td>\nJacques Anquetil<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1956<\/td>\nRoger Walkowiak<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nNord-Est-Centre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1955<\/td>\nLouison Bobet<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1954<\/td>\nLouison Bobet<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1953<\/td>\nLouison Bobet<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1952<\/td>\nFausto Coppi<\/td>\nItaly<\/td>\nItaly<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1951<\/td>\nHugo Koblet<\/td>\nSwitzerland<\/td>\nSwitzerland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1950<\/td>\nFerdinand Kubler<\/td>\nSwitzerland<\/td>\nSwitzerland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1949<\/td>\nFausto Coppi<\/td>\nItaly<\/td>\nItaly<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1948<\/td>\nGino Bartali<\/td>\nItaly<\/td>\nItaly<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1947<\/td>\nJean Robic<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nOuest<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1940-46 (not held due to WW2)<\/td>\n\n\n<\/tr>\n\n1939<\/td>\nSylv\u00e8re Maes<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1938<\/td>\nGino Bartali<\/td>\nItaly<\/td>\nItaly<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1937<\/td>\nRoger Lap\u00e9bie<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1936<\/td>\nSylv\u00e8re Maes<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1935<\/td>\nRomain Maes<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1934<\/td>\nAntonin Magne<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1933<\/td>\nGeorges Speicher<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1932<\/td>\nAndr\u00e9 Leducq<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1931<\/td>\nAntonin Magne<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1930<\/td>\nAndr\u00e9 Leducq<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1929<\/td>\nMaurice De Waele<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\nAlcyon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1928<\/td>\nNicolas Frantz<\/td>\nLuxembourg<\/td>\nAlcyon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1927<\/td>\nNicolas Frantz<\/td>\nLuxembourg<\/td>\nAlcyon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1926<\/td>\nLucien Buysse<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\nAutomoto<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1925<\/td>\nOttavio Bottecchia<\/td>\nItaly<\/td>\nAutomoto<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1924<\/td>\nOttavio Bottecchia<\/td>\nItaly<\/td>\nAutomoto<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1923<\/td>\nHenri P\u00e9lissier<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nAutomoto<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1922<\/td>\nFirmin Lambot<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\nCycles Peugeot<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1921<\/td>\nL\u00e9on Scieur<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\nLa Sportive<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1920<\/td>\nPhilippe Thys<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\nLa Sportive<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1919<\/td>\nFirmin Lambot<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\nLa Sportive<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1915-18 (not held due to WW1)<\/td>\n\n\n<\/tr>\n\n1914<\/td>\nPhilippe Thys<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\nCycles Peugeot<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1913<\/td>\nPhilippe Thys<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\nCycles Peugeot<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1912<\/td>\nOdile Defraye<\/td>\nBelgium<\/td>\nAlycon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1911<\/td>\nGustave Garrigou<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nAlycon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1910<\/td>\nOctave Lapize<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nAlycon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1909<\/td>\nFran\u00e7ois Faber<\/td>\nLuxembourg<\/td>\nAlycon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1908<\/td>\nLucien Petit-Breton<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nCycles Peugeot<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1907<\/td>\nLucien Petit-Breton<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nCycles Peugeot<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1906<\/td>\nRen\u00e9 Pottier<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nCycles Peugeot<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1905<\/td>\nLouis Trousselier<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nCycles Peugeot<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1904<\/td>\nHenri Cornet *<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nCycles JC<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n1903<\/td>\nMaurice Garin<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\nLa Fran\u00e7aise<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The race began in 1903 as a marketing gamble by L\u2019Auto, a French sports paper hoping 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