1972 Tour de France
Encyclopedia
The 1972 Tour de France was the 59th Tour de France
, taking place July 1 to July 22, 1972. It consisted of 20 stages over 3846.6 km, ridden at an average speed of 35.371 km/h. The long awaited clash between Eddy Merckx
and Luis Ocaña
after Ocaña crashed on Col de Menté
in the 1971 Tour de France
. After dominating the race, Luis Ocaña crashed once more, in the Pyrenees
, and left Eddy Merckx to battle Cyrille Guimard
for the win. Guimard, having won four stages, had to leave the race after stage 17 in second place (he already was 7:58 behind at that point), but was given the combativity award
after the race.
Three days before the Tour started, the schedule was changed: the final time trial was split, with the first 42 km as a time trial in the morning, and the last 89 km as a mass-start stage in the afternoon.
In the previous year, Ocana was on his way to beat Merckx, when he fell as leader and had to give up. Everybody expected Merckx and Ocana to battle for the victory in 1972. Ocana felt that he could have won the 1971 Tour, and Merckx did not like the comments that he did not deserve the 1971 victory, and both wanted to show their strengths.
Merckx had won important races before the Tour started, including the 1972 Giro d'Italia
, and was also the reigning world champion. Ocana had won less races, but won the Criterium du Dauphiné Libéré.
The most important other participants were considered Raymond Poulidor
, Felice Gimondi
, Joop Zoetemelk
and Bernard Thevenet
.
José Manuel Fuente, who had won the 1972 Vuelta a España
and finished second in the 1972 Giro d'Italia
, did not compete, as his team decided they had already been in too many hard races.
Herman Vanspringel had announced four days prior to the Tour that he would leave his team after his contract would end at the end of 1972. His team then removed him from the Tour squad.
won the sprint, and because of the bonification seconds took over the first position in the general classification.
In the next stages, Merckx tried to win back time by winning bonification seconds in intermediate sprints and at the finish, but Guimard used the same tactic. Merckx won back the first position thanks to the bonification seconds after the team time trial
in stage 3B, but lost it again in the fourth stage.
Merckx won the time trial in the second part of the fifth stage, but Guimard became third, and kept the lead. After the sixth stage, Guimard was 11 seconds ahead of Merckx. The third place was occupied by a team mate of Merckx, and Ocaña was in fourth place, one minute behind Guimard.
In the seventh stage, the Tour reached the Pyrénées. Ocaña attacked two times, and the second time only Merckx could follow. When Ocaña punctured, and later crashed with Thevenet, Merckx was away without him. Another group, including Zoetemelk and Guimard, had reached Merckx, and crossed the finishline together. Ocana finished in sixth place, losing 1 minute and 49 seconds. Thevenet lost more than six minutes that stage, and had lost all hope to win. He was taken to the hospital to see if the crash had caused serious injuries, but could start the next stage.
In the eighth stage, Lucien Van Impe
attacked on the last climb. Merckx caught him and won the stage, with Ocana only eight seconds behind him. Guimard lost three minutes, and Merckx overtook him in the general classification.
In the ninth stage, Roger Pingeon
left the race. He did not play an important role in the general classification, but his team expected him to help his teammate Thevenet in the rest of the race.
The eleventh stage ended with the climb up to Mont Ventoux
. After Merckx' team had pushed the pace such that most cyclists in the peloton had dropped, Ocana attacked four times. Every time, Merckx was able to chase him, together with only Poulidor. Poulidor then attacked, but could not get away. Some other cyclists were able to get back, including Thevenet. Thevenet then attacked, and left the others behind, winning the stage.
Merckx expected Ocana to attack in the twelfth stage, so he stayed with him. When Joaquim Agostinho
and Lucien Van Impe
attacked, Merckx let them go and stayed with Ocana, as Merckx only cared about Ocana; he did not want Ocana to win back time, and did not want him to win the stage which could give him inspiration in the next stages.
In the thirteenth stage, Merckx' team first set a pace that eliminated all but 16 cyclists at the start of the climb of the Vars
. Raymond Delisle
escaped from that group, but Merckx chased him and passed him before the summit. On the way down, Guimard was able to reach Merckx. Climbing the Izoard, Merckx dropped Guimard, and soloed to the victory. By then, Merckx was leading the general classification firmly, almost five minutes ahead of Ocana.
The first part of the fourteenth stage was also won by Merckx, who outsprinted Zoetemelk. Ocana lost two minutes, and Guimard overtook him in the general classification.
In the second part of the fourteenth stage, Ocana lost more than five minutes. Guimard and Merckx sprinted for the stage victory, and the photo finish gave the victory to Guimard. Ocana left the race after that stage; he had contracted a lung infection after his fall in the seventh stage. The stage ended with two laps of 1800 m; when it was found out that one group had missed one lap, the rules said that this group would have to ride that lap again, but the jury decided to use the times clocked after the first lap.
The fifteenth stage was also narrowly won by Guimard; Merckx had already raised one hand to cheer.
In the seventeenth stage, Guimard struggled with his health. He needed medical attention during the entire stage, and lost two minutes on the final climb. After 10 km in the eighteenth stage, he left the race.
Merckx was now leading by more than ten minutes, and was certain to win the race. The second place was still not certain; Poulidor and Gimondi were separated only by one second. In the time trial on the last day, won by Merckx, the decision fell: Gimondi came in second, Poulidor fourth, and Gimondi overtook Poulidor in the general classification.
After the finish in Paris, Merckx gave Guimard the green jersey that he received for winning the points classification to Guimard, who otherwise would have been the winner of that classification.
. After Guimard left the race, there were rumours that Guimard had been using doping in the last days of the Tour; to end these rumours, he requested that after the eighteenth stage, he would also be checked for doping.
In 2000, Sainz wrote the book "The stunning revelation of Dr. Mabuse", where he denied that he was responsible.
Later that year, Eddy Merckx finished second in the athlete of the year poll, behind Mark Spitz
.
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, taking place July 1 to July 22, 1972. It consisted of 20 stages over 3846.6 km, ridden at an average speed of 35.371 km/h. The long awaited clash between Eddy Merckx
Eddy Merckx
Edouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all...
and Luis Ocaña
Luis Ocaña
Jesús Luis Ocaña Pernía was a Spanish road bicycle racer who won the Tour de France in 1973 and the Vuelta a España in 1970.- Early professional career :...
after Ocaña crashed on Col de Menté
Col de Menté
The Col de Menté is a mountain pass in the central Pyrenees in the department of Haute-Garonne in France. It is situated on the D44 road between Saint-Béat and the D618...
in the 1971 Tour de France
1971 Tour de France
The 1971 Tour de France was the 58th Tour de France, taking place June 26 to July 18, 1971. It consisted of 22 stages over , ridden at an average speed of ....
. After dominating the race, Luis Ocaña crashed once more, in the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
, and left Eddy Merckx to battle Cyrille Guimard
Cyrille Guimard
Cyrille Guimard is a French former professional road racing cyclist who became a directeur sportif and then a television commentator...
for the win. Guimard, having won four stages, had to leave the race after stage 17 in second place (he already was 7:58 behind at that point), but was given the combativity award
Combativity award
The combativity award, , is a prize given in the Tour de France. It favours constant attackers and since 1981 the winner of the award has not won the whole Tour.- History :...
after the race.
Differences from the 1971 Tour de France
For the first time since 1947, the Tour de France was entirely in France.Three days before the Tour started, the schedule was changed: the final time trial was split, with the first 42 km as a time trial in the morning, and the last 89 km as a mass-start stage in the afternoon.
Participants
The Tour started with the following 12 teams, each with 11 cyclists:
|
|
In the previous year, Ocana was on his way to beat Merckx, when he fell as leader and had to give up. Everybody expected Merckx and Ocana to battle for the victory in 1972. Ocana felt that he could have won the 1971 Tour, and Merckx did not like the comments that he did not deserve the 1971 victory, and both wanted to show their strengths.
Merckx had won important races before the Tour started, including the 1972 Giro d'Italia
1972 Giro d'Italia
The 1972 Giro d'Italia of cycling, the 55th running of the race, was held from 21 May to 11 June 1972, consisting of 20 stages. It was won by Eddy Merckx.-Final classment:-Maglia rosa holders:-Other jerseys:...
, and was also the reigning world champion. Ocana had won less races, but won the Criterium du Dauphiné Libéré.
The most important other participants were considered Raymond Poulidor
Raymond Poulidor
Raymond Poulidor , is a former professional bicycle racer. He was known as the eternal second, because he finished the Tour de France in second place three times, and in third place five times, including his final Tour at the age of 40...
, Felice Gimondi
Felice Gimondi
Felice Gimondi is an Italian former professional racing cyclist.With his 1968 victory at the Vuelta a España, only three years after becoming a professional cyclist, Gimondi, nicknamed "The Phoenix", was the second cyclist to win all three Grand Tours of road cycling: Tour de France , Giro...
, Joop Zoetemelk
Joop Zoetemelk
Hendrik Gerardus Jozef "Joop" Zoetemelk is a retired professional racing cyclist from the Netherlands who has emigrated to France. He started the Tour de France 16 times and finished every time, a record. He won the race in 1980 and also came eighth, fifth, fourth and second...
and Bernard Thevenet
Bernard Thévenet
Bernard Thévenet, born 10 January 1948, in Saint-Julien-de-Civry, Saône-et-Loire, is a retired French bicycle racer. He is a two-time winner of the Tour de France and known for ending the reign of five-time Tour champion Eddy Merckx...
.
José Manuel Fuente, who had won the 1972 Vuelta a España
1972 Vuelta a España
The 27th Vuelta a España , a long-distance bicycle stage race and one of the 3 grand tours, was held from April 27 to May 14, 1972. It consisted of 17 stages covering a total of 3,086.6 km, and was won by José Manuel Fuente of the Kas-Kaskol cycling team...
and finished second in the 1972 Giro d'Italia
1972 Giro d'Italia
The 1972 Giro d'Italia of cycling, the 55th running of the race, was held from 21 May to 11 June 1972, consisting of 20 stages. It was won by Eddy Merckx.-Final classment:-Maglia rosa holders:-Other jerseys:...
, did not compete, as his team decided they had already been in too many hard races.
Herman Vanspringel had announced four days prior to the Tour that he would leave his team after his contract would end at the end of 1972. His team then removed him from the Tour squad.
Race details
Merckx' won the prologue, beating his concurrents by some seconds. In the first stage, Cyrille GuimardCyrille Guimard
Cyrille Guimard is a French former professional road racing cyclist who became a directeur sportif and then a television commentator...
won the sprint, and because of the bonification seconds took over the first position in the general classification.
In the next stages, Merckx tried to win back time by winning bonification seconds in intermediate sprints and at the finish, but Guimard used the same tactic. Merckx won back the first position thanks to the bonification seconds after the team time trial
Team time trial
A team time trial is a road-based bicycle race in which teams of cyclists race against the clock .Teams start at equal intervals, usually two, three or four minutes apart...
in stage 3B, but lost it again in the fourth stage.
Merckx won the time trial in the second part of the fifth stage, but Guimard became third, and kept the lead. After the sixth stage, Guimard was 11 seconds ahead of Merckx. The third place was occupied by a team mate of Merckx, and Ocaña was in fourth place, one minute behind Guimard.
In the seventh stage, the Tour reached the Pyrénées. Ocaña attacked two times, and the second time only Merckx could follow. When Ocaña punctured, and later crashed with Thevenet, Merckx was away without him. Another group, including Zoetemelk and Guimard, had reached Merckx, and crossed the finishline together. Ocana finished in sixth place, losing 1 minute and 49 seconds. Thevenet lost more than six minutes that stage, and had lost all hope to win. He was taken to the hospital to see if the crash had caused serious injuries, but could start the next stage.
In the eighth stage, Lucien Van Impe
Lucien Van Impe
Lucien van Impe was a Belgian cyclist from 1969 to 1987. He excelled mainly as a climber in multiple-day races such as the Tour de France...
attacked on the last climb. Merckx caught him and won the stage, with Ocana only eight seconds behind him. Guimard lost three minutes, and Merckx overtook him in the general classification.
In the ninth stage, Roger Pingeon
Roger Pingeon
Roger Pingeon is a retired professional road bicycle racer from France. He raced as a professional from 1964 to 1974. In 1967, Pingeon won the Tour de France. In 1969, Pingeon won the Vuelta a España and came second behind Eddy Merckx in the Tour de France.-Major achievements:19641965...
left the race. He did not play an important role in the general classification, but his team expected him to help his teammate Thevenet in the rest of the race.
The eleventh stage ended with the climb up to Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux is a mountain in the Provence region of southern France, located some 20 km northeast of Carpentras, Vaucluse. On the north side, the mountain borders the Drôme département. It is the largest mountain in the region and has been nicknamed the "Giant of Provence", or "The Bald...
. After Merckx' team had pushed the pace such that most cyclists in the peloton had dropped, Ocana attacked four times. Every time, Merckx was able to chase him, together with only Poulidor. Poulidor then attacked, but could not get away. Some other cyclists were able to get back, including Thevenet. Thevenet then attacked, and left the others behind, winning the stage.
Merckx expected Ocana to attack in the twelfth stage, so he stayed with him. When Joaquim Agostinho
Joaquim Agostinho
Joaquim Fernandes Agostinho, OIH was a Portuguese professional bicycle racer. He was champion of Portugal in six successive years. He rode the Tour de France 13 times and finished all but once, winning on Alpe d'Huez in 1979, and finishing 3rd twice...
and Lucien Van Impe
Lucien Van Impe
Lucien van Impe was a Belgian cyclist from 1969 to 1987. He excelled mainly as a climber in multiple-day races such as the Tour de France...
attacked, Merckx let them go and stayed with Ocana, as Merckx only cared about Ocana; he did not want Ocana to win back time, and did not want him to win the stage which could give him inspiration in the next stages.
In the thirteenth stage, Merckx' team first set a pace that eliminated all but 16 cyclists at the start of the climb of the Vars
Vars
Vars may refer to the following places:In Canada:* Vars, Ontario, a community within the city limits of OttawaIn France:* Vars, Hautes-Alpes, a commune in the department of Hautes-Alpes* Vars, Charente, a commune in the department of Charente...
. Raymond Delisle
Raymond Delisle
Raymond Delisle is a French former professional road bicycle racer. He is the only rider to have won a stage of the Tour de France on 14 July, France's national day, while wearing the jersey of national champion....
escaped from that group, but Merckx chased him and passed him before the summit. On the way down, Guimard was able to reach Merckx. Climbing the Izoard, Merckx dropped Guimard, and soloed to the victory. By then, Merckx was leading the general classification firmly, almost five minutes ahead of Ocana.
The first part of the fourteenth stage was also won by Merckx, who outsprinted Zoetemelk. Ocana lost two minutes, and Guimard overtook him in the general classification.
In the second part of the fourteenth stage, Ocana lost more than five minutes. Guimard and Merckx sprinted for the stage victory, and the photo finish gave the victory to Guimard. Ocana left the race after that stage; he had contracted a lung infection after his fall in the seventh stage. The stage ended with two laps of 1800 m; when it was found out that one group had missed one lap, the rules said that this group would have to ride that lap again, but the jury decided to use the times clocked after the first lap.
The fifteenth stage was also narrowly won by Guimard; Merckx had already raised one hand to cheer.
In the seventeenth stage, Guimard struggled with his health. He needed medical attention during the entire stage, and lost two minutes on the final climb. After 10 km in the eighteenth stage, he left the race.
Merckx was now leading by more than ten minutes, and was certain to win the race. The second place was still not certain; Poulidor and Gimondi were separated only by one second. In the time trial on the last day, won by Merckx, the decision fell: Gimondi came in second, Poulidor fourth, and Gimondi overtook Poulidor in the general classification.
After the finish in Paris, Merckx gave Guimard the green jersey that he received for winning the points classification to Guimard, who otherwise would have been the winner of that classification.
Stages
The 1972 Tour de France started on 1 July, and had two rest days, in Bayonne and Orcières.| Stage | Date | Route | Terrain | Length | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 1 July | Angers – Angers Angers Angers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins.... |
 Individual time trial An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials... |
7 km (4.3 mi) | |
| 1 | 2 July | Angers – Saint-Brieuc Saint-Brieuc Saint-Brieuc is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France.-History:Saint-Brieuc is named after a Welsh monk Brioc, who evangelized the region in the 6th century and established an oratory there... |
 |
236 km (146.6 mi) | |
| 2 | 3 July | Saint-Brieuc – La Baule La Baule-Escoublac La Baule-Escoublac, commonly referred to as La Baule, is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.A century-old seaside resort at the gateway to Britany with beautiful villas, casino, luxury hotels and an original mix of old Breton and exclusive seaside culture boasting a 12... |
|
206 km (128 mi) | |
| 3a | 4 July | Pornichet Pornichet Pornichet is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.- Location :Pornichet is a coastal town of the Côte d'Amour, located a tens of kilometers west of Saint-Nazaire.The adjacent towns are Saint-Nazaire and La Baule-Escoublac.... – Saint-Jean-de-Monts Saint-Jean-de-Monts Saint-Jean-de-Monts is a commune in the Vendée department in the Pays de la Loire region in western France.-Geography:The town is situated in the west of the département, between Notre-Dame-de-Monts and Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez. It is split in two by a long plantation of pine trees, stretching from... |
|
161 km (100 mi) | |
| 3b | Merlin-Plage – Merlin-Plage | Team time trial A team time trial is a road-based bicycle race in which teams of cyclists race against the clock .Teams start at equal intervals, usually two, three or four minutes apart... |
16 km (9.9 mi) | Molteni Molteni Molteni was an Italian professional road bicycle racing team from 1958 until the end of 1976. It won 663 races, many of them earned by its most famous rider, Eddy Merckx. Other riders included Gianni Motta and Marino Basso, who contributed 48 and 34 wins respectively... |
|
| 4 | 5 July | Merlin-Plage – Royan Royan Royan is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department, along the Atlantic Ocean, in southwestern France.A seaside resort, Royan is in the heart of an urban area estimated at 38,638 inhabitants, which makes it the fourth-largest conurbation in the department, after La Rochelle, Rochefort and Saintes... |
|
236 km (146.6 mi) | |
| 5a | 6 July | Royan – Bordeaux Bordeaux Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture... |
|
134 km (83.3 mi) | |
| 5b | Bordeaux – Bordeaux Bordeaux Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture... |
Individual time trial An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials... |
13 km (8.1 mi) | ||
| 6 | 7 July | Bordeaux – Bayonne Bayonne Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture... |
|
205 km (127.4 mi) | |
| 7 | 9 July | Bayonne – Pau |  |
220 km (136.7 mi) | |
| 8 | 10 July | Pau – Luchon Bagnères-de-Luchon Bagnères-de-Luchon , also referred to as Luchon, is a spa town and a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.-Geography:... |
|
164 km (101.9 mi) | |
| 9 | 11 July | Luchon – Colomiers Colomiers Colomiers is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.It is the largest suburb of the city of Toulouse, and is adjacent to it on the west side... |
|
179 km (111.2 mi) | |
| 10 | 12 July | Castres Castres Castres is a commune, and arrondissement capital in the Tarn department and Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France. It lies in the former French province of Languedoc.... – La Grande-Motte La Grande-Motte La Grande-Motte is a commune in the Hérault département in Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France. It is a popular seaside resort and port, built in the 1960s and 1970s on a greenfield site, La Grande-Motte is characterized by a homogeneous architecture, the most visible are the buildings in the... |
|
210 km (130.5 mi) | |
| 11 | 13 July | Carnon-Plage – Mont Ventoux Mont Ventoux Mont Ventoux is a mountain in the Provence region of southern France, located some 20 km northeast of Carpentras, Vaucluse. On the north side, the mountain borders the Drôme département. It is the largest mountain in the region and has been nicknamed the "Giant of Provence", or "The Bald... |
|
207 km (128.6 mi) | |
| 12 | 14 July | Carpentras Carpentras Carpentras is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It stands on the banks of the Auzon... – Orcières Orcières Orcières is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*... |
|
192 km (119.3 mi) | |
| 13 | 16 July | Orcières – Briançon Briançon Briançon a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.... |
|
201 km (124.9 mi) | |
| 14a | 17 July | Briançon – Col du Galibier Col du Galibier Col du Galibier is a mountain pass in the southern region of the French Dauphiné Alps near Grenoble. It is the ninth highest paved road in the Alps and the sixth highest mountain pass. It is often the highest point of the Tour de France.... |
|
51 km (31.7 mi) | |
| 14b | Valloire Valloire Valloire is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.The ski resort Valloire-Galibier is located in the commune, at the foot of the Col du Galibier and next to the ski resort of Valmeinier, France.... – Aix-les-Bains Aix-les-Bains Aix-les-Bains is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It is situated on the shore of Lac du Bourget, by rail north of Chambéry.-Geography:... |
|
151 km (93.8 mi) | ||
| 15 | 18 July | Aix-les-Bains – Le Revard | |
28 km (17.4 mi) | |
| 16 | 19 July | Aix-les-Bains – Pontarlier Pontarlier Pontarlier is a commune and one of the two sub-prefectures of the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France.-History:... |
|
198 km (123 mi) | |
| 17 | 20 July | Pontarlier – Ballon d'Alsace Ballon d'Alsace Ballon d'Alsace is a mountain at the border of Alsace, Lorraine, and Franche-Comté. From its top, views include the Vosges, the Rhine valley, and the Black Forest.A road leads over a pass near the peak at .... |
|
213 km (132.4 mi) | |
| 18 | 21 July | Vesoul Vesoul Vesoul is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.The town is the capital of the department, its inhabitants are known in French as Vésuliens.-Notable people:... – Auxerre Auxerre Auxerre is a commune in the Bourgogne region in north-central France, between Paris and Dijon. It is the capital of the Yonne department.Auxerre's population today is about 45,000... |
|
259 km (160.9 mi) | |
| 19 | 22 July | Auxerre – Versailles Versailles Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre... |
|
230 km (142.9 mi) | |
| 20a | 23 July | Versailles – Versailles Versailles Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre... |
Individual time trial An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials... |
42 km (26.1 mi) | |
| 20b | Versailles – Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... |
|
89 km (55.3 mi) | ||
Classification leadership
| Stage | General classification |
Points classification Points classification in the Tour de France The points classification in the Tour de France is a secondary competition in the Tour de France, that started in 1953. Points are given for high finishes in a stage and for winning intermediate sprints, and these are recorded in a points classification. It is considered a sprinters' competition...  |
Mountains classification | Team classification Team classification The team classification is a prize given in the Tour de France to the best team in the race. It has been awarded since 1930, and the calculation has changed throughout the years.-Calculation:... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | no award | Molteni | ||
| 1 | ||||
| 2 | ||||
| 3a | ||||
| 3b | ||||
| 4 | Peugeot | |||
| 5a | ||||
| 5b | Molteni | |||
| 6 | ||||
| 7 | Gan | |||
| 8 | ||||
| 9 | ||||
| 10 | ||||
| 11 | ||||
| 12 | ||||
| 13 | ||||
| 14a | ||||
| 14b | ||||
| 15 | ||||
| 16 | ||||
| 17 | ||||
| 18 | ||||
| 19 | ||||
| 20a | ||||
| 20b | ||||
| Final | Gan |
General classification
| Rank | Name | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Molteni | 108h 17' 18" | |
| 2 | Salvarani | +10' 41" | |
| 3 | Gan | +11' 34" | |
| 4 | Sonolor | +16' 45" | |
| 5 | Beaulieu | +19' 09" | |
| 6 | Magniflex | +21' 31" | |
| 7 | Sonolor | +21' 52" | |
| 8 | Magniflex | +34' 16" | |
| 9 | Peugeot | +37' 11" | |
| 10 | Magniflex | +42' 33" |
| Final general classification (11–88) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Team | Time |
| 11 | Peugeot | +46' 27" | |
| 12 | Bic | +46' 39" | |
| 13 | Salvarani | +47' 37" | |
| 14 | Molteni | +49' 24" | |
| 15 | Molteni | +59' 29" | |
| 16 | Watney | +1h 00' 09" | |
| 17 | Rokado | +1h 03' 41" | |
| 18 | Goudsmit | +1h 05' 09" | |
| 19 | Gan | +1h 06' 19" | |
| 20 | Rokado | +1h 10' 09" | |
| 21 | Peugeot | +1h 14' 51" | |
| 22 | Molteni | +1h 21' 28" | |
| 23 | Magniflex | +1h 23' 51" | |
| 24 | Rokado | +1h 24' 59" | |
| 25 | Sonolor | +1h 26' 33" | |
| 26 | Molteni | +1h 27' 20" | |
| 27 | Sonolor | +1h 30' 12" | |
| 28 | Molteni | +1h 31' 29" | |
| 29 | Bic | +1h 31' 35" | |
| 30 | Bic | +1h 32' 06" | |
| 31 | Peugeot | +1h 34' 22" | |
| 32 | Magniflex | +1h 37' 28" | |
| 33 | Beaulieu | +1h 39' 11" | |
| 34 | Rokado | +1h 39' 39" | |
| 35 | Bic | +1h 41' 13" | |
| 36 | Gan | +1h 41' 46" | |
| 37 | Molteni | +1h 42' 55" | |
| 38 | Peugeot | +1h 44' 20" | |
| 39 | Salvarani | +1h 44' 54" | |
| 40 | Bic | +1h 45' 51" | |
| 41 | Peugeot | +1h 48' 53" | |
| 42 | Rokado | +1h 50' 12" | |
| 43 | Molteni | +1h 50' 44" | |
| 44 | Peugeot | +1h 53' 56" | |
| 45 | Peugeot | +1h 56' 00" | |
| 46 | Magniflex | +1h 59' 41" | |
| 47 | Peugeot | +2h 01' 00" | |
| 48 | Sonolor | +2h 01' 25" | |
| 49 | Magniflex | +2h 02' 41" | |
| 50 | Gitane | +2h 02' 44" | |
| 51 | Molteni | +2h 03' 11" | |
| 52 | Rokado | +2h 04' 04" | |
| 53 | Salvarani | +2h 04' 07" | |
| 54 | Goudsmit | +2h 04' 45" | |
| 55 | Gitane | +2h 08' 31" | |
| 56 | Bic | +2h 10' 44" | |
| 57 | Gitane | +2h 11' 29" | |
| 58 | Gan | +2h 11' 37" | |
| 59 | Beaulieu | +2h 11' 53" | |
| 60 | Rokado | +2h 12' 40" | |
| 61 | Goudsmit | +2h 14' 56" | |
| 62 | Beaulieu | +2h 16' 34" | |
| 63 | Rokado | +2h 16' 49" | |
| 64 | Bic | +2h 16' 53" | |
| 65 | Magniflex | +2h 18' 22" | |
| 66 | Sonolor | +2h 21' 59" | |
| 67 | Watney | +2h 22' 57" | |
| 68 | Watney | +2h 26' 20" | |
| 69 | Watney | +2h 27' 39" | |
| 70 | Gan | +2h 28' 20" | |
| 71 | Goudsmit | +2h 28' 27" | |
| 72 | Gitane | +2h 30' 06" | |
| 73 | Goudsmit | +2h 30' 41" | |
| 74 | Salvarani | +2h 31' 42" | |
| 75 | Gitane | +2h 33' 10" | |
| 76 | Gan | +2h 36' 32" | |
| 77 | Watney | +2h 38' 24" | |
| 78 | Goudsmit | +2h 38' 59" | |
| 79 | Watney | +2h 40' 52" | |
| 80 | Magniflex | +2h 41' 24" | |
| 81 | Sonolor | +2h 41' 29" | |
| 82 | Salvarani | +2h 46' 50" | |
| 83 | Beaulieu | +2h 48' 36" | |
| 84 | Gitane | +2h 48' 41" | |
| 85 | Salvarani | +2h 50' 12" | |
| 86 | Salvarani | +2h 54' 37" | |
| 87 | Sonolor | +3h 07' 39" | |
| 88 | Gitane | +4h 03' 33" | |
Points classification
When Cyrille Guimard left the race in the 17th stage, he was leading the points classification with 228 points.| Rank | Name | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Molteni | 197 | |
| 2 | Magniflex | 135 | |
| 3 | Beaulieu | 133 | |
| 4 | Gan | 122 | |
| 5 | Watney | 118 | |
| 6 | Salvarani | 112 | |
| 7 | Salvarani | 112 | |
| 8 | Sonolor | 110 | |
| 9 | Sonolor | 105 | |
| 10 | Magniflex | 89 |
Mountains classification
| Rank | Name | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sonolor | 229 | |
| 2 | Molteni | 211 | |
| 3 | Magniflex | 138 | |
| 4 | Sonolor | 109 | |
| 5 | Beaulieu | 104 | |
| 6 | Gan | 79 | |
| 7 | Peugeot | 55 | |
| 8 | Peugeot | 49 | |
| 9 | Magniflex | 43 | |
| 10 | Molteni | 35 |
Team classification
| Rank | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gan | 327h 44' 34" |
| 2 | Magniflex | +8' 29" |
| 3 | Molteni | +12' 45" |
| 4 | Sonolor | +17' 45" |
| 5 | Bic | +46' 09" |
| 6 | Salvarani | +56' 27" |
| 7 | Peugeot | +58' 46" |
| 8 | Flandria | +1h 43' 13" |
| 9 | Rokado | +3h 21' 13" |
| 10 | Goudsmit | +3h 21' 13" |
| 11 | Watney | +3h 08' 16" |
| 12 | Gitane | +4h 47' 57" |
Combination classification
| Rank | Name | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Molteni | 4 | |
| 2 | Gan | 13 | |
| 3 | Beaulieu | 13 | |
| 4 | Sonolor | 14 | |
| 5 | Salvarani | 19 |
Sprints classification
When Cyrille Guimard left the race in the 17th stage, he was leading the sprints classification with 65 points.| Rank | Name | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sonolor | 61 | |
| 2 | Sonolor | 48 | |
| 3 | Gan | 38 | |
| 4 | Salvarani | 28 | |
| 5 | Sonolor | 27 |
Aftermath
Guimard had been treated by Bernard SainzBernard Sainz
Bernard Sainz, aka Dr Mabuse, was an unlicensed sports doctor who achieved great success in horse racing and cycling. He was jailed for falsely practising medicine, particularly in cycle racing.-Background:...
. After Guimard left the race, there were rumours that Guimard had been using doping in the last days of the Tour; to end these rumours, he requested that after the eighteenth stage, he would also be checked for doping.
In 2000, Sainz wrote the book "The stunning revelation of Dr. Mabuse", where he denied that he was responsible.
Later that year, Eddy Merckx finished second in the athlete of the year poll, behind Mark Spitz
Mark Spitz
Mark Andrew Spitz is a retired American swimmer. He won seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, an achievement only surpassed by Michael Phelps who won eight golds at the 2008 Olympics....
.