|
The Tour de France, cycling's greatest race, famed for its meandering and rugged course, was born as the result of dispute between competing newspapers. It all began in 1903 with an editorial feud between rival French sports papers with similar names, Le Velo and L'Auto-Velo. After a trademark lawsuit forced L'Auto-Velo to change its name to L'Auto, editor Henri Desgrange conceived of a major cycling race to build favorable publicity and excitement for his publication. And so, the Tour was born. The first race, held in 1903, involved six stages, covered
2,388 kilometers (about 1,400 miles), and offered no rest breaks for the cyclists. The publicity gimmick worked, and L'Auto shut down its competitor. Early on, wild stories of cheating plagued the Tour. Fans reportedly left nails in the road and riders were seen taking car trips and train rides. In response, the course was lengthened and Tour rules were modified to lend credibility to the race. To keep things interesting, Desgrange decided that the course of the race should change each year. In 1910, he added a stage through the Pyrénées Mountains, the following year the course went through the Alps. Over the last century, the Tour de France course grew to a maximum of 24 stages and 5,564 kilometers.
In recent years, the distance has ranged from about 3,500 to 4,000 kilometers. Today's teams and cyclists embark on a rigorous course plotted by official organizers. But as Lance Armstrong and the A-list of athletes cross the finish line in Paris, they can thank Henri Desgrange and a brilliant publicity stunt for cycling's greatest challenge.
|
