The first Tour de France, widely regarded as the world's greatest bicycle race, began on 01 July 1903. Organized by the newspaper L'Auto to boost its circulation, the race was designed to be a grueling test of endurance, covering a total distance of 2,428 kilometers (about 1,509 miles) and divided into six stages.
Key points about the inaugural Tour de France include:
- Start and Finish: The race began in Montgeron, a suburb of Paris, and concluded in Paris as well.
- Participants: Sixty riders started the race, but only 21 managed to finish.
- Winner: Maurice Garin, an Italian-born French cyclist, won the first Tour. He completed the race in 94 hours, 33 minutes, and 14 seconds, finishing almost three hours ahead of the second-place cyclist.
- Stages: The race consisted of six stages, each much longer than the typical stages in modern Tours, with some stages exceeding 400 kilometers (about 249 miles).
- Impact: The success of the first Tour de France not only boosted the newspaper’s sales but also laid the foundation for what would become an annual and internationally celebrated sporting event.
The Tour de France has since evolved, with changes in the number of stages, the length of the race, and various rules, but it remains one of the most prestigious events in the world of cycling.
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