A Retrospekt on the players, cyclists, and lads of the Tour De France-
The first Tour De France saw 60 men mounting their bicycles outside the Café au Reveil Matin in the Parisian suburb of Montgeron. The five-dozen riders were French, Belgian, Swiss, German and Italian.
A third were professionals sponsored by bicycle manufacturers, the others simply devotees of the sport. All 60 wheelmen, however, were united by the challenge of embarking on an unprecedented test of endurance—not to mention the 20,000 francs in prize money—in the inaugural Tour de France.
JULY 1
1903-
Finish of the first stage of Tour in Lyon.
Head organizer, Geo lefevre.
The Winner Himself,
Maurice Garin
2nd place French Cyclist, Lucien Pothier.
3rd place French Cyclist, Fernand Augereau.
4th place Italian Cyclist, Rodolfo Muller
5th place Belgian, Marcel Kerff. Hung in WW1 as a spy.
Hippolyte Aucouturier, a feared rival for Garin but dropped out in the first stage due to stomach cramps.
Finish in Bordeaux. The only stage to be won by a foreigner – Charles Leaser.
Moments before the race at the famous Café au Reveil Matin in Paris, 1903 Tour de France.