Today's stage finishes in Les Essarts, which has never hosted
a Tour stage.
On July 3rd in the Tour
- In 1989 Raul Alcala became the first Mexican stage winner.
- Ditto for Joaquim Agostinho of Portugal in 1969. He would
finish as high as 3rd, in 1978 and 1979.
- In 1913 Henri Pelissier won a monster 405km stage. Six
years later his brother Francis took the same stage, 405km
from Cherbourg to Brest.
- Charly Gaul won twice on this date, in 1958 and 1961. A
star of his time he followed the win in 1958 with the overall
victory.
- Merckx won twice on this date, in 1970 and as a member of
the winning Molteni team in 1974.
- In 1999 Lance Armstrong took his first stage win after
returning from cancer treatment. He won that edition and has
not lost the Tour since.
Bob Schwartz
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