- Tours is a sprinter's destination. Winners here include
Andre Darrigade (1957 and 1961) and Marino Basso (1970).
- The most recent stage winner here is Leon Van Bon, 2000.
On July 4th in Tour history
- In 1912 Eugene Christophe won the first of three consecutive
stages. He would finish 2nd that year. He would never win the
Tour.
- Hour Record holder Oscar Egg won in La Rochelle in 1914. His
hour standard would last until 1933.
- In 1921 the longest Tour stage ever was contested. Running
483km from Les Sable-d'Olonne to Bayonne it took 18:47'26"
for Louis Mottiat to complete.
- Charles Pelissier won on this date two years running (1930-1).
- Eddy Merckx won on this date in 1969, taking the stage to
Mulhouse. It was his first stage win in the Tour. July 4th was
kind to him, he also led the Molteni team to a stage win on this
date in 1972 and took another himself in Chalons-sur-Marne (1974).
- Aussies should remember July 4th, 1982. Phil Anderson fired
a shot across the bow of the imposing Bernard Hinault, as he
became the first Australian stage winner in Nancy. He also
became the first Australian to wear yellow, which he held for
10 days before coughing it up to Hinault in the stage 11 time
trial.
- Steve Bauer became the first and only Canadian stage winner
in 1988.
- Recent years have belonged to the sprinters. Cipollini (1993),
Van Poppel (1994), Blijlevens (1996), Kirsipuu (1999,2004).
- Lance Armstrong became the first American to wear the yellow
jersey on Independence Day in 1999.
Bob Schwartz
[email hidden]