A look back over the century of cycling's greatest event
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Bernard Hinault shows off his yellow jersies during the rest day of the 1985 Tour de France(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Lance Armstrong celebrates his first Tour de France stage win in Verdun in 1993(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Bernard Hinault crashed 300m before the line of stage 14 of the 1985 Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Belgian Eddy Merckx celebrates winning his fifth Tour de France(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Belgian Lucien Van Impe rides uphill in the Col du Plat d'Adet, 10 July 1976, during the 14th stage of the Tour de France between Saint-Gaudens and Saint-Lary-Soulan. Van Impe wins the stage and takes the yellow jersey of leader on his way to winning in Paris his first Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Belgian Eddy Merckx, wearing the yellow jersey of leader, rides as his manager Guillaume Driessens looks on during the 10th stage of the Tour de France between Belfort and Divonne-les-Bains 06 July 1970. Merckx won the stage and went on to win his second consecutive Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Luxembourg's Nicolas Frantz, wearing the yellow jersey as leader of the Tour de France, rides in front of Frenchman Andre Leducq on July 2, 1927, during the 12th stage between Luchon and Perpignan. Frantz went on to win his first Tour de France as Leducq finished 4th overall.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Italian Gino Bartali, surrounded by fans, waves to the crowd, 31 July 1938 at the Parc des princes in Paris, after winning his first Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Picture taken in the mid 1910's of Belgian Philippe Thys who was the first cyclist to win the Tour de France three times (1913, 1914, 1920).(Image credit: AFP Photo)
André Leducq won the Tour de France in 1930 and 1932.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Belgian Maurice Blomme inflates the tire of his bicycle 22 July 1950 before the start of the 9th stage of the Tour de France to be run between Niort and Bordeaux.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Italian Gino Bartali, cheered on by fans, negociates a curve in the Col d'Allos as he starts going downhill 22 July 1938 during the 14th stage of the Tour de France between Digne and Briançon. Bartali won the stage, took the yellow jersey of leader and went on to win his first Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Frenchman Bernard Hinault was consoled with the polka dot jersey after conceding the 1986 Tour to Greg Lemond(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Greg Lemond concentrates before his time trial in 1986(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Greg Lemond after winning the 1990 Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Miguel Indurain in the yellow jersey in the 1991 Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Spaniard Miguel Indurain wins the 13 Jul 73 km (45 miles) individual time trial Tour de France eigth stage from Argentan to Alençon. He won the stage in 1hr35min and 44.348sec.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Spanish cycling champion Miguel Indurain takes one of the final turns of the 1992h Tour de France on the Champs Elysees.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Pedro Delgado celebrates winning the Tour de France with Steven Rooks and in 1988(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Sean Yates on his way to winning stage 6 of the 1988 Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Laurent Fignon collapses after being beaten by 8 seconds by Greg Lemond in the 1989 Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Stephen Roche in yellow in the 1987 Tour, becoming only the fifth cyclist in history to win the Tour de France and the Giro in the same year.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
The Spanish Teka team poses at the now-demolished Berlin Wall before the 1987 Tour de France started there.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Greg Lemond and Bernard Hinaul on l'Alpe d'Huez in 1986(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Italian Fausto Coppi (C) is congratulated upon his arrival, 24 July 1949 at the Parc des princes in Paris, after winning the Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Picture taken in July 1949 of Italian cyclists Gino Bartali (L) and Fausto Coppi (R) waiting before the start of a stage of the Tour de France. The two champions won 2 Tour de France each : Bartali in 1938 and 1948, Coppi in 1949 and 1952.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Frenchman Raymond Poulidor on his way to winning the 16th stage of the Tour de France in 1974(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Belgian cyclist Freddy Maertens smiles on the podium after beating Frenchman Jacques Esclassan to the finish line at the end of the 7th stage of the Tour de France in 1976. Maertens finished the Tour with the green jersey of best sprinter after winning a record-tying eight stages.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Laurent Fignon on his way to winning the 18th stage of the Tour de France between Bourg d'Oisans and La Plagne. With five stage wins overall, Fignon captured his second consecutive Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Frenchman Bernard Hinault leads Dutchman Joop Zoetemelk (green jersey) during the 16th stage of the Tour de France in 1979. Hinault went on to win his second consecutive Tour de France as Zoetemelk finished second again.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Frenchman Raymond Poulidor (L), rides uphill next to (from L) Spaniard Francisco Galdos, Belgian Lucien Van Impe, wearing the leader's yellow jersey, Dutch Joop Zoetemelk and Frenchman Raymond Delisle 16 July 1976 during the 20th stage of the Tour de France between Tulle and the Puy de Dôme. Zoetemelk won the stage but finished second overall in Paris behind Van Impe. Poulidor finished third at age 40, Delisle, 4th while Galdos finished 6th overall.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Laurent Jalabert and Fabiano Fontanelli in a daze after crashing in the final sprint of stage 1 in the 1994 Tour because of a policeman taking a photo.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Spaniard Pedro Delgado rides during the 13th stage of the Tour de France, an individual time trial between Grenoble and Villard-de-Lans 15 July 1988. Delgado wins the stage on his way to winning his first Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Henri Desgrange, the founder of the Tour de France in 1903.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
André Leducq in the 1927 Tour de France(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Stephen Roche on Alpe d'Huez in the 1987 Tour.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Eddy Merckx and Raymond Poulidor during the 10th stage of the 1974 Tour de France to Aix-les-Bains(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Portrait taken in 1968 of Frenchman Lucien Aimar, winner of the 1966 Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Belgian Eddy Merckx, wearing the yellow jersey as leader of the Tour de France, raises his arm thinking he has beaten Frenchman Cyrille Guimard (L) to the finish line of the 15th stage between Aix-les-Bains and Mont Revard. The jury decided otherwise and awarded the victory to Guimard, Belgian Lucien Van Impe (R) finishing third.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Frenchman Jean Robic enjoys a lobster before the start of the 4th stage of the Tour de France between Le Treport and Paris. Robic will finish 27th of the Tour de France, won by Swiss Hugo Koblet.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Charly Gaul leads Federico Bahamontes in the 1959 Tour.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Swiss Ferdi Kubler (R) is congratulated by one of his compatriots, 07 August 1950 at the Parc des princes in Paris, after winning the Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Frenchman Roger Walkowiak smiles after completing the 22nd and last stage of the Tour de France, between Montluçon and Paris, 28 July 1956. Walkowiak won the Tour de France in front of his compatriot Gilbert Bauvin, without achieving a single stage victory. AFP PHOTO(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Swis Hugo Koblet catches his breath following his victory in the 11th stage of the Tour de France between Brive-la-Gaillarde and Agen, 15 July 1951. Koblet went on to win the Tour de France in Paris in front of Frenchmen Raphaël Géminiani and Lucien Lazaridès.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Frenchman Louison Bobet, cheered on by his wife, Christiane, climbs the Mont Ventoux in the 1955 Tour de France. Bobet went on to win his third consecutive Tour(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Luis Ocana on stage 8, on his way to winning his first Tour de France in 1973.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Jacques Anquetil in the yellow jersey with Raymond Poulidor before winning his fifth Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Dutchman Jan Janssen smiles as he waves to the crowd after winning the Tour de France, 21 July 1968 in Paris. Janssen became the first Dutchman to win the Tour after coming back from a 16-second deficit to win the second leg of the last stage, an individual time trial between Melun and Paris. Van Springel finished second overall, 54 seconds behind.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Frenchman Roger Pingeon does a victory lap 23 July 1967 at the Parc des princes in Paris after winning the Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
There was quite a bit of acrimony between teammates Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong during the 2009 Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Mark Cavendish won four stages of the 2012 Tour de France, including the final stage on the Champs-Elysees Avenue(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Germany's Jens Voigt (CSC) celebrates as wins the 13th stage of the 2006 Tour de France(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Denmark's Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank) won stage 16 of the 2006 Tour.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Floyd Landis dumped dozens of bottles of water on his head to cope with searing heat on stage 17 of the 2006 Tour.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d'Epargne) crashed down an embankment in the 2008 Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Floyd Landis in the yellow jersey in 2006, he would later give it over to Oscar Pereiro after testing positive for testosterone.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Belgian Tom Boonen (QuickStep) on his green jersey days in 2005.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Robbie McEwen (Davitamon-Lotto) celebrates a stage win in the 2005 Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
George Hincapie takes his sole Tour de France stage win on the Pla d'Adet in the 2005 Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
US Tyler Hamilton (CSC) in the 2003 Tour de France(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Ivan Basso (CSC) won the stage on La Mongie in the 2004 Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
The 2006 T-Mobile Tour de France team would later come under suspicion of blood doping in a Freiburg clinic.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Teammates Alberto Contador and Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel) embrace after taking first and third in the 2007 Tour.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Alberto Contador (Discovery Channel), Cadel Evans (Predictor) and Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel) in 2007. Leipheimer would later admit to doping for that race.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck went head to head in 2010. Schleck was awarded the win a year later.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Cadel Evansafter winning the 2011 Tour de France(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Bradley Wiggins celebrates his 2012 Tour de France win.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis) won his first Tour de France stage in 2008(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Andy and Frank Schleck celebrate after the 2011 Tour de France(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Denmark's Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank) follows his team manager Erik Dekker before exiting the 2007 Tour de France over whereabouts issues.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Carlos Sastre celebrates after winning the 2008 Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
French gendarmes arrive at the Novotel hotel, the Cofidis team residence, after it was revealed that Italy's Cristian Moreni (Cofidis/Fra) was tested positive for doping in 2007, leading to the team's exit from the Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Fabian Cancellara won the prologue of the 2007 Tour de France and held the yellow jersey for seven stages(Image credit: AFP Photo)
EPO, no / Chablis, yes - at the 2007 Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Frenchman Thomas Voeckler (La Boulangere) made a name for himself by wearing the yellow jersey for 10 stages in 2004.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
German fan Didi Senft, known as El Diablo in 2005.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Frenchman Laurent Jalabert, green jersey of the best sprinter, raises his arms in victory as he wins after a very long breakaway the 12th stage of the Tour de France here 14 July.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Marco Pantani, Jan Ullrich and Bobby Julich on the podium at the end of the 1998 Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Jan Ullrich, Erik Zabel and Bjarne in 1997. All would later admit to doping.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Bjarne Riis in the 1996 Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Marco Pantani celebrates his victory in stage 14 of the 1995 Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Lance Armstrong took an emotional stage win in Limoges in 1995 after his teammate Fabio Casartelli died three days earlier due to a crash on the Col du Portet d'Aspet(Image credit: AFP Photo)
In 1994, Greg Lemond just couldn't hold the pace of the Tour de France anymore(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Lance Armstrong, Frankie Andreu and Alvaro Mejia remember Fabio Casartelli the day after his tragic death.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Eros Poli soars to victory on stage 15 of the 1994 Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Tony Rominger in the Polka Dot Jersey in 1993(Image credit: AFP Photo)
1997 Tour winner Jan Ullrich with best climber Richard Virenque(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Lance Armstrong and his US Postal teammate Jonathan Vaughters training together before the 1999 Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
A message denouncing French rider Richard Virenque doping was painted on the prologue course in Le Puy du Fou in the 1999 Tour de France after the previous year's Festina scandal.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Alexandre Vinokourov (T-Mobile) one of the few riders to win on the Champs-Elysees outside of a bunch sprint or time trial.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Richard Virenque climbs to victory on the Mont Ventoux in 2002(Image credit: AFP Photo)
US fans in 2002 going mad for Lance Armstrong(Image credit: AFP Photo)
German Jan Ullrich (Bianchi) in 2003(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Australians Baden Cooke and Robbie McEwen spiced up the sprints of the 2003 Tour de France.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Italian Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo) was the dominant sprinter in 2003(Image credit: AFP Photo)
David Millar (Cofidis) donned the maillot jaune after winning the prologue in the 2000 Tour de France(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Lance Armstrong and Marco Pantani on the Mont Ventoux during the 2000 Tour de France(Image credit: AFP Photo)
David Millar crashed in 2001 trying to repeat his prologue win of the previous year.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Australian Stuart O'Grady pulled on the maillot jaune in the 2001 Tour after a breakaway(Image credit: AFP Photo)
Miguel Indurain continued his dominance in the 1993 Tour.(Image credit: AFP Photo)
It started out as a spectacle to sell newspapers, but Henri Desgrange's creation, the Tour de France, turned into a lasting legacy that has been the backbone of cycling as a sport.
The original Tour, held in 1903, was barely recognizable as a cycling stage race by today's standards - it was six epic stages, averaging 400km each, with one to three days of rest in between. Riders were on their own for support and food, they rode fixed-gear bikes on tubular wheels over mostly gravel and dirt roads.
Fast forward to the technicolor spectacle of today, with riders on lightweight, high-tech machines, riding in teams with cars packed full of food, fluids and spare gear, the race covers almost twice the distance as the original, bringing the rolling circus to towns all around France and neighboring countries.
Though the scandal of cheating of various types over the years has sullied the reputation of the race and cycling as a sport over the decades, only the two World Wars ever stopped the Tour de France from going forward. In 1903, it nearly tripled the circulation of L'Auto for Desgrange, today it brings millions of fans to the television, to the internet and to the roadsides to witness the show.
We hope you enjoy this gallery looking back over the 100 editions of the Tour de France to date. Vive le Tour!
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