Discover the Excitement: Top 6 Unbelievable Tour de France Fun Facts You Need to Know!

1. Unleashing Inner Snails: A Slow 1919 Tour

In 1919, while the French assembled a Tour de Force, the cyclists collectively thought, "C'est la vie! Let's pedal diligently through post-war adversity...and unleash our inner snails!": Rolling at a leisurely 24.056 km/h, the 1919 Tour de France saw the introduction of the yellow jersey and had racers divided into professional and amateur categories, traversing a staggering 5,560 km, resulting in one of the slowest Tours in history. Despite the snail-ish pace, 11 courageous cyclists made it to the finish line, with Belgium's Firmin Lambot taking the crown.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. Sticky Situation: Bartali's Stick Attack

Talk about a sticky situation, literally: Back in the 1950 Tour de France, Italian cyclist Gino Bartali faced an unexpected hurdle when a cheeky spectator chucked a stick into his bike wheels during a time trial in Brittany, almost causing him to face-plant into the asphalt; despite the hiccup, Bartali and his team soldiered on, only to withdraw later due to hostile treatment from French onlookers that stemmed from post-WWII political tensions.
Source => roadbikeaction.com

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3. Thys Tackles Peaks: Belgium's 1st Win

Before Belgium could waffle: Philippe Thys, dashing cyclist and lover of mountains, triumphed in the 1913 Tour de France with a total time of 197 hours and 54 minutes, leaving his closest competitor Gustave Garrigou trailing behind by 8 minutes and 37 seconds amidst the glorious peaks of the race's challenging terrain.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. Tipsy Cyclists: Alcohol in Early Tours

Talk about being tipsy on the saddle: in the early days of the Tour de France, riders often consumed alcohol like beer and champagne for hydration and enjoyment, with locals setting up tables filled with beer during the 1935 race. However, some racers like Julien Moinreau chose to abstain, sticking to water and specialized bikes to maintain their speed.
Source => bikechaser.com.au

5. Deadly Cocktail: Simpson's Tragic End

In a tragicomic twist of fate that reveals the dangers of mixing "uppers" with the "downs" of alcohol, Tom Simpson's fateful cocktail became the harbinger of sobering changes in the world of cycling: Simpson's death during the 1967 Tour de France resulted in stricter drug testing and regulations, as his autopsy uncovered a lethal combination of amphetamines and alcohol, leading to heightened anti-doping measures and mandatory testing in races worldwide.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Rough Roads: 1919's Battle of Attrition

Talk about a rough ride: The 1919 Tour de France had cyclists dodging bomb-damaged roads, scavenging for food, and penny-farthing their way through a rubber shortage, resulting in only 11 of the 67 starters actually finishing the race.
Source => realcleardefense.com