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Races History and Legends Tour de France

Missing the Tour de France Start

Pedro Delgado, the defending champion, missed his start time with 2:40 at the prologue at the start of the 1989 Tour de France. Delgado covered the distance only 14 seconds slower than Erik Breukink, the stage winner. But adding the 2 minutes and 40 seconds at his time, he became the only defending champion to begin the race in last place, 2:54 behind Breukink.

Greg LeMond surprised by placing fourth in the opening prologue. Laurent Fignon was second, Sean Kelly third with all three finishing six seconds behind the winner on the day, Erik Breukink. Delgado ended the first day of the race placed last of the 198 riders.

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History and Legends Races Tour de France

Eight Seconds: The Narrowest Winning Margin in Tour de France History

The 1989 edition of Tour de France was won by Greg LeMond with the narrowest margin in its history: eight seconds. It was LeMond’s second Tour victory.

Before the final stage of the 1989 Tour de France, Frenchman Laurent Fignon (Système U) was 50 seconds ahead of American Greg LeMond (ADR). Fignon took the yellow jersey from LeMond after the Alpe d’Huez stage, thanks to a withering attack by Gert-Jan Theunisse, Fignon was able to rid himself of LeMond on the ascent.

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Races Cycling and Music, Cinema, Art History and Legends Tour de France

Two great photos about cycling, with no bikes

Look at these two great photos about cycling, with no bikes. The photos were taken by Robert Capa in Pleyben, Brittany, France, during the 1939 Tour de France. The owner of the small bicycle shop in Brittany, Pierre Cloarec was competing in the 1939 tour for the French team A. Leducq-Hutchinson. The excited crowd in the photos watching the tour come by in front of the bicycle shop owned by Cloarec. He won two stages in this Tour, stages 3 and 14.

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History and Legends Races Tour de France

Eugène Christophe and the first yellow jersey (Tour de France 1919)

In 1919, Frenchman Eugène Christophe became the first rider to wear the race leader’s yellow jersey (maillot jaune) of the Tour de France.

In the first few years after the 1st world war, there was a shortage of material and dye for jerseys. So many of the teams wore the same grey colored tops: the cycle industry was not yet in action again, and La Sportive was the only marque supplying material was, and there was little difference between any of the jerseys they supplied.

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Races Classics

Rodríguez wins an epic Il Lombardia 2012

Joaquim Rodríguez of Katusha Team won Il Lombardia 2012, the 106th edition of the race, under heavy rain. He became the first Spaniard to win the Italian monumental classic. Samuel Sanchez of Euskaltel-Euskadi finished in second, while Rigoberto Uran of Team Sky finished in third.

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Cyclists and Teams UCI Worlds

Will Oskar Svendsen join the greats in future?

Oskar Svendsen, Junior Men Time Trial World Champion, has tested at the University of Lillehammer and his Vo2 Max measured sensational 97.5 ml/kg/min, believed to be the highest ever recorded.

Svendsen won UCI Road World Championships 2012 Junior Men Individual Time Trial title last week in Limburg, Netherlands.

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Giro d'Italia Cycling Climbs Races

Giro d’Italia goes back on the Tre Cime di Lavaredo in 2013

A new Giro d’Italia stage route officially announced. On Stage 20, Saturday May 25th 2013, “Il Giro” goes back on the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

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Tour de France Cycling Climbs Races

Mont Ventoux and two ascents of L’Alpe d’Huez in the Tour de France 2013

Tour de France 2013 official presentation will take place in Paris on October 24, Wednesday. But rumors and speculations already spread. Le Dauphine Libere, the French news outlet is reporting that the legendary Mont Ventoux and the Tour classic Alpe d’Huez will be included in the 100th editions’ rote. And Alpe d’Huez not once, but twice!

As already reported, the 2013 Tour will take place on the Mediterranean island of Corsica. It will be the Tour’s first visit to the island since its inception in 1903. There will be three stages hosted by Corsica. Then the race will leave the island to a team time trial in Nice.

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Races Giro d'Italia

Giro d’Italia 2013 official promo (Promo ufficiale)

96th edition of the Giro d’Italia will start from Naples on May 4th, 2013, Saturday. It will finish on May 26th, 2013, Sunday. The organizer RCS Sport published the Giro d’Italia 2013 official promo (Promo ufficiale).

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Races UCI Worlds

Mohoric wins 2012 UCI Worlds Junior Men road race

Matej Mohoric of Slovenia won the UCI Worlds 2012 Junior Men road race. He launched a perfect-timed attack over the top of the Cauberg climb and won the title. Caleb Ewan of Australia won the sprint for second place, while Josip Rumac of Croatia finished in third.