Hey guys! I know I said I was only going to post articles on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, so already I’m straying from my word. I’m sorry, and this is not going to replace Monday’s post. However, the 104th Tour de France begins today! The Tour de France is a multi-stage bicycle race held in France (though they occasionally pass through neighboring countries). Over 12 million spectators come to see the Tour de France each year, making it the largest sporting event in the world. 3.5 billion people watch it on TV each year. Typically, the race is held every year in July. The race has been held every year since 1903, except for the years 1915-1918 and 1940-1946 because of World Wars I and II.
In 1903, the year of the first ever Tour de France, long distance bicycle races were a popular way to sell newspapers. Some of the employees at the newspaper L’Auto decided the best way to promote their newspaper was by hosting a bicycle race. And so, it was announced on January 19th, 1903. The original plan for the race was to start and end in Paris, and stop in Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux and Nantes on the way. They had planned the race would last from May 31st to July 5th (making it the longest cycle race ever attempted). However, this didn’t generate a lot of excitement. They only had 15 people enter to compete, while everyone else found the race too daunting. They shortened the race to only 19 days, switched those days to July 1st – July 19th, offered to pay for those who averaged at least 20 km/h (12.43 m/h) on all the stages (equivalent to what a rider would have expected to earn each day had he worked in a factory), lowered the entry fee from 20 francs to 10, and offered 12,000 francs to whoever wins first place. The number of competitors entering the race jumped from 15 to somewhere between 60-80. After the race, L’Auto doubled in circulation, and the Tour de France was started!
The format of the race has changed significantly over time. Night-time riding was dropped after the 1904 race due to excessive cheating since the judges had a hard time seeing. When it first started, there were no teams like in today’s race. They’ve since added more classifications to the race: mountains, points, and young rider. Doping eventually became an issue. Lance Armstrong is the most famous athlete that used drugs in the Tour de France, and as a result has had his seven consecutive victories stripped from him.
Fun facts about the Tour de France:
http://www.active.com/cycling/articles/23-fun-facts-you-didn-t-know-about-the-tour-de-france
The route of this year’s race:
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jun/29/tour-de-france-2017-stage-by-stage-guide
Additional Reading:
http://www.topendsports.com/events/tour-de-france/winners-list.htm
Hey! I know this is kinda off topic however I’d figured I’d ask.
Would you be interested in trading links or maybe
guest writing a blog post or vice-versa? My blog discusses a lot of the same subjects as yours and I feel we could greatly benefit from each other.
If you are interested feel free to send me an email.
I look forward to hearing from you! Superb blog by the way!
Thank you for any other informative blog. Where else may just I am
getting that type of info written in such an ideal manner?
I have a undertaking that I’m simply now running on, and
I’ve been at the look out for such information.
Howdy! Would you mind if I share your blog with my myspace
group? There’s a lot of folks that I think would
really enjoy your content. Please let me know. Thanks
How do I subscribe to your blog? Thanks for your help.
I Am Going To have to come back again when my course load lets up – however I am taking your Rss feed so i can go through your site offline. Thanks.
How come you do not have your website viewable in mobile format? cant see anything in my Droid.
bonjour I love Your Blog can not say I come here often but im liking what i c so far….
Dude.. I am not much into reading, but somehow I got to read lots of articles on your blog. Its amazing how interesting it is for me to visit you very often. –
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing a little research on that. And he actually bought me lunch because I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that.|
Major thankies for the blog.Really thank you! Keep writing.
I just couldn’t leave your web site prior to suggesting that I really enjoyed the standard info an individual supply to your guests? Is going to be again continuously in order to inspect new posts
I absolutely adore your site! You aggressive me as able-bodied as all the others actuality and your broiled PS is absolutely great!
Does it look like we’re in for a big ride here?
You need to really control the comments listed here
Im thankful for the blog. Want more.
I was just telling my friend about that.
When we look at these issues, we know that they are the key ones for our time.
Took me time to read the material, but I truly loved the article. It turned out to be very useful to me.
It’s an remarkable article for all the web viewers; they will get benefit from it I am
sure.
Spot on with this write-up, I actually assume this website needs far more consideration. I will in all probability be once more to learn rather more, thanks for that info.
I appreciate your work, thanks for all the great blog posts.
Very neat article.Much thanks again. Fantastic.
Could not disagree with the main ideas. Wonder how things will develop over the coming years.
It’s clear you’re passionate about the issues.
Howdy! Would you mind if I share your blog with my myspace group?
There’s a lot of folks that I think would really appreciate your content.
Please let me know. Cheers
You are not right. I am assured. I can prove it. Write to me in PM, we will talk.
What a great article.. i subscribed btw!
Loving the info on this website , you have done outstanding job on the blog posts.
Enjoyed studying this, very good stuff, thanks.
Thanks for some other great post. Where else may anybody get that kind of information in such an ideal method of writing? I’ve a presentation next week, and I am at the look for such information.
Howdy I wanted to write a new remark on this page for you to be able to tell you just how much i actually Enjoyed reading this read. I have to run off to work but want to leave ya a simple comment. I saved you So will be returning following work in order to go through more of yer quality posts. Keep up the good work.
Wow, this piece of writing is fastidious, my younger sister
is analyzing these kinds of things, thus I am going to convey her.
You are not right. I am assured. I can prove it. Write to me in PM, we will talk.
It’s hard to find knowledgeable people for this subject, however, you seem like
you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
I really believe you will do well in the future I appreciate everything you have added to my knowledge base.
This will be helpful for my family.
My brother suggested I might like this web site. He was entirely right. This post actually made my day. You can not imagine simply how much time I had spent for this info! Thanks!
You are my inhalation , I possess few web logs and very sporadically run out from to brand 🙁
This blog post is excellent, probably because of how well the subject was developed. I like some of the comments too.
Having read this I thought it was rather enlightening.
I appreciate you spending some time and effort to put this informative article together.
I once again find myself spending way too much time both reading and leaving comments.
But so what, it was still worthwhile!
Abnormal this put up is totaly unrelated to what I was searching google for, but it surely used to be listed at the first page. I suppose your doing one thing proper if Google likes you adequate to place you at the first page of a non similar search.
Hello, I think your blog might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your website in Chrome, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other than that, awesome blog!
If wings are your thing, Tinker Bell’s sexy Halloween costume design is all grown up.
Magnificent goods from you, man. I’ve keep in mind your stuff prior to
and you are simply extremely excellent. I actually like what you’ve
received right here, certainly like what you’re stating and the best way by which you assert it.
You are making it enjoyable and you still care for to stay it sensible.
I can’t wait to read far more from you. That is actually a wonderful website.
Great information. Lucky me I discovered your site by
chance (stumbleupon). I’ve book-marked it for later!
There is so much to try to understand
Thanks for sharing the information. I found the information very useful. That’s a awesome story you posted. I will come back to scan some more.
I’ve thought about posting something about this before. Good job! Can I use part of your post in my blog?
Keep it up!. I usually don’t post in Blogs but your blog forced me to, amazing work.. beautiful A rise in An increase in An increase in.
I’m so happy to read this. This is the type of manual that needs to be given and not the random misinformation that’s at the other blogs. Appreciate your sharing this best doc.