1903 CE
First Tour De France Start
About this moment
The 1903 Tour de France was the first cycling race set up and sponsored by the newspaper L'Auto, ancestor of the current daily, L'Équipe. It ran from 1 to 19 July in six stages over 2,428 km (1,509 mi), and was won by Maurice Garin. The race was invented to boost the circulation of L'Auto, after its circulation started to plummet from competition with the long-standing Le Vélo.
People
- Hugh Capet of France · 940 CE – 996 CE
- Louis XIV of France · 1638 CE – 1715 CE