For the Tour de France and the sport of cycling, which have been mired in doping scandals in recent years, overcoming the "demon" of performance-enhancing drugs is also the biggest challenge left for the centenary edition.
The rider with the most participations: American cyclist George Hincapie competed in the Tour de France 17 times—the highest number in the race’s history.
The rider with the most finishes: Dutch cyclist Joop Zoetemelk completed all 16 of his Tour participations, the most in the race’s history, and he won the Tour in 1980.
The closest yellow jersey battle: In the 1989 Tour de France, Greg LeMond beat Laurent Fignon by just 8 seconds to win the title, the closest margin in Tour history.
The largest gap between first and second place: The inaugural Tour de France saw the biggest margin between the top two finishers, Maurice Garin and Lucien Pothier.
The rider who wore the yellow jersey the most days: Eddy Merckx wore the Tour de France yellow jersey for 96 days and never lost it once.
The fastest Tour: The average speed of the winner in the 2005 Tour de France was 41.5 km/h.
The longest interruption: The Tour de France was suspended for 8 years due to World War II.
Since its inception in 1903, the Tour de France has become one of the greatest sporting events on the planet. This year, the Tour celebrates its highly symbolic 100th edition. For this historic event, which has only been interrupted for ten years due to world wars, it not only represents the pinnacle of cycling but also a century-long national commitment to sports.
The shadow of scandal and doping has not yet lifted, but the centenary Tour will not stop chasing the future. This highly commercialized event also looks forward to ushering in a brand-new era, just as Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme said, “The 100th Tour, 100% Tour de France spirit,” signifying a fresh start.
Is the “culture of deception” eroding the Tour?
On June 29, the 100th Tour de France officially kicked off, with the century-old race starting for the first time from Corsica, the birthplace of Napoleon. Compared to this new starting location, the words of Lance Armstrong—the biggest scandal figure in Tour history—dragged the event back into its inglorious past.
“You can’t win the Tour without doping, because the Tour is an endurance sport, and endurance sports are all about aerobic capacity.” Armstrong, who won seven Tours de France while doping, hinted that he was neither the first nor the last to use banned substances. This biggest “fraud” in sports history even didn’t shy away from saying that “deception” is part of Tour culture.
In the pursuit of greatness, there is always the risk of deception driven by ambition. As early as the second Tour de France in 1904, 29 riders took shortcuts, rode trains, and even scattered nails on the course. Later, the emergence and use of performance-enhancing drugs further tarnished the race. From the “King of the Road” Eddy Merckx, to seven-time Tour winner Lance Armstrong, to Spanish rider Alberto Contador, all have been embroiled in “doping scandals,” not to mention infamous dopers like Floyd Landis, Jan Ullrich, Ivan Basso, Michael Rasmussen, Cadel Evans, and Tyler Hamilton, who repeatedly shattered public faith in the race.
“Tour de France champions can absolutely win cleanly. The culture during the Armstrong era has greatly improved today. The current race has the most professional anti-doping measures, including the biological passport, athlete tracking systems, and a ‘no-needle’ policy,” said David Lappartient, President of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), who believes the era of rampant doping is over.
An Era Lacking Heroes
Compared to those scandals, the Tour is more like a spiritual journey for many French people and others across Europe and America. Whether they are cycling enthusiasts, shepherds, or postmen, all kinds of people come together because of this event. This year, over 12 million spectators still watched the race, drawn by the experience of witnessing humanity overcome hardship and challenges.
“The Tour de France has produced heroic figures, resilient individuals who can overcome terrible suffering,” said Christopher Thompson, a history professor and author of “The Tour de France: A Cultural History.” “On terrifying roads, in harsh weather conditions, atop high mountains, and on dangerous descents, cyclists have overcome all sorts of obstacles, giving the public a unique experience. The Tour is like an epic that lets people feel the power of overcoming adversity.”
Currently, the introduction of the “biological passport” has largely curbed the damage of doping to the race, but what truly hurts the Tour is that after the departure of stars like Ullrich and Armstrong, the event has entered an era devoid of heroes.
Last year’s champion Bradley Wiggins withdrew, Contador and Tony Martin were injured, and the Tour lacks star power. “After moving past Armstrong’s scandals, the Tour has yet to find a true hero,” wrote The Guardian in its centenary special. “To cleanse the race anew, the Tour needs a star who can drive both the event and the sport of cycling forward, helping people completely move past the dark memories of the past.”
Bill McGann, author of “The Story of the Tour de France,” also hopes the centenary Tour will be a new starting point. “This is a turning point. We can’t expect the race to recover overnight, but it has the ability to create heroes and rise above controversy, because its core lies in great adaptability.”
Inspirational Films Restore the Essence of Sports
This year’s Tour de France lasts 23 days, covers a total distance of 3,404 kilometers, and features 198 riders from 22 teams worldwide, including 42 from France, with 4,500 support staff. Riders will tackle 21 stages, passing through 37 departments, 36 cities, and 537 towns, with the final sprint taking place on the iconic Champs-Élysées in Paris on July 21.
Now, this century-old event is sending a powerful message to global media, riders, and sponsors. It serves as a window for France to showcase its geography, culture, and diversity.
“Many spectators don’t necessarily love cycling, but they love the sights presented along the Tour route,” said Professor Thompson.
To celebrate the centenary, the Tour organizing committee specially designed a postcard-perfect scenic route, with plenty of ocean views—at least seven stages end near the coast. Tour director Christian Prudhomme said, “We’ve presented France’s most iconic locations, a concentrated showcase of the country’s most beautiful scenery. The 100th Tour, 100% Tour de France spirit—it’s absolutely worth it.” Additionally, the race featured two classic climbs of the Alpe d’Huez stage (ranked as one of the hardest in the world), becoming a major highlight of this centenary Tour.
The centenary Tour also seized the opportunity to expand its influence and craft a new event image through other means. Thus, film became the French’s best promotional platform for the Tour.
One week before this year’s Tour began, the comedy film “Le Tour, la plus belle course du monde” (The Tour, the Greatest Race in the World) was released across France. It uniquely tells the story of an ordinary “Tour fan” named François: a French office worker who loves cycling so much that he loses his job and marriage. At rock bottom, he sets out one day before the Tour begins, hoping to ride the “great race” ahead of the professionals. Initially riding alone, the film’s climax shows François leading an amateur team in a sprint against the pros.
This comedic sports inspirational film not only brings laughter and motivation to audiences but also sparks reflection on the "essence" of sports: in an era where competitions have become thoroughly commercialized and professionalized, the spontaneous public enthusiasm seen in *Tour de France: The Great Race* may be the truest call for the authentic meaning of sports.
"A film that tells not only the expectations of the French for the Tour de France but also the dreams of cycling fans worldwide for its centennial edition—no one wants a historic event to be remembered for nothing but scandals besides its history," wrote *The Guardian* in the article *The Greatest Show on Earth: Celebrating 100 Years of the Tour de France*.
Excessive Commercialization Becomes a Hidden Concern for the Event
While the Tour de France strives to break free from scandals, many still point fingers at its highly commercialized nature. *Le Figaro* bluntly stated that the centennial Tour de France needs to calmly reflect on balancing commercialization: "The Tour de France is a commercial miracle, but this event, now reaching its 100th edition, has also spurred more ill-intentioned individuals to resort to unethical means due to its extreme pursuit of commercial exploitation."
The discussion about the commercial value of the Tour de France has never ceased. For the teams, the centennial edition at this historical juncture offers enviable prize money: all riders who complete the entire race will receive a minimum of €400, while the winners of each stage and the overall individual champion will receive €8,000 and €450,000, respectively.
For the event as a whole, it is more like a massive, ceaseless money-making machine. According to statistics from the BBC, last year’s Tour de France featured 325 sponsors on the course and bicycles, with total sponsorships amounting to $2.1 billion. In other words, nearly $616,900 in sponsorship funds is generated per kilometer of the race.
Even the global economic crisis could not stop the Tour de France’s money-making effect. Take 2010 as an example: that year’s race generated €147 million in revenue, with 50% coming from TV broadcasting rights, 40% from sponsors, and the rest from hosting fees paid by cities along the route during the race. It was revealed that French TV alone contributed €23 million that year. Despite the high costs involved, it still couldn’t prevent over 300 cities from submitting hosting applications every year.
Bill McGann, who has observed the Tour de France for over a decade, also believes the centennial edition has reached the peak of commercialization, but for the event to develop better in the future, the most urgent issue to address is how to avoid the erosion of commercialization: "Commercialization has driven the growth of the Tour de France, but the true vitality of this event does not lie in the waving checks but in people’s passion for the sport." Indeed, over the years, several sponsors have suddenly withdrawn from the event. For instance, in 2007, the U.S.-based Discovery Channel team disbanded due to a lack of sponsors, which had a significant impact on the Tour de France.
As a turning point, the centennial Tour de France will further extend its reach to the world. Next year, the race will come to the UK, starting from Leeds.
Prudhomme, the president of the Tour de France organizing committee, also admitted that the Tour is considering further balancing commercialization and the race itself: "We won’t let the race be dictated by money. Commercialization is the foundation of the event’s success, but we won’t make earning money our sole goal. We understand the true charm of the Tour de France. Therefore, we will strive to balance sponsors and the race to prevent this century-old event from taking a wrong turn."
The centennial Tour de France has embarked on a new journey, with past scandals fading like the scenery behind, leaving the most thrilling sight—the finish line ahead.