Tour de France 1903

Tour de France 1903
Host country	France
Competition period	July 1st to 19th, 1903
Stages	6th
overall length	2428 km
winner
Overall rating	1. Maurice Garin 94:33:14 h 2. Lucien Pothier + 2:59:31 h 3. Fernand Augereau + 4:29:24 h
course
	1904 →

1. Tour de France 1903 - final result
Tour winner	Maurice Garin	94:33:14 h (25.678 km / h)
Second	Lucien Pothier	+ 2:59:31 h
Third	Fernand Augereau	+ 4:29:24 h
Fourth	Rodolfo Muller	+ 4:39:30 h
fifth	Jean Fischer	+ 4:58:44 h
Sixth	Marcel Kerff	+ 5:52:24 h
seventh	Julien Lootens	+ 8:31:08 h
Eighth	Georges Pasquier	+ 10:24:04 h
Ninth	François Beaugendre	+ 10:52:14 h
Tenth	Aloïs Catteau	+ 12:44:57 h
The overall leader's yellow jersey was not available until 1919; the top of the table wore a green armband, the bottom of the table a red bottom light.

Maurice Garin (left) was the winner of the first tour, on the right the second-placed Lucien Pothier

The 1903 Tour de France was the first edition of the Tour de France stage cycle race . It comprised six stages between July 1 and 19, 1903 with a total length of 2,428 kilometers. The winner was Maurice Garin .

Race course

The hour world record holder Henri Desgrange wanted to increase the circulation of his newspaper L'Auto (today's L'Équipe ). An editor of the newspaper, Géo Lefèvre , proposed on November 20, 1902 a bicycle tour through France in several stages with days off in between. On January 19, 1903, L'Auto announced the staging of a tour of France: "The largest bike test in the world, a month-long race."

There were delays. The prize money was increased to a total of 20,000  francs to make the Tour de France more attractive. In addition, the planned start in Paris had not been approved, so that it had to be moved to a suburb. Finally, the first Tour de France started on July 1, 1903 at 3:16 p.m. at Café Le Réveil-Matin in Montgeron and lasted until July 19, 1903.

The tour was also the first real stage race in the history of cycling . Enormous distances had already been covered on long-distance journeys such as Bordeaux – Paris (first time 1891, 577 km). The programmatic title Tour de France deliberately served the patriotic mood of the time.

81 drivers had registered, including 71 French, three Belgians, four Swiss, two German and one Italian. 60 racing drivers attended the start. Within 18 days they should cross all of France , divided into six stages with an average length of over 400 kilometers. The route led from Montgeron via the stage cities of Lyon , Marseille , Toulouse , Bordeaux and Nantes back to Paris . A total of 2,428 km had to be driven. There were several days of rest between the stages . The stages usually started at the first break of dawn and lasted around 16 hours on average, even for the best drivers.

The Le Réveil-Matin café , starting point of the Tour de France

The winner of the first tour in history was the favored Frenchman Maurice Garin with an hourly average of 25.679 km / h. Garin, who had won long-distance journeys such as Paris-Brest-Paris or Bordeaux-Paris in the years before , received the starting number 1 and was able to justify his favorite position from the start. He won the first stage and two more and finally prevailed in the overall standings with the greatest lead in history over second-placed Lucien Pothier . Of the 60 drivers who started, only 21 made it to the finish in Paris, with Arsène Millocheau in last place almost 65 hours behind. The special feature of the regulations was that retired drivers could continue to take part in the tour on a daily basis without being counted for the overall classification. Hyppolite Aucouturier, who was eliminated on the first day due to stomach problems, was able to win two more stages without being placed in the rankings. With the Swiss Charles Laeser (starting number 51), the tour also had the first stage win for a foreign driver. Laeser was one of the drivers who had already been eliminated from the classification.

L'Auto's editor-in-chief , Henri Desgrange, remained director of the tour until his death in 1940.

Prize money

There was a daily allowance of five francs for each driver as long as he was in the race.

Profit in francs when crossing the finish line.

1.	2.	3.	4th	5.	6th	7th	8th.	9.-50.
3000	2000	1200	800	500	250	200	100	50 each

The winner Garin received prize money of 6,000 francs for his success in the overall ranking.

The stages

Stages	Day	Start finish	km	Stage winner	Overall first
1st stage	July 1	Montgeron - Lyon	467	Maurice Garin	Maurice Garin
2nd stage	5th July	Lyon - Marseille	374	Hippolyte Aucouturier	Maurice Garin
3rd stage	8th of July	Marseille - Toulouse	423	Hippolyte Aucouturier	Maurice Garin
4th stage	July 12	Toulouse - Bordeaux	268	Charles Laeser	Maurice Garin
5th stage	July 13th	Bordeaux - Nantes	425	Maurice Garin	Maurice Garin
6th stage	July 18th	Nantes - Paris	471	Maurice Garin	Maurice Garin

See also : List of the stages of the Tour de France

Results

1st stage

placement	Surname	time
01.	Maurice Garin	+ 17:45:13
02.	Emile Pagie	+ 00:00:55
03.	Léon Georget	+ 00:34:59
04th	Fernand Augereau	+ 01:02:50
05.	Jean Fischer	+ 01:04:55
06th	Marcel Kerff	+ 01:42:55
07th	Aloïs Catteau	+ 01:48:57
08th.	Ernest Pivin	+ 01:49:49
09.	Leo Habets	+ 02:08:16
10.	Francis Beaugendre	+ 02:08:27
11.	Rodolfo Muller	+ 02:58:00
12.	Henry Gauban
13.	Anton Jaeck
14th	Lucien Pothier
15th	Marcel Lequatre
16.	Georges Pasquier
17th	Charles Laeser	+ 04:03:07
18th	Julien Lootens	+ 04:05:53
19th	Josef Fischer	+ 04:22:52

placement	Surname	time
20th	René Salais	+ 05:57:27
21st	Georges Borot
22nd	Isidore Lechartier	+ 06:04:07
23.	Jean Dargassies	+ 06:17:07
24.	Julien Girbe	+ 07:56:57
25th	Alexandre Foureau	+ 08:22:07
26th	Monachon	+ 08:22:59
27.	...
28.	H. Ellinamourt	+ 08:34:07
29	Ferdinand Payan	+ 09:01:01
30th	Gustave Guillarme	+ 09:01:03
31.	Leon Pernette	+ 09:43:34
32.	Lucien Barroy
33.	Arsène Millocheau	+ 09:52:12
34.	Emile Moulin	+ 10:25:57
35.	Ludwig Bartelmann	+ 11:35:55
36.	Pierre Desvages	+ 13:28:57
37.	Eugène Brange	+ 20:55:49

Overall ranking
1.	Maurice Garin	Average: 26.304 km / h
2.	Emile Pagie
3.	Léon Georget

2nd stage

placement	Surname	time
01.	Hippolyte Aucouturier	+ 14:28:53
02.	Léon Georget
03.	Eugène Brange	+ 00:26:06
04th	Maurice Garin	+ 00:26:07
05.	Rodolphe Muller
06th	Lucien Pothier	+ 00:26:09
07th	Marcel Kerff	+ 00:39:37
08th.	Fernand Augereau	+ 00:57:17
09.	Georges Pasquier	+ 01:32:10
10.	Francis Beaugendre
11.	Jean Fisher	+ 02:11:37
12.	Ellinamour	+ 02:15:27
13.	Charles Laeser
14th	Anton Jaeck	+ 02:15:10
15th	Marcel Lequatre
16.	...
17th	Ferdinand Payan	+ 02:39:37
18th	Jean Dargassies

placement	Surname	time
19th	Marcel Lequatre	+ 02:57:37
20th	Isidore Lechartier	+ 04:38:19
21st	Alexandre Foureaux	+ 04:51:19
22nd	Monachon
23.	Paul Mercier	+ 05:41:47
24.	Leo Habets	+ 05:20:27
25th	René Salais
26th	Julien Girbe	+ 06:05:14
27.	Aloïs Catteau
28.	Leon Pernette	+ 08:46:57
29	Pierre Desvages	+ 09:35:07
30th	Lucien Barroy	+ 12:36:34
31.	Emile Moulin	+ 12:44:52
32.	De Balade	+ 13:09:57
33.	Ernest Pivin	+ 15:01:22
34.	Georges Borot
35.	Arsène Millocheau

Overall ranking
1.	Maurice Garin
2.	Léon Georget	+ 00:08:52
3.	Fernand Augereau	+ 01:34:00

The average speed of the first rider on this stage was 25.826 km / h. The mountain Col de la République was driven.

3rd stage

placement	Surname	time
01.	Hippolyte Aucouturier	+ 17:55:04
02.	Eugène Brange	+ 00:32:22
03.	Julien Lootens
04th	Maurice Garin
05.	Lucien Pothier
06th	Francis Beaugendre	+ 01:00:00
07th	Jean Fischer	+ 01:35:18
08th.	Rodolphe Muller	+ 01:35:19
09.	Aloïs Catteau	+ 01:35:20
10.	Marcel Kerff
11.	Léon Georget	+ 02:22:24
12.	Fernand Augereau	+ 02:43:05
13.	Jean Dargassies	+ 02:46:59
14th	Georges Pasquier	+ 03:18:04

placement	Surname	time
15th	Ferdinand Payan	+ 03:22:06
16.	Isidore Lechartier	+ 03:48:56
17th	Julien Girbe	+ 04:37:36
18th	Georges Borot	+ 04:38:33
19th	...	+ 05:21:47
20th	Josef Fischer	+ 06:48:56
21st	Alexandre Foureaux
22nd	Gustave Guillarme	+ 06:49:11
23.	Emile Moulin	+ 06:53:36
24.	René Salais	+ 09:56:11
25th	Ernest Pivin
26th	Arsène Millocheau
27.	Pierre Desvages

Overall ranking
1.	Maurice Garin
2.	Léon Georget	+ 01:58:53
3.	Lucien Pothier	+ 02:58:01

The average speed of the first rider on this stage was 23.607 km / h.

4th stage

Victory of the Swiss Charles Laeser in Bordeaux

placement	Surname	time
01.	Charles Laeser	+ 08:46:00
02.	Léon Georget	+ 00:04:03
03.	Rodolfo Muller
04th	Léon Georget
05.	Maurice Garin
06th	Jean Fischer
07th	Lucien Pothier
08th.	Eugène Brange	+ 00:07:41
09.	Aloïs Catteau
10.	Jean Dargassies	+ 00:26:00
11.	...	+ 00:27:45
12.	Fernand Augereau	+ 00:38:00
13.	...	+ 00:40:16
14th	Ferdinand Payan	+ 00:51:00
15th	Isidore Lechartier

placement	Surname	time
16.	Marcel Kerff	+ 01:00:00
17th	Francis Beaugendre	+ 01:30:40
18th	Emile Moulin	+ 01:31:40
19th	Georges Pasquier	+ 01:47:07
20th	Alexandre Foureaux
21st	Josef Fischer
22nd	Julien Girbe	+ 02:14:52
23.	...	+ 02:44:50
24.	Pierre Desvages	+ 02:53:09
25th	...	+ 03:41:49
26th	Ernest Pivin	+ 04:13:23
27.	Durandeau	+ 04:23:33
28.	René Salais	+ 05:15:11
29	Arsène Millocheau	+ 05:15:12
30th	Georges Borot

Overall ranking
1.	Maurice Garin
2.	Léon Georget	+ 01:58:53
3.	Fernand Augereau	+ 02:58:01

The average speed of the first rider on this stage was 30.570 km / h.

5th stage

placement	Surname	time
01.	Maurice Garin	+ 16:26:31
02.	Georges Pasquier
03.	Lucien Pothier
04th	Fernand Augereau	+ 00:10:35
05.	...	+ 00:33:34
06th	Rodolphe Muller	+ 00:36:33
07th	Jean Fischer	+ 01:04:03
08th.	Marcel Kerff
09.	Jean Dargassies	+ 01:21:09
10.	Ferdinand Payan	+ 001: 33: 24
11.	Aloïs Catteau	+ 02:02:42
12.	Julien Lootens	+ 02:32:02

placement	Surname	time
13.	Julien Girbe	+ 03:22:11
14th	Isidore Lechartier	+ 04:26:51
15th	René Salais	+ 05:22:29
16.	Francis Beaugendre
17th	Eugène Geay	+ 09:22:29
18th	Josef Fischer
19th	Emile Moulin	+ 10:23:40
20th	Georges Borot	+ 11:01:22
21st	Alexandre Foureaux	+ 11:01:26
22nd	Pierre Desvages	+ 11:03:29
23.	Arsène Millocheau	+ 15:08:29

Overall ranking
1.	Maurice Garin
2.	Lucien Pothier	+ 02:58:01
3.	Fernand Augereau	+ 04:29:14

The average speed of the first rider on this stage was 25.848 km / h.

6th stage

placement	Surname	time
01.	Maurice Garin	+ 18:09:00
02.	Fernand Augereau	+ 00:00:10
03.	Julien Lootens
04th	Jean Fischer	+ 00:01:20
05.	Lucien Pothier	+ 00:01:30
06th	Rodolphe Muller	+ 00:02:00
07th	Alexandre Foureaux	+ 00:02:30
08th.	Julien Girbe	+ 00:02:35
09.	Francis Beaugendre	+ 00:21:00
10.	Marcel Kerff	+ 00:53:00
11.	René Salais	+ 01:15:30

placement	Surname	time
12.	Jean Dargassies	+ 01:21:20
13.	Josef Fischer	+ 01:36:25
14th	Georges Pasquier	+ 01:51:15
15th	Aloïs Catteau	+ 02:07:35
16.	Ferdinand Payan	+ 02:34:26
17th	Isidore Lechartier	+ 05:09:20
18th	Emile Moulin	+ 06:35:50
19th	Arsène Millocheau	+ 10:46:15
20th	Georges Borot
21st	Pierre Desvages	+ 16:21:30

Overall ranking

This article or section needs to be revised: see: Discussion: Tour de France 1903 # Results overall classification contradicting one another .
Please help to improve it , and then remove this flag.

placement	Surname	time
01.	Maurice Garin	+ 94:33:14
02.	Lucien Pothier	+ 02:59:24
03.	Fernand Augereau	+ 04:29:24
04th	Rodolphe Muller	+ 04:39:30
05.	Jean-Baptiste Fischer	+ 04:58:44
06th	Marcel Kerff	+ 05:52:24
07th	Julien Lootens	+ 08:31:08
08th.	Georges Pasquier	+ 10:24:04
09.	François Beaugendre	+ 10:52:14
10.	Aloïs Catteau	+ 12:44:57
11.	Jean Dargassies	+ 13:49:40

placement	Surname	time
12.	Ferdinand Payan	+ 10:09:02
13.	Julien Girbe	+ 23:16:52
14th	Isidore Lechartier	+ 24:05:13
15th	Josef Fischer	+ 25:14:26
16.	Alexandre Foureaux	+ 31:50:52
17th	René Salais	+ 32:34:43
18th	Emile Moulin	+ 49:43:15
19th	Georges Borot	+ 51:37:38
20th	Pierre Desvages	+ 62:53:54
21st	Arsène Millocheau	+ 64:57:08

Web links

Commons : Tour de France 1903  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Tour de France 1903 in the ProCyclingStats.com database
• July 1, 1903 - how it all began: From crazy idea to myth. Süddeutsche Zeitung, May 11, 2010

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} ASO (ed.): Official program Tour de France 2003 . Paris 2003, p. 70 .
2. ↑ Joel Godaert, Robert Janssens, Guido Cammaert: Tour Encyclopedie 1903-1929 . Uitgeverij Worldstrips, Gent 1997, p. 4 .