Tour de France in the Gard: a story that has been written since the beginnings of the race in 1903

The Gard has more than one Tour de France in its rich history. Nevertheless, a new chapter of which will be written this Tuesday, July 22 between Corconne and Roquemaure, over 80 km, during the Montpellier Mont Ventoux stage. Consequently, From the start of the famous cycling race, the department will be crossed by the peloton. For example, It was during the stage of July 8, 1903 between Marseille and Toulouse (423 km). Moreover, Most of the runners rolled night tour de france gard: story in Bellegarde, in Nîmes, a checkpoint at … Similarly, more than 3 am! Therefore, Local cyclist companies were then loaded with the scores.

The little story will remember that the Tour de France could have stopped. Similarly, the following year, because its creator, Henri Desgranges, had been particularly disgusted by the behavior of the Alésien Ferdinand Payan, put off for cheating. Consequently, A decision that would cause the supporters of Cévenols who were going to punch with the Nîmes during the. passage in the Gard prefecture.

First step in Nîmes in 1905 – Tour de france gard: story

Finally. the Grande Boucle will leave for a Tour and Nîmes will host its first stage on July 18, 1905 after a departure in Toulon. A choice of Henri Desgranges which had been supported by the Nîmes during the muscular episode of the previous. year.

Louis Trousselier raised his arms on arrival tour de france gard: story deemed on the road in Arles. a secretly kept place to avoid any problem. “Geographically. the Gard is essential and it had roads in good condition between Marseille and Toulouse”underlined in Midi Libre, in 2019, Éric Doladille who wrote “The Tour de France in the Gard” (La Fenestrelle editions).

The Gard. which did not accommodate stages between 1959 and 1985, was the theater thereafter innovations such as the principle of half-stage Marseille-Nîmes, followed by a counter-montre between the Cité Gardoise and Montpellier on July 18, 1935. When the Tour de France arrives in the department, it is also the time of the great escapes. We do not forget that of Eddy Merckx in 1974. five years after his first yellow jersey, which took advantage of the Camargue crossing to distort company at the Peloton before being joined in Hérault.

The redemption of Virenque. the breakaway of Pereiro

There was tour de france gard: story also on July 21, 2002 the redemption of Richard Virenque, escaped with ten other runners on the roads of the Gard, between Lodève and Mont Ventoux, where he was going to win in front of the sadly famous lance Amstrong. Suspended the year before for doping after the Festina case. Virenque signs a resounding return, the last Frenchman to win in the Ventoux during the Grande Boucle.

But the most incredible story remains that of Oscar Pereiro’s raid in 2006 with his escape companions between Béziers. Montélimar. From Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort to Barjac, they dug the gap (up to 26 minutes). Pereiro was able to dress the yellow jersey that day. And he appears in the charts since the general winner, Landis, had been suspended for doping.

The Gard also served as a framework for the Sprinters victories: Darrigade in 1958 still on the Nîmes lands. without forgetting the most recent. Indeed, tour de france gard: story now, the Gard prefecture is more regularly used as a framework for arrivals. Cavendish equaled the Merckx victories record there in 2008 before beating him sixteen years later. Kristoff won before the arenas in 2014, without forgetting the success of the Belgian Jasper Philipsen last year. It remains to write a new chapter this Tuesday.