June 17, 2025 — On This Day in History
One of the world’s most iconic sporting events, the Tour de France, began its journey on June 17, 1903, forever changing the landscape of competitive cycling and global sports.
Originally conceived as a publicity stunt by the struggling French newspaper L’Auto, the first Tour de France was the brainchild of sports journalist Géo Lefèvre and the paper’s editor Henri Desgrange. Their aim? To boost newspaper sales by creating an ambitious, never-before-seen cycling race that would captivate the nation.
The inaugural edition of the race saw 60 riders set off from the Café au Réveil-Matin in the Paris suburb of Montgeron. They faced an epic journey of over 2,400 kilometers (1,500 miles) divided into just six grueling stages, each lasting several days, with minimal rest and often brutal road conditions. Riders braved dusty, unpaved roads on heavy steel bicycles with no gears, often cycling through the night by candlelight.
That first race wrapped up on July 19, 1903, with Maurice Garin, a French-Italian chimney sweep turned cyclist, emerging as the victor. He completed the race in just under 95 hours, earning 6,075 francs—an impressive sum at the time—and instant fame.
Despite its humble and chaotic beginnings, the Tour was a resounding success for L’Auto, with circulation reportedly doubling during the race. The event was immediately greenlit for a second edition in 1904, and it hasn’t looked back since.
Today, the Tour de France is a global phenomenon, broadcast to millions and contested by elite athletes from all over the world. But it all began 122 years ago today, with a bold idea, a few dozen brave cyclists, and the dusty roads of France.
Fun Fact: In that first Tour, participants were forbidden from receiving any outside help—riders had to repair their own bikes, carry their own food, and even find their own shelter!
From newspaper stunt to international spectacle, the Tour de France remains a shining example of how a great idea on two wheels can ride straight into the pages of history.
