Centenary Tour

By Paul Verkuylen

Cyclingnews' latest video in our collection takes a look back at the drama that was the centenary tour. From Beloki crashing out on Bastille Day, to Lance being taken out by a handbag and Ullrich crashing into the hay bails on the final time trial stage the tour was full of ups and downs.

In 2003 the Tour de France celebrated its centenary tour. It had been 100 years since Maurice Garin won the very first tour organised by Henri Desgrange, in 1903 to increase awareness of his magazine L'Auto. Since the the tour had been run 90 times, only stopping for the world wars, and has grown into the biggest annual sporting event world wide.