HOW THE Tour de France BEGAN: Drugs, Killer Trails and Agressive Fans

Tour de France was founded in 1903 by Henri Desgrange, editor of the daily sports paper L'Auto, to increase the newspaper's sales. Today it is regarded as the world’s most prestigious and challenging bicycle race. In this episode of ‘How It Was,’ we will show you the first Tour de France in 1903. You will find out about the crazy fans whose antics threatened to end the race and about dangerous routes for which the organizers were called "murderers." At the very end, we will tell you what doping substances cyclists used in the past, while those were still legal.

[breathestrongcycling]

Christophe was further penalised 10 minutes as a young boy operated the bellows of the blacksmith forge and that was considered outside help....

[tooleyheadbang]

"Do you think professional sports are possible without doping?"
I don't think professional sports are possible, with or without doping.
As soon as it's your job, it stops being your sport.

[dudeonbike]

It's silly to think legalizing and monitoring doping would be the solution. People would still break the rules and go beyond what's allowed. It's no solution.

[krakatoa]

Don't forget that these guys were riding for up to 7 hours a day, for three weeks, back in the day, the stages were an all day affair. they're not kicking a ball around a field for 90 minutes on a Saturday afternoon.

[tman]

As a former rider of some years ago I was extremely dedicated, training hard, healthy foods, plenty of sleep to aid recovery. I was supremely fit & yet didn't always get the results I expected.
Now many years on I hear about certain riders I raced with back then, being associated as drug takers.

It leaves a bitter taste to think I was cheated by other riders, riders that at the time I actually thought weren't as dedicated or as fit as me, yet still performed amazingly well in races of importance.

[savagepro]

2:17 not across France, but AROUND France!

[kqomomp]

I raced on an élite junior team from the Southwest from 87 thru 89. I know for a fact at that time, you couldnt break thru to the next level without peds. All of us were juniors but could race at cat 2 level without a problem. But we were All to close in skill level. If you wanted to stand out, you had to

[barriem]

If other pro sports policed themselves like pro cycling, those other sports would have even more scandals. Look at tennis. Nadal admitted after winning the 2022 Australian open that he won because his doctor froze his foot so he could compete with a severe foot injury. Cycling does not allow such practices.

[inkjazz]

Doping/Cheating IS the human experience. The idea of a completely clean sport with clean athletes competing fairly is nothing but an ideal, and has never existed. This is by no means an excuse for it, its more of an observation of reality.

[Qwerty-fyfx]

During the early TdF cyclists used fixed gear bikes. No coasting and brakes. They just kept pedaling. I wonder how they tackled descends

[tman]

First 10seconds should be...

'This is what the legs of a tdf rider can look like after 3 weeks' & it's very rare.

[joeborowy]

Great helmet. I like the adjustment in the back. And it is well vented.

[jontemoerking]

hey WAS Team, could you tell me where the shot from 0:19 is coming from? i know its cavendish, 1st stage 2016. It seems it was shot from the fans position. is there an original clip to that, where this angle was taken from? thank you for your help!

[moaningpheromones]

A rider is fixing his fork at a blacksmiths.
yeah - just normal.

[picturesfromtheworld]

Cycling is all about power to weight ratio, blood and oxygen. If you get all of this at the top (especially using PEDs), you'll be at the top.

[nwp]

How about separating riders who rely on doping into a separate class? It would be similar to auto races where there is a "stock" and "modified" class.

[johnandrews]

Pro cycling has, and continues to be the dirtiest sport there is. If anyone thinks pros are riding clean in 2023, you have your head in the sand. It's physically impossible, even for gifted, trained athletes to ride something like the TdF without Pharma assistance. And no positive tests for any rider is a weak defence against this claim. LA never tested positive either. Everyone is dirty, now enjoy the show.

[ronmeier]

but sir ! you must be mistaken, when i watch my computer about the tour or any other cycling. they say only lance armstrong did this and was the only person to ever do it . surely you must be wrong !

[dorydiavelone]

Are the women cyclists doping?? It seems like I haven’t heard about any of the women doping!!

[ilanpi]

FYI: In 1906, the highest court in France proved that Dreyfus was innocent (as opposed to simply "not guilty").