Henri Desgrange Biography

The plan was a five-week tour from May 31 to July 5; however, this proved too daunting, with only 15 entrants, so Desgrange cut the length to 19 days, changed the date to run from July 1 to 19, and offered a daily allowance which attracted 60 entrants. LAuto announces the 1st Tour de France

Desgrange is credited with founding the Tour de France in 1903 but the idea came from one of his journalists Geo Lefevre

The idea for a round stage race came from LAutos chief cycling journalist, 26-year-old Go Lefevre, he and the editor, Henri Desgrange then discussed it after lunch at what is now the TGI Friday bar in Montmartre in Paris.

who said he blurted out the idea because he felt under pressure to say something at a crisis meeting held at the newspapers headquarters at 10 rue faubourg Montmartre to resolve its poor circulation

A race more than a month long: Paris to Lyon to Marseille to Toulouse to Bordeaux to Nantes to Paris". Appointed Tour Director of the Tour de France

Desgrange scheduled five weeks for this epic from May 31 to 5 July, specified "equal terms" (no pacers), an entry fee of twenty francs. The conditions were deemed too hard, such that with a week to go, only fifteen had signed up for the event.

When Garin rode into Paris as winner, in front of a crowd of 20,000 paying spectators, Desgrange rushed out a special edition of lAuto, whose sales had rocketed to 130,000. The first running had been a resounding success.

A race more than a month long: Paris to Lyon to Marseille to Toulouse to Bordeaux to Nantes to Paris"

Desgrange announced the race on the pages of the newly-christened lAuto. The race would be "the greatest cycling trial in the entire world.

Desgrange moved the race to July 1 to July 19, promised a five france per day living allowance to the first fifty riders and upped the prize money to 20,000 francs. 60 riders rose to the challenge.

Desgrange scheduled five weeks for this epic from May 31 to 5 July, specified "equal terms" (no pacers), an entry fee of twenty francs.

The conditions were deemed too hard, such that with a week to go, only fifteen had signed up for the event.

When Garin rode into Paris as winner, in front of a crowd of 20,000 paying spectators, Desgrange rushed out a special edition of lAuto, whose sales had rocketed to 130,000. The first running had been a resounding success