Maurice Garin (1871-1957), the winner of the first Tour de France became a professional cyclist only accidentally.
Garin was racing as amateur already (he won his first race in 1893), when he decided to start at a race near to his hometown. He learned only at the start of the race, that this was an event for professionals. He waited till the pro riders departed, rode after them and won the race. Since the organisers refused to pay him the prize money, the spectators raised the double sum of the original prize.
When the first Tour de France was held, Maurice Garin was already a star working with a professional crew. It was their job to care about food and suitable accomodation during the race. Garin was in lead since the first stage of the race and won the first general classification.
Garin was the best rider also at the second edition of Tour de France, but later he was stipped off his title. He was also banned from cycling races for two years.
Tour de France, and the idea of multiple stage races, was a quite new thing at the beginning of the 20th century, cyclists usually rode significantly more one day races. Maurice Garin finished third at the first Paris-Roubaix, but won the two susenquent editions.
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LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TOUR DE FRANCE WINNER CYCLISTS
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Tour de France winners: Maurice Garin (1903)
Maurice Garin (1871-1957), the winner of the first Tour de France became a professional cyclist only accidentally. Garin was racing as amateur already (he won his first race in 1893), when he decided to start at a race near to his hometown. He learned only at the start of the race, that this was an … Read more