1997 Tour de France
 Route of the 1997 Tour de France | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Race details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Dates | 5–27 July | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stages | 21 + Prologue | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distance | 3,950 km (2,454 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Winning time | 100h 30' 35" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1997 Tour de France was the 84th edition of the Tour de France and took place from 5 to 27 July. Jan Ullrich's victory margin, of 9' 09" was the largest margin of victory since Laurent Fignon won the 1984 Tour de France by 10' 32".[1] Ullrich's simultaneous victories in both the general classification and the young riders' classification marked the first time the same rider had won both categories in the same Tour since Laurent Fignon in 1983. The points classification was won by Ullrich's team mate Erik Zabel, for the second time, and their team Team Telekom also won the team classification. The mountains classification was won by Richard Virenque for the fourth time.
Teams
198 riders in 22 teams commenced the 1997 Tour de France. 139 riders finished.[2] The 16 teams with the highest UCI ranking at the start of 1997 were automatically qualified.[3] Six wildcard intivations were also given.[4]
The teams entering the race were:[4][5]
Qualified teams
Invited teams
Route and stages
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 5 July | Rouen | 7.3 km (4.5 mi) |  | Individual time trial |  |
| 1 | 6 July | Rouen to Forges-les-Eaux | 192.0 km (119.3 mi) |  | Flat stage |  |
| 2 | 7 July | Saint-Valery-en-Caux to Vire | 262.0 km (162.8 mi) | | Flat stage | |
| 3 | 8 July | Vire to Plumelec | 224.0 km (139.2 mi) | | Flat stage |  |
| 4 | 9 July | Plumelec to Le Puy du Fou | 223.0 km (138.6 mi) | | Flat stage | |
| 5 | 10 July | Chantonnay to La Châtre | 261.5 km (162.5 mi) | | Flat stage |  |
| 6 | 11 July | Le Blanc to Marennes | 217.5 km (135.1 mi) | | Flat stage |  |
| 7 | 12 July | Marennes to Bordeaux | 194.0 km (120.5 mi) | | Flat stage | |
| 8 | 13 July | Sauternes to Pau | 161.5 km (100.4 mi) | | Flat stage | |
| 9 | 14 July | Pau to Loudenvielle | 182.0 km (113.1 mi) |  | Mountain stage | |
| 10 | 15 July | Luchon to Andorra Arcalis | 252.5 km (156.9 mi) | | Mountain stage | |
| 11 | 16 July | Andorra Arcalis to Perpignan | 192.0 km (119.3 mi) |  | Hilly stage | |
| 17 July | Saint-Étienne | Rest day | ||||
| 12 | 18 July | Saint-Étienne | 55.0 km (34.2 mi) | | Individual time trial | |
| 13 | 19 July | Saint-Étienne to Alpe d'Huez | 203.5 km (126.4 mi) | | Mountain stage | |
| 14 | 20 July | Le Bourg-d'Oisans to Courchevel | 148.0 km (92.0 mi) | | Mountain stage | |
| 15 | 21 July | Courchevel to Morzine | 208.5 km (129.6 mi) | | Mountain stage | |
| 16 | 22 July | Morzine to Fribourg (Switzerland) | 181.0 km (112.5 mi) | | Hilly stage | |
| 17 | 23 July | Fribourg (Switzerland) to Colmar | 218.5 km (135.8 mi) | | Flat stage |  |
| 18 | 24 July | Colmar to Montbéliard | 175.5 km (109.1 mi) | | Hilly stage | |
| 19 | 25 July | Montbéliard to Dijon | 172.0 km (106.9 mi) | | Flat stage | |
| 20 | 26 July | Disneyland Paris | 63.0 km (39.1 mi) | | Individual time trial |  |
| 21 | 27 July | Disneyland Paris to Paris (Champs-Élysées) | 149.5 km (92.9 mi) | | Flat stage | |
| Total | 3,950 km (2,454 mi)[8] | |||||
Race overview
Chris Boardman won the prologue, and was the first leader of the race. Then, sprinter Mario Cipollini took over the lead thanks to time bonuses.[9] Cédric Vasseur took the lead in the fifth stage after a successful attack, and kept leading the race until the Pyrenées.
Ullrich took the lead in the tenth stage, which he won by more than a minute, beating his team leader, Bjarne Riis by over three minutes and assuming team leadership as well as the overall lead. He became the first German cyclist since 1978 to wear the yellow jersey.[10] he extended his lead by winning stage 12, an individual time trial in Saint-Étienne. In the fourteenth stage, Richard Virenque made an attack to win back time on Ullrich, helped by his entire team. The margin was never more than two minutes, and Ullrich was able to get back to Virenque before the final climb. Virenque won the stage, but Ullrich finished in the same time.[11]
In the rest of the race, Ullrich consolidated his lead, and won with a margin of almost ten minutes.
Classification leadership
There were several classifications in the 1997 Tour de France. The most important was the general classification, calculated by adding each cyclist's finishing times on each stage. The cyclist with the least accumulated time was the race leader, identified by the yellow jersey; the winner of this classification is considered the winner of the Tour.[12]
Additionally, there was a points classification, which awarded a green jersey. In the points classification, cyclists got points for finishing among the best in a stage finish, or in intermediate sprints. The cyclist with the most points lead the classification, and was identified with a green jersey.[12]
There was also a mountains classification. The organisation had categorized some climbs as either hors catégorie, first, second, third, or fourth-category; points for this classification were won by the first cyclists that reached the top of these climbs first, with more points available for the higher-categorized climbs. The cyclist with the most points lead the classification, and was identified with a polkadot jersey.[12]
The fourth individual classification was the young rider classification, which was not marked by a jersey. This was decided the same way as the general classification, but only riders under 26 years were eligible.[12]
For the team classification, the times of the best three cyclists per team on each stage were added; the leading team was the team with the lowest total time.[13]
- In stage 1, Jan Ullrich wore the green jersey.
- In stage 2, Tom Steels wore the green jersey.
- In stage 3, Erik Zabel wore the green jersey.
Final standings
| Legend | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Denotes the winner of the general classification |  |
Denotes the winner of the points classification | |
 |
Denotes the winner of the mountains classification | |||
General classification
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Team Telekom | 100h 30' 35" |
| 2 | | Festina–Lotus | + 9' 09" |
| 3 | | Mercatone Uno | + 14' 03" |
| 4 | | Banesto | + 15' 55" |
| 5 | | Kelme–Costa Blanca | + 20' 32" |
| 6 | | Saeco | + 22' 47" |
| 7 |  | Team Telekom | + 26' 34" |
| 8 | | Banesto | + 31' 17" |
| 9 |  | Festina–Lotus | + 31' 55" |
| 10 | | Mercatone Uno | + 32' 26" |
Points classification
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Team Telekom | 350 |
| 2 | | GAN | 223 |
| 3 | | Mercatone Uno | 198 |
| 4 | | TVM–Farm Frites | 192 |
| 5 | | Batik-Del Monte | 156 |
| 6 | | Team Telekom | 154 |
| 7 | | Rabobank | 151 |
| 8 | | Festina–Lotus | 151 |
| 9 | | GAN | 145 |
| 10 | | U.S. Postal Service | 131 |
Mountains classification
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Festina–Lotus | 579 |
| 2 | | Team Telekom | 328 |
| 3 | | Saeco | 309 |
| 4 | | Mercatone Uno | 269 |
| 5 | | Festina–Lotus | 241 |
| 6 | | Festina–Lotus | 212 |
| 7 | | Festina–Lotus | 176 |
| 8 | | Kelme–Costa Blanca | 141 |
| 9 | | Team Telekom | 139 |
| 10 | | Banesto | 136 |
Young rider classification
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | Team Telekom | 100h 30' 35" |
| 2 |  | Rabobank | + 45' 39" |
| 3 | | Rabobank | + 1h 00' 33" |
| 4 | | Mapei–GB | + 1h 01' 30" |
| 5 | | TVM–Farm Frites | + 1h 17' 44" |
| 6 | | Banesto | + 1h 29' 18" |
| 7 | | Banesto | + 1h 35' 11" |
| 8 |  | Festina–Lotus | + 1h 43' 05" |
| 9 |  | Cofidis | + 1h 46' 23 |
| 10 | .svg.png){kind=small} | Mapei–GB | + 2h 09' 34 |
Team classification
| Rank | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Team Telekom | 310h 51' 30" |
| 2 | Mercatone Uno | + 31' 56" |
| 3 | Festina–Lotus | + 47' 52" |
| 4 | Banesto | + 1h 05' 15" |
| 5 | Kelme–Costa Blanca | + 2h 20' 22" |
| 6 | Mapei–GB | + 2h 28' 14" |
| 7 | Rabobank | + 2h 40' 30" |
| 8 | Saeco | + 4h 06' 13" |
| 9 | Française des Jeux | + 4h 15' 59" |
| 10 | U.S. Postal Service | + 4h26' 19" |
Aftermath
After Ullrich's domination of the 1997 Tour de France at his young age, it was believed that Ullrich would dominate the Tour de France for the next years.[16] However, Ullrich would never win the Tour again, although he did reach the podium four more times finishing second to Pantani in 1998 and standing 2nd on the podium to Lance Armstrong three times. He also reached the podium in the 2005 Tour de France, but that result was later voided. Ullrich would win another Grand Tour however, the 1999 Vuelta a Espana.
Notes and references
Footnotes
References
- ↑ Augendre, Jacques (2009). Guide Historique, Part 6 (PDF) (in French). Amaury Sport Organisation. p. 115. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2009. Retrieved 30 September 2009.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "84ème Tour de France 1997" (in French). Mémoire du cyclisme. Archived from the original on 6 August 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
- ↑ "Second Edition News for December 12, 1996, UCI Team Rankings -- Prospects for 1997". Cyclingnews. Future Publishing Limited. 12 December 1997. Retrieved 21 August 2011.
- 1 2 Startt, James (17 June 1997). "Second Edition News for June 18, 1997: Reaction to the Wild Cards". Cyclingnews. Future Publishing Limited. Retrieved 21 August 2011.
- ↑ Startt, James (18 June 1997). "News for June 18, 1997: Final Tour Team list". Cyclingnews. Future Publishing Limited. Retrieved 21 August 2011.
- ↑ Augendre 2016, p. 88.
- ↑ Zwegers, Arian. "Tour de France GC Top Ten". CVCC. Archived from the original on 10 June 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
- ↑ Augendre 2016, p. 110.
- ↑ "The history of the Tour de France, Year 1997: Ullrich admitted doping". Amaury Sport Organisation. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
- ↑ "Ullrich stamps his authority on Tour de France". HÜrriyet Daily News. 17 July 1997. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
- ↑ "Ullrich withstands Virenque". Deseret News. 21 July 1997. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
- 1 2 3 4 Christian, Sarah (2 July 2009). "Tour de France demystified - Evaluating success". RoadCycling.co.nz Ltd. Archived from the original on 9 February 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
- ↑ Chauner, David; Halstead, Michael (1990). The Tour de France Complete Book of Cycling. Villard. ISBN 0679729364. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
- ↑ Mallon, Bill; Heijmans, Jeroen (9 September 2011). Historical Dictionary of Cycling. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press. p. 230. ISBN 978-0-8108-7369-8.
- 1 2 3 4 "Tour de France 1997 - Stage 21, Disneyland (Paris) to Champs Elysses (Paris), 149.5 km". Cyclingnews. 1997. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
- ↑ Abt, Samuel (28 July 1997). "A New Dynasty Begins at the Tour de France". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
Sources
- Augendre, Jacques (2016). Guide historique [Historical guide] (PDF). Tour de France (in French). Paris: Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 1997 Tour de France. |
- Official website at the Wayback Machine (archived 7 August 1997)
- 1997 Tour de France at Cyclingnews.com
