1968 Tour de France

The 55th Tour de France took place from 27 June to 21 July 1968, resulted in over 22 stages with 4685 km.

After the death of Briton Tom Simpson in the previous year regular doping tests were introduced. It was attended by 110 racers participated in the tour, were classified 63 of them.

Race course

Charly Grosskost from France was able to win on the first day both the prologue and the first stage. After the victory of his team Belgium Herman Van Springel was able to take the overall lead in the team time trial. But the yellow jersey of the leader he could initially contribute only for two days. In the fifth stage, it took over Van Springel's compatriot Georges Vandenberghe, who had moved out to the stage to bias in a breakaway group several minutes ahead of all the favorites. His lead in the overall standings, he was able to save over the Pyrenees and was able to defend 16th stage.

On the 15th stage to Albi the re- launched as a favorite Raymond Poulidor crashed after a collision with a motorcycle and had to press after a severe head injury to abandon the race. For the French, it was only a small consolation that the last year's winner Roger Pingeon could win this stage and four days later in Grenoble.

The German Rolf Wolfshohl finally managed to take the overall lead by Vandenberghe, he could go two days in the yellow jersey, which he lost on the 18th stage after a fall. He finished the Tour, finishing sixth.

Herman Van Springel of Belgium was after he had already worn the yellow jersey at the start of the tour, take the overall lead on the 19th stage. Although at this point all the tough mountain stages were completed, several drivers were close together at the top: Van Springel only had a lead of 12 seconds on Gregorio San Miguel from Spain, 16 seconds behind the Dutchman Jan Janssen.

In the final time trial in Paris, the decision was made in favor Janssens, who had already won the 14th stage and could still push past 38 seconds Van Springel by winning the last time trial. The first victory of a Dutchman was also the hitherto scarcest victory in the Tour 's history.

The green jersey, the exception, was red in 1968, won by Italian Franco Bitossi. He won at the same time even the newly introduced combined score, which was made up of the achievements in the overall standings and points and mountains classification. The mountain competition was won by Aurelio Gonzalez.

The stages

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