1970 Tour de France
The 57th Tour de France took place from 27 June to 19 July 1970 and led to 23 stages over 4366 km. On the tour 150 racers participated, of which 100 were classified.
Race course
Already after the prologue won last year's winner Eddy Merckx was able to take the overall lead, which gave but after the team time trial to his teammate Italo Zilioli on. On the sixth stage to Merckx took the yellow jersey back and defended it to the finish in Paris. Like last year, he celebrated a comfortable win, this time with over 12 minutes ahead of the runner-up, the Dutchman Joop Zoetemelk.
Merckx won in addition to the overall ranking, the combination and the mountains classification with a clear lead. In addition, Merckx was able to achieve eight stage wins, including three time trials, stages in the mountains and on the flat. In Grenoble, the Belgians came with a lead of 1:35 to the finish on Mont Ventoux also about a minute before the second stage.
Merckx ' Belgian compatriot Walter Godefroot won two stages and the scoring just ahead of Merckx and thus prevented a repeat of Merckx ' triumph from last year, when he had won every major ratings. Merckx managed with his Tour victory, the Double, after he had already finished before the Tour de France Giro d' Italia with a win.
The 18th stage to La Mongie won the 22 -year-old Bernard Thévenet. On the stage, he seemed to have been left behind, struggled at the Col du Tourmalet but again zoom and won his first Tour stage with a lead of 49 seconds.