1977 Tour de France
The 64th Tour de France took place from June 30th to July 24, 1977, resulted in over 22 stages with more than 4096 km. After 1975, Bernard Thévenet won his second Tour. It was attended by 100 racers participated in the tour, were classified 53 of them.
Race course
The German Dietrich Thurau won in his first Tour de France prologue participation and could claim the yellow jersey until Stage 15. Overall, the 22 -year-old was able to win four stages and finally finished in fifth place overall. In the time trial in Bordeaux, he took Eddy Merckx in the specialized discipline from 50 seconds, to Bernard Thévenet he took over a minute out. Also Klaus -Peter Thaler won a stage in his first Tour participation.
In the Alps Thurau was not as strong as in the beginning, and the mountain time trial, he had to leave his yellow jersey to Thévenet, who defended it to Paris. The time trial was won last year's winner Lucien Van Impe, in 1977 for the fourth time won the mountains classification and finished third in the overall standings. The Dutchman Joop Zoetemelk had a 10- minute penalty in the time trial due to a positive doping test, the hopes of a podium finish up.
On the 17th stage to L' Alpe d' Huez Van Impe crashed during an attack by a collision with an accompanying vehicle. Because of subsequent technical problems he could not follow the Dutchman Hennie Kuiper and Thévenet. Kuiper won the stage and finished second overall with less than a minute behind Thévenet.
Merckx was on his last tour weakened by a disease just behind Thurau sixth. The green jersey won Esclassan Jacques, who won a stage in itself. On the stage to Thonon -les- Bains Bernard Quilfen came after a 222 km long solo flight with three minutes ahead of the finish.