1983 Tour de France
The 70th Tour de France led from 1 July 24, 1983 in 22 stages over 3862 km. In the absence of the Frenchman Bernard Hinault, who because of knee complaints was unable to attend the tour, won his compatriot Laurent Fignon same for its first participation. It was attended by 140 racers participated in the tour, of which 88 were classified.
Race course
The prologue won Vanderaerden Eric, who had to leave but the jersey after the team time trial again.
For the first time took a team with Colombian amateurs on the racing part, which showed their skills in the mountains. Patrocinio Jimenez crossed including the Col du Tourmalet is the first and the second was the mountain classification.
However, the tour was decidedly more in the fight against the clock as in combat " man to man ": In addition to the four individual time trial and the prologue there was a more than 100 -kilometer team time trial. Nevertheless, there were intense battles, including the final of the 16th stage to Saint -Étienne. The two torn- driver Michel Laurent and Henk Lubberding fought so hard that Laurent in the final sprint came to case and Lubberding the first crossed the finish line. The jury evaluated Lubberdings shock that triggered the fall, as unfair and said Laurent still the winner.
In the battle for the Tour victory the Frenchman Pascal Simon took over through a third place on the first Pryenäenetappe the lead in the overall standings, but broke his shoulder in a fall. For six days, he agonized in pain before he gave up and so Fignon was able to take the yellow jersey.
The 23 -year-old Fignon made by the recovered individual time trial on the penultimate stage of his victory perfectly. The green jersey for the best sprinter secured the Irishman Sean Kelly with a clear lead, even though he failed to win a single stage. However, he was able to celebrate a day on the yellow jersey, which he had taken in Pau. The next stage was in the Pyrenees, where Kelly fell back.
Lucien Van Impe, Tour winner in 1976, the absence of Hinault could not use, but won in his penultimate participate for the sixth time the mountain classification.