1985 Tour de France
The 72nd Tour de France was held to 30 July 1985, of June 28. The race, in 22 stages over 4108 km. On the tour 180 racers participated, of which 144 were classified. The race developed into an unusual duel between two team-mates of the dominant French racing team La Vie Claire. The 30 -year-old Bernard Hinault won the Tour for the fifth time and closing at about the record of Jacques Anquetil and Eddy Merckx. Hinaults victory was also the last to date of a Frenchman.
Race course
The French defending champion Laurent Fignon, who won the Tour in 1983 and 1984, could not participate due to injury. Therefore Hinault went into the race as favorite and took over after winning the first long time trial expected to wear the yellow jersey. On the 14th stage Hinault crashed, however, and suffered a broken nose. The lying in the standings just behind Hinault teammate Greg LeMond was clearly stronger at the following critical stages in the Pyrenees as its captain. In a favorable situation for the American race on the 17th stage LeMond by Paul Köchli, the sporting director of La Vie Claire, but of an attack on Hinault was retained. LeMond won " as compensation " the final time trial - the first stage victory for an American tour at all - and received the promise of his team and Hinaults personally, at the Tour de France in 1986 to be allowed to act as the sole captain.