1986 Tour de France
The 73rd Tour de France was held from 4 July to 27 July 1986 and led over 23 stages and a total of 4094 km. With Greg LeMond first time an American, and in general a non-Europeans celebrated a Tour victory after he had already finished third in 1985 second in the Tour in 1984. It participated in a record number of 210 racers on the tour, of which 132 were classified.
Race course
The special tension of the race lay in the internal battle of the teammates Bernard Hinault and Greg LeMond of the French team La Vie Claire: Hinault had the previous Tour de France 1985, mainly thanks to a team orders just before LeMond decided for themselves and the Americans to thank his support for 1986 promised. Nevertheless, Hinault attacked on the first mountain stage in the Pyrenees, and took over the yellow jersey. LeMond retaliated next day with a stage win and could sit in the Alps finally to the top. Legendary was the 18th stage to L' Alpe d' Huez, in which the two drivers abhängten the whole competition and went hand in hand across the finish line.
The dominant uniquely team La Vie Claire reached with LeMond and Hinault Place One and Two, also colleagues Andrew Hampsten and Niki Rüttimann fourth and seventh overall were. A similarly outstanding team performance reached again until the Telekom team for the Tour de France 1996.