Held from June 29 to July 27, 1919, the race covered 5,560 kilometers over 15 stages, with many roads still in ruins from the war. Infrastructure was poor, riders had little support, and fatigue was constant. Out of 67 riders who started, only 10 finished, the lowest completion rate in Tour history.
The winner, Firmin Lambot of Belgium, endured not just the extreme distance and poor conditions, but also the emotional and physical scars left by the war. That year also marked the debut of the iconic yellow jersey (maillot jaune)—a symbol of the race leader introduced to help fans identify the frontrunner.
Averaging just 24.056 km/h (14.94 mph), it was a grueling and symbolic return to competition after the devastation of World War I.
The impact of the Great War (a.k. a. World War I , between 1914 and 1918) in road cycling history is one of the recurring topic among my articles on Patreon.
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