The History of the Tour de France. From Scandals to Doping and Killer Trails | WAS

Video Description

Uncover the gripping history of the Tour de France! Founded in 1903 by Henri Desgrange, the visionary editor of the daily sports paper L'Auto, the genesis of this legendary race was intrinsically linked to a need to boost the newspaper's sales in a politically charged France. Today, the Tour de France stands tall as the world’s most prestigious and challenging bicycle race, a true testament to human endurance. In this captivating episode of ‘How It Was,’ we delve deep into the remarkable story of the first Tour de France in 1903. Witness the incredible challenges faced by early cyclists as they embarked on grueling stages, some stretching over 400 kilometers, often starting in the dead of night. Discover the surprising number of amateur participants in this initial superhuman test of strength. But the early days of the Tour were not without their perils. Learn about the crazy fans whose aggressive antics, including attacks with stones and batons, and barricading routes with cobblestones and nails, threatened to bring an abrupt end to the race as early as the second edition. Explore the dangerous routes, featuring long ascents on bad dirt roads and treacherous turns in the Pyrenees and Alps, which prompted even eventual champions to label the organizers "murderers". Finally, we pull back the curtain on a little-known aspect of early cycling: the substances used by cyclists to combat fatigue and pain. At a time before the advent of anti-doping laws in France (which only passed in 1965), discover what drugs and stimulants, including cocaine, chloroform, and amphetamine, some competitors openly used in their relentless pursuit of victory. Witness the raw challenges, fierce competition, and even the early signs of scandals and cheating that shaped the foundation of this iconic race, forever etching its place in sporting history. #was #tourdefrance #bycycle