Tour de France 2006
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Le Tour de France and the Alsace region : a century of History
René Pottier
The Tour de France visited the Alsace region, the Alsace part of the Vosges, to be precise, for the first time one hundred years ago.

Indeed, on Tuesday the 11th of July 1905, the organisers launched the riders in the ascent of the Ballon d’Alsace during the second stage of the Tour, Nancy-Besançon (299 km). This was an important strategic stage that was to reveal the forefather of the « Mountain Kings », René Pottier (winner of the Tour one year later). For the record, apart from the « first » Ballon d’Alsace, 1905 was marked by the death of Jules Verne and, incidentally, the birth of Jacques Goddet.

The Treaty of Versailles terminated the 1914-1918 World War, restoring the Alsace region (and the Lorraine region) to France, and hence a stage of the Tour was hosted in Strasbourg in 1919 (Geneva-Strasbourg). The capital of the Alsace region was also the first Alsace town to host the « Grande Boucle ».

Thirty-four years later, in 1953, as the competition celebrated its fiftieth edition, Strasbourg was selected to host the Start.

The Alsace champions

Cycling in the Alsace region has contributed several wonderful pages to the epic of the Tour and the « Legend of cycles ». Both natives of Strasbourg, the « doyens » Paul Zlenck and Charles Hans opened the way in 1919, and another inhabitant of Strasbourg, Joseph Muller, was the first to claim local fame. He run the Tour five times: 15th in his first race in 1920, he triumphed in his hometown in Strasbourg in 1923 (Geneva- Strasbourg stage) and was ranked 6th in 1924.

After WWII came up three local champions :
  • Roger Hassenforder
     Born in 1930 in Sansheim (Haut-Rhin). Home in Kaysersberg (Haut-Rhin).
    Participated six times in the Tour de France between 1953 and 1959. Yellow jersey in 1953. Eight stage wins.
  • André Zimmermann
     Born in 1939 in Maisongoutte (Bas-Rhin). Participated five times in the Tour de France between 1964 and 1969. Winner of the Tour de l’Avenir in 1963.
  • Charly Grosskost
     Born in Eckbolsheim (Bas-Rhin). 1944- 2004. Participated five times in the Tour de France between 1968 and 1973. Winner of the prologue and the 1st stage in 1968.
Tour de France’s stage finishes in the Alsace region
 Strasbourg (22 passages).
First hosted a stage in 1919. (1. Lucotti) and most recently in 2001 (1. Kirsipuu).

 Mulhouse (14 passages).
First hosted a stage in 1925 (1. N. Frantz) and most recently in 2000 (1. Armstrong).

 Colmar (6 passages).
First hosted a stage in 1931 (1. Leducq) and most recently in 2001 (1. L. Jalabert).

 Ballon d’Alsace
(4 summit finishes).
 1967 (1. Aimar), 1969 (1. Merckx), 1972 (1. Thévenet), 1979 (1. Villemiane).

 The start of the Tour de France has been given three times from the Alsace region, in 1953 (Strasbourg), 1959 and 1971 (Mulhouse). Altkirch hosted the start of a stage in 1977 (Altkirch-Besançon).
 
Jules Deloffre