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© Gwenaël Saliou / Région Bretagne
Rennes 25/01/2007 - Press Conference for the presentation of the Start of the 2008 Tour de France.
Jean-Yves LE DRIAN & Christian PRUDHOMME
It’s a fundamental principle: a Tour that starts in Brittany finishes with the crowning of a cycling giant. Look at the evidence: Brest 1952: 1st Coppi; Rennes 1964: 1st Anquetil; Brest 1974: 1st Merckx; Plumelec 1985: 1st Hinault; Saint-Brieuc 1995: 1st Indurain!
Five stars on a flawless prize list. Coppi, Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault, Indurain: five cycling legends who, in turn on the Tour, garnered the force in Brittany to clinch an ultimate triumph in this prized race three weeks later. Is this not the stuff of tales and legends, a tribute to the doyen of cycling races from its greatest riders?
A start from Brittany is also the guarantee of a grand and magnificent celebration, a passion shared by an entire Region gathered together in the wake of its president, Jean-Yves Le Drian, responsible for the project. One region, four counties, five towns – together – make the recurrent dream of the Tour reality. From the Finistère to the Ile-et-Vilaine, from the Morbihan to the Côtes-d’Armor, in Brest, Plumelec, Auray, Saint-Brieuc, Saint-Malo, and in all of the towns travelled through, Brittany will present us with its most beautiful landscapes, its crowds clustered along the five hundred kilometres of road covered, its love of cycling.
For the first time in more than forty years, the 2008 Tour de France will begin with a straight stage. Usually only a small number of specialists in solitary effort can aspire to winning the first yellow jersey. Next year however, near to two hundred riders will be dreaming that this Holy Grail is within their reach. A remarkable first stage, from Brest and its great sailing ships to Plumelec, where bold challengers, sprinters and – perhaps – potential candidates for final victory will all have the opportunity to win fame.
In the land of Bobet and Hinault the Tour de France is at home. Brittany wanted the Tour. The Tour wanted Brittany. Roll on 2008!
Christian Prudhomme
Director of Tour de France
“Cycling was born in Brittany” declared Achille Joinard, former president of the F.F.C. and the U.C.I. And Brittany, with its traditional cycling vocation, has contributed much to the sport of cycling, in particular to the Tour de France.
In the course of its long history, the great July event has travelled the length and breadth of all the counties of Brittany, with stages in the principal towns of the Armor Peninsula. Rennes hosted the first Breton stage in 1905.
The following year, the organisers innovated with a stage in Brest, from where the Tour will be launched in 2008.
Four Bretons appear on the Tour de France prize list: Petit-Breton, whose real name was Lucien Mazan (1907-1908), Jean Robic (1947), Louison Bobet (1953-1954-1955) and Bernard Hinault (1978-1979-1981-1982-1985).
The 11 victories obtained by these four champions represent 11,8% of total wins, and 30,5% of French wins.
For the period 1947-2006, the 9 wins achieved by Robic, Bobet and Hinault represent 15% of total wins and 42, 85% of French wins.
Lucien Petit-Breton: two victoires in 1907 and 1908 (the centenary of his second victory will be celebrated in 2008), 4th in 1906, 5th in 1905.
Bernard Hinault: five victories between 1978 and 1985, and two second places (1984, 2nd behind Fignon - 1986, 2nd behind LeMond), i.e. 7 places on the podium in Paris. Hinault, who abandoned in 1980 following a knee injury and whilst wearing the yellow jersey, remains the best Tour winner in terms of performance ratings.
Louison Bobet: three wins in a row between 1953 and 1955 (the first rider to achieve this feat). 3rd in 1950, 4thin 1948, 7th in 1958.
Jean Robic: a victory in 1947 (without having worn the yellow jersey during the race). 4th in 1949, 5th in 1952.
Jean-Marie Goasmat: 9th in 1947.
Roger Lambrecht (Belge, Breton d’adoption): 7th in 1948.
Pierre Cogan: 10th in 1949, 7th in 1950.
Jean Mallejac: 2nd in 1953 (Doublé breton: L. Bobet - Malléjac), 5th in 1954.
François Mahé: 10th in 1953, 10th in 1955, 5th in 1959.
Georges Groussard: 5th in 1964.
Désiré Letort: 4th in 1967, 9th in 1969.
Christian Seznec: 5th in 1978, 6th in 1980.
Ronan Pensec: 6th in 1986, 7th in 1988.
Gérard Rué: 10th in 1991.
Pascal Lino: 5th in 1992.
Jean-Cyril Robin: 6th in 1998.
Bernard Hinault: 28 (from 1978 to 1986).
René Le Grevès: 16 (from 1933 to 1939).
Louison Bobet: 11 (from 1948 to 1955).
Lucien Petit-Breton: 7 (from 1907 to 1908).
Jean Robic: 6 (from 1947 to 1953).
Guy Ignolin: 3 (from 1961 to 1963).
Jean-Pierre Genet: 3 (from 1968 to 1974).
Jean Bourlès, Pierre Cloarec (2), Jean Gainche, Jean-Marie Goasmat, Joseph Groussard, Roger Lambrecht, Pierre Le Bigaut, André Le Dissez, Philippe Leleu, Pascal Lino, François Mahé, Jean Malléjac, Pierre-Henri Menthéour, Joseph Morvan, Pascal Poisson, Maurice Quentin, Christian Seznec (2), Joseph Thomin.
Breton winners of the Grand Prix de la Montagne: Louison Bobet (1950) and Bernard Hinault (1986). Hinault also won the General Points Classification (green jersey) in 1979 and the prize for the Most Aggressive Rider in 1986.
Ferdinand Le Drogo (1927), Léon Le Calvez (1931), Jean Fontenay (1939), Louison Bobet (1948, 1953, 1954, 1955), Jean Robic (1953) – winner in 1947, he only wore the yellow jersey at the finish in the Parc des Princes, François Mahé (1953), Jean Malléjac (1953), Joseph Groussard (1960), Georges Groussard (1964), Jean-Pierre Genet (1968), Désiré Letort (1969), Bernard Hinault (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986), Ronan Pensec (1980), Pascal Lino (1992).
We obviously cannot talk about Breton riders on the Tour without mentioning Jean Bobet, Robert Bouloux, Albert Bouvet, Jean Dacquay, Jean Guéguen, Maurice Le Guilloux, Jean Le Guilly, Ange Le Strat, André Mahé, Fernand Picot, Francis Pipelin, André Ruffet, Georges Talbourdet and… the doyen Alfred Le Bars classified 26th and 19th, respectively, in the 1907 and 1909 Tour.
© A.S.O. / J.-C. Moreau
In general, the undulating routes of Brittany provide energetic stages that have often proved to be decisive and have at times determined the outcome of the Tour. We have selected four outstanding Breton stages:
Three days from Paris, the south to north crossing of Brittany (139 km time trial between Vannes and Saint-Brieuc) terminates with a dramatic turn of events. René Vietto, in the lead for the last ten days, loses his yellow jersey to Pierre Brambilla. The Belgian rider Raymond Impanis wins the stage, but Jean Robic is not far behind. He will win the Tour during the final Caen-Paris stage.
A long breakaway, formed within the first kilometres of the race, comprises 31 riders, including Roger Walkowiak. This breakaway group separates itself from the pack and numerous favourites by 18’46’’. The Italian Fantini triumphs in the sprint, but Walko is the one who benefits most from this unexpected attack. He seizes the yellow jersey and wins the Tour.
The Luxemburg climber, Charly Gaul, surprises everyone by beating Jacques Anquetil in the 46 km time trial on the Circuit de Châteaulin… a serious warning. Gaul will win this Tour de France by surpassing all his opponents in the gruelling Chartreuse stage.
This stage through Brittany plays a decisive role in the outcome of this Tour de France in which national teams participate. Four riders represent four different countries and important countries too: Rivière (France), Nencini (Italy), Hans Junkermann (Germany) and Jan Adriaenssens (Belgium) break away just after the start and rapidly widen the gap. It’s the perfect breakaway. It includes only the leaders who reach Lorient almost a quarter of an hour ahead of the other riders and the winner of the Tour is evidently amongst them. Rivière triumphs in the sprint.
One week later, he is eliminated in the Cévennes by a serious fall, which puts an end to his cycling career, and Nencini arrives in Paris wearing the yellow jersey.
© A.S.O. / J.-C. Moreau
In 2008, the Tour de France will be launched from Brest, starting from Brittany for the sixth time.
History of Starts in Brittany:
Rennes was the first Breton stage on the Tour de France, in 1905. The following year, Brest entered the history of the Tour. The Finistère port was the scene of a marathon stage, which began in Nantes (321 km), and the start of an exceptionally long stage (Brest - Caen: 415 km).
The organisers surpassed themselves from 1911 with the two stages: La Rochelle - Brest (470 km) and Brest - Cherbourg (405 km).
Brest, Cancale, Châteaulin, Concarneau, Dinan, Dinard, Fougères, La Guerche, Lamballe, Lanester, Lannion, Lorient, Morlaix, Perros-Guirec, Plouay, Plumelec, Quimper, Rennes, Roscoff, Saint-Brieuc, Saint-Grégoire, Saint-Malo, Saint-Méen le Grand, Saint-Pol de Léon, Vannes, Vitré.
In total, more than 120 towns in the Finistère, the Côtes-d’Armor, the Morbihan and the Ille-et-Vilaine counties.
The yellow jersey for stage towns goes to Brest, which will be visited for the 29th time in 2008.
In 2008, the Tour de France will be launched from Brest, starting from Brittany for the sixth time.
History of Starts in Brittany:
Rennes was the first Breton stage on the Tour de France, in 1905. The following year, Brest entered the history of the Tour. The Finistère port was the scene of a marathon stage, which began in Nantes (321 km), and the start of an exceptionally long stage (Brest - Caen: 415 km).
The organisers surpassed themselves from 1911 with the two stages: La Rochelle - Brest (470 km) and Brest - Cherbourg (405 km).
Brest, Cancale, Châteaulin, Concarneau, Dinan, Dinard, Fougères, La Guerche, Lamballe, Lanester, Lannion, Lorient, Morlaix, Perros-Guirec, Plouay, Plumelec, Quimper, Rennes, Roscoff, Saint-Brieuc, Saint-Grégoire, Saint-Malo, Saint-Méen le Grand, Saint-Pol de Léon, Vannes, Vitré.
In total, more than 120 towns in the Finistère, the Côtes-d’Armor, the Morbihan and the Ille-et-Vilaine counties.
The yellow jersey for stage towns goes to Brest, which will be visited for the 29th time in 2008.
“As I am a Breton, this Grand Départ will, of course, have a special meaning for me. The Bretons, especially those from Brest, have been looking forward to this event for a long time. It is going to be a fantastic event in a region where cycling has always been a very popular sport. I am sure there will be huge crowds lining the roads supporting the cyclists (…) For me, the arrival in Plumelec, where I put on the Yellow Jersey in 1985 for my last victory in the Tour, will bring many memories and moments of pleasure flooding back. As far as the purely sporting aspects are concerned, everyone knows that Brittany is not the most difficult region, but if the cyclists want to race, they will find more than enough to enjoy themselves and to put on a show on Brittany’s roadways.”
“There will be a new feature at the departure from Brest: we have decided to replace the usual prologue time trial reserved for a dozen specialists, with a stage of almost 170 kilometres after which 100 cyclists will be in the running for possession of the Yellow Jersey. The race will therefore be enthralling from the opening kilometres and the Monts d’Arrée will be a formidable battleground in this very open first stage, because the arrival at Plumelec could hold some surprises in store. The remainder of the race, between Auray and Saint Brieuc is also certain to be action-packed, with its hilly course and the passage through Mur-de-Bretagne, just like the third stage which will depart from Saint-Malo and cross Ille-et-Vilaine… In short, it is certain to be a Grand Départ full of suspense.”
Press Office in Brest
Presentation of teams
Press Office in Brest
1st stage
Brest (Finistère) > Plumelec (Morbihan)
2nd stage
Auray (Morbihan) > Saint-Brieuc (Côtes-d’Armor)
3rd stage
Saint-Malo (Ille-et-Vilaine)
Paysage de Bretagne
It is claimed that men are shaped by their surroundings; this can also be said of sport, to such an extent does Brittany seem to have been made for the sport of cycling.
This is confirmed in the seemingly interminable hill climbs that at length give way to breathtaking landscapes, and the diversity of our roads and pathways, with roadsides almost certainly designed to receive thousands of enthusiastic competition spectators.
The people of Brittany themselves are made for the sport of cycling: the distinguishing pugnacity, obstinacy and force of character that they incarnate has produced some of the greatest champions.
But above all, the men and women of Brittany adore cycling with a passion. This is what led me to recommend to my colleagues at the County Council the creation of a Breton cycling team, the Brittany Armor Lux team. In Brittany cycling is extremely popular and highly appreciated; it appeals to both men and women; it is par excellence a democratic and festive sport, and it is this that encouraged our economic and sporting commitment.
All of these factors herald a magnificent start to the 2008 Tour de France, which in Brittany will incontestably find its ideal public.
Brittany awaits the Tour; it is ready to do everything possible to make the celebration perfect and to ensure that participants, spectators, organisers, journalists all remember a spectacular event.
Brittany is waiting for you in order to open a page in the history of cycling with you, a new Tour legend.
Welcome to our land of cycling; you are here on home ground.
Jean-Yves Le Drian
Président du Conseil régional de Bretagne
More information about the Britanny Region and its fabulous landscapes and assets on the official Website: www.region-bretagne.fr.
