1983 Tour de France

1983 Tour de France

Route of the 1983 Tour de France
Race details
Dates		1–24 July
Stages		22 + Prologue
Distance		3,809 km (2,367 mi)
Winning time		105h 07' 52"
Results
	Winner	Laurent Fignon (FRA)	(Renault–Elf)
	Second	Ángel Arroyo (ESP)	(Reynolds)
	Third	Peter Winnen (NED)	(TI–Raleigh)
	Points	Sean Kelly (IRE)	(Sem–Mavic–Reydel)
	Mountains	Lucien Van Impe (BEL)	(Metauromobili–Pinarello)
	Youth	Laurent Fignon (FRA)	(Renault–Elf)
	Sprints	Sean Kelly (IRE)	(Sem–Mavic–Reydel)
	Team	TI–Raleigh
	Team Points	TI–Raleigh

The 1983 Tour de France was the 70th edition of the Tour de France, run from 1 to 24 July, with 22 stages and a prologue covering a total distance of 3,809 km (2,367 mi) The race was won by French rider Laurent Fignon. Sean Kelly of Ireland won the green jersey, and Lucien Van Impe of Belgium won the polka dot jersey.

Teams

The Tour organisation wanted to globalize cycling by having cyclist from the Eastern Bloc in the Tour. Because they only rode as amateurs, the 1983 Tour was also opened for amateur teams. In the end, only the Colombian and Portuguese national amateur teams applied for a place,^[1] and the Portuguese team later withdrew. The 1983 Tour started with 140 cyclists, divided into 14 teams of 10 cyclists.^[2]

The teams entering the race were:^[2]

• Coop–Mercier–Mavic
• Renault–Elf
• TI Raleigh–Campagnolo
• Peugeot–Shell–Michelin
• Cilo–Aufina
• Boule d'Or–Colnago–Campagnolo
• J.Aernoudt–Hoonved–Marc Zeep
• La Redoute–Motobecane
• Wolber
• Sem–Mavic–Reydel
• Euro Shop–Mondial Moquette–Splendor
• Metauromobili–Pinarello
• Colombia–Varta
• Reynolds

Route and stages

The 1983 Tour de France started on 1 July, and had one rest day, after the finish on the Alpe d'Huez.^[3]

Stage characteristics and winners^[2][3][4]

Stage	Date	Course	Distance	Type		Winner
P	1 July	Fontenay-sous-Bois	6 km (3.7 mi)		Individual time trial	Eric Vanderaerden (BEL)
1	2 July	Nogent-sur-Marne to Créteil	163 km (101 mi)		Plain stage	Frits Pirard (NED)
2	3 July	Soissons to Fontaine-au-Pire	100 km (62 mi)		Team time trial	Coop–Mercier–Mavic
3	4 July	Valenciennes to Roubaix	152 km (94 mi)		Hilly stage	Rudy Matthijs (BEL)
4	5 July	Roubaix to Le Havre	300 km (190 mi)		Plain stage	Serge Demierre (SUI)
5	6 July	Le Havre to Le Mans	257 km (160 mi)		Plain stage	Dominique Gaigne (FRA)
6	7 July	Châteaubriant to Nantes	58 km (36 mi)		Individual time trial	Bert Oosterbosch (NED)
7	8 July	Nantes to Île d'Oléron	216 km (134 mi)		Plain stage	Riccardo Magrini (ITA)
8	9 July	La Rochelle to Bordeaux	222 km (138 mi)		Plain stage	Bert Oosterbosch (NED)
9	10 July	Bordeaux to Pau	207 km (129 mi)		Plain stage	Philippe Chevallier (FRA)
10	11 July	Pau to Bagnères-de-Luchon	201 km (125 mi)		Stage with mountain(s)	Robert Millar (GBR)
11	12 July	Bagnères-de-Luchon to Fleurance	177 km (110 mi)		Plain stage	Régis Clère (FRA)
12	13 July	Fleurance to Roquefort-sur-Soulzon	261 km (162 mi)		Plain stage	Kim Andersen (DEN)
13	14 July	Roquefort-sur-Soulzon to Aurillac	210 km (130 mi)		Hilly stage	Henk Lubberding (NED)
14	15 July	Aurillac to Issoire	149 km (93 mi)		Hilly stage	Pierre Le Bigaut (FRA)
15	16 July	Clermont-Ferrand to Puy de Dôme	16 km (9.9 mi)		Individual time trial	Ángel Arroyo (ESP)
16	17 July	Issoire to Saint-Étienne	144 km (89 mi)		Hilly stage	Michel Laurent (FRA)
17	18 July	La Tour-du-Pin to Alpe d'Huez	223 km (139 mi)		Stage with mountain(s)	Peter Winnen (NED)
	18 July	Alpe d'Huez			Rest day
18	20 July	Le Bourg-d'Oisans to Morzine	247 km (153 mi)		Stage with mountain(s)	Jacques Michaud (FRA)
19	21 July	Morzine to Avoriaz	15 km (9.3 mi)		Individual time trial	Lucien Van Impe (BEL)
20	22 July	Morzine to Dijon	291 km (181 mi)		Plain stage	Philippe Leleu (FRA)
21	23 July	Dijon	50 km (31 mi)		Individual time trial	Laurent Fignon (FRA)
22	24 July	Alfortville to Paris (Champs-Élysées)	195 km (121 mi)		Plain stage	Gilbert Glaus (SUI)
	Total		3,809 km (2,367 mi)[5]

Race overview

Laurent Fignon (pictured at the 1993 Tour), winner of the general classification

In 1983, Fignon was a part of the team that helped Bernard Hinault to win the 1983 Vuelta a España. Guimard did not want to send Fignon to the Tour de France, because two grand tours could be too much for a 22-year-old rider.^[6] When Hinault, winner of four of five previous Tours, announced that he would not start due to injury, the Renault team was without team captain. Fignon was added to the 1983 Tour de France selection for the Renault team, and the team decided to go for stage wins, with hopes of having Fignon or Marc Madiot compete for the young rider classification.^[7] After stage nine, the first mountain stage, Fignon was in second place, behind Pascal Simon,^[8] and he was allowed to be team leader.^[9] In the eleventh stage, Simon crashed and broke his shoulder blade. Simon continued, and only lost little time the next stages. In the fifteenth stage, a mountain time trial, Fignon was able to win back so much time that he was within one minute of Simon.^[10]

In the seventeenth stage, Simon had to give up, and Fignon became the new leader. In the next stages, Fignon was able to answer all attacks from his opponents, and he even won the time trial in the 21st stage. At 22 years old, Fignon was the youngest man to win the Tour since 1933.

Fignon later said that he was lucky to have won the 1983 Tour: if Hinault would have been present, Fignon would have helped Hinault, as Hinault was the team leader.^[11]

Classification leadership

There were several classifications in the 1983 Tour de France, four of them awarding jerseys to their leaders. The most important was the general classification, calculated by adding each cyclist's finishing times on each stage. The cyclist with the least accumulated time was the race leader, identified by the yellow jersey; the winner of this classification is considered the winner of the Tour.^[12]

Additionally, there was a points classification, where cyclists got points for finishing among the best in a stage finish, or in intermediate sprints. The cyclist with the most points lead the classification, and was identified with a green jersey.^[12]

There was also a mountains classification. The organisation had categorized some climbs as either hors catégorie, first, second, third, or fourth-category; points for this classification were won by the first cyclists that reached the top of these climbs first, with more points available for the higher-categorized climbs. The cyclist with the most points lead the classification, and was identified with a polkadot jersey.^[12]

The team classification changed; in 1982 it was calculated with the times of the best four cyclists in every stage, and in 1983 this changed to the times of the best three cyclists.^[1] The riders in the team that lead this classification wore yellow caps.^[13]

Another classification was the young rider classification. This was decided the same way as the general classification, but only riders that rode the Tour for the first time were eligible, and the leader wore a white jersey.^[12]

The fifth individual classification was the intermediate sprints classification. This classification had similar rules as the points classification, but only points were awarded on intermediate sprints. In 1983, this classification had no associated jersey.^[14]

Final standings

Legend
	Denotes the winner of the general classification		Denotes the winner of the points classification
	Denotes the winner of the mountains classification		Denotes the winner of the young rider classification

General classification

Final general classification (1–10)^[2]

Rank	Rider	Team	Time
1	Laurent Fignon (FRA)	Renault–Elf	105h 07' 52"
2	Ángel Arroyo (ESP)	Reynolds	+ 4' 04"
3	Peter Winnen (NED)	TI Raleigh–Campagnolo	+ 4' 09"
4	Lucien Van Impe (BEL)	Metauromobili–Pinarello	+ 4' 16"
5	Robert Alban (FRA)	La Redoute	+ 7' 53"
6	Jean-René Bernaudeau (FRA)	Wolber	+ 8' 59"
7	Sean Kelly (IRE)	Sem–Mavic–Reydel	+ 12' 09"
8	Marc Madiot (FRA)	Renault–Elf	+ 14' 55"
9	Phil Anderson (AUS)	Peugeot–Shell–Michelin	+ 16' 56"
10	Henk Lubberding (NED)	TI Raleigh–Campagnolo	+ 18' 55"

Final general classification (11–88)
Rank	Rider	Team	Time
11	Joaquim Agostinho (POR)	Sem–Mavic–Reydel	+ 19' 00"
12	Jonathan Boyer (USA)	Sem–Mavic–Reydel	+ 19' 57"
13	Stephen Roche (IRE)	Peugeot–Shell–Michelin	+ 21' 30"
14	Robert Millar (GBR)	Peugeot–Shell–Michelin	+ 23' 29"
15	Pedro Delgado (ESP)	Reynolds	+ 25' 44"
16	Edgar Corredor (COL)	Colombia–Varta	+ 26' 08"
17	José Patrocinio Jiménez (COL)	Colombia–Varta	+ 28' 05"
18	Claude Criquielion (BEL)	Euro Shop–Mondial Moquette–Splendor	+ 33' 29"
19	Jacques Michaud (FRA)	Coop–Mercier–Mavic	+ 35' 34"
20	Christian Seznec (FRA)	Wolber	+ 39' 49"
21	Pierre Bazzo (FRA)	Coop–Mercier–Mavic	+ 40' 34"
22	Beat Breu (SUI)	Cilo–Aufina	+ 43' 53"
23	Joop Zoetemelk (NED)	Coop–Mercier–Mavic	+ 47' 40"
24	Eric Caritoux (FRA)	Sem–Mavic–Reydel	+ 52' 56"
25	Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke (BEL)	La Redoute	+ 54' 08"
26	Dominique Arnaud (FRA)	Wolber	+ 57' 23"
27	Gerard Veldscholten (NED)	TI Raleigh–Campagnolo	+ 1h 00' 00"
28	Kim Andersen (DEN)	Coop–Mercier–Mavic	+ 1h 02' 58"
29	Theo de Rooij (NED)	TI Raleigh–Campagnolo	+ 1h 05' 41"
30	Marc Durant (FRA)	Wolber	+ 1h 09' 28"
31	Antonio Ferretti (SUI)	Cilo–Aufina	+ 1h 11' 33"
32	Pierre Le Bigaut (FRA)	Coop–Mercier–Mavic	+ 1h 14' 22"
33	Alain Vigneron (FRA)	Renault–Elf	+ 1h 18' 13"
34	Bernard Gavillet (SUI)	Cilo–Aufina	+ 1h 21' 06"
35	Didier Vanoverschelde (FRA)	La Redoute	+ 1h 24' 19"
36	Patrick Clerc (FRA)	Sem–Mavic–Reydel	+ 1h 25' 40"
37	Adrie van der Poel (NED)	J.Aernoudt–Hoonved–Marc Zeep	+ 1h 29' 53"
38	Patrick Bonnet (FRA)	Wolber	+ 1h 31' 53"
39	Alfio Vandi (ITA)	Metauromobili–Pinarello	+ 1h 32' 59"
40	Dominique Garde (FRA)	Peugeot–Shell–Michelin	+ 1h 33' 50"
41	Philippe Leleu (FRA)	Wolber	+ 1h 34' 08"
42	Frits Pirard (NED)	Metauromobili–Pinarello	+ 1h 39' 22"
43	Raymond Martin (FRA)	Coop–Mercier–Mavic	+ 1h 40' 25"
44	Abelardo Rios (COL)	Colombia–Varta	+ 1h 40' 59"
45	Christian Jourdan (FRA)	La Redoute	+ 1h 42' 45"
46	Celestino Prieto (ESP)	Reynolds	+ 1h 46' 08"
47	Philippe Chevallier (FRA)	Renault–Elf	+ 1h 50' 10"
48	Ludwig Wijnants (BEL)	Boule d'Or–Colnago–Campagnolo	+ 1h 50' 12"
49	Paul Haghedooren (BEL)	Euro Shop–Mondial Moquette–Splendor	+ 1h 51' 17"
50	Hubert Linard (FRA)	Peugeot–Shell–Michelin	+ 1h 53' 15"
51	Anastasio Greciano (ESP)	Reynolds	+ 1h 53' 52"
52	Lucien Didier (LUX)	Renault–Elf	+ 1h 54' 45"
53	Bernard Bourreau (FRA)	Peugeot–Shell–Michelin	+ 1h 54' 46"
54	Jesus Hernández (ESP)	Reynolds	+ 1h 58' 39"
55	Carlos Hernández (ESP)	Reynolds	+ 1h 58' 46"
56	Charly Berard (FRA)	Renault–Elf	+ 1h 59' 05"
57	Samuel Cabrera (COL)	Colombia–Varta	+ 2h 03' 48"
58	Bernard Vallet (FRA)	La Redoute	+ 2h 04' 02"
59	Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle (FRA)	Peugeot–Shell–Michelin	+ 2h 05' 18"
60	Claude Moreau (FRA)	Coop–Mercier–Mavic	+ 2h 06' 10"
61	Pascal Jules (FRA)	Renault–Elf	+ 2h 06' 29"
62	Jacques Bossis (FRA)	Peugeot–Shell–Michelin	+ 2h 06' 50"
63	Hendrik Devos (BEL)	Euro Shop–Mondial Moquette–Splendor	+ 2h 07' 46"
64	Alfonso Lopez (COL)	Colombia–Varta	+ 2h 09' 42"
65	Dominique Gaigne (FRA)	Renault–Elf	+ 2h 09' 58"
66	Jean-François Rodriguez (FRA)	Wolber	+ 2h 10' 29"
67	Rudy Rogiers (BEL)	J.Aernoudt–Hoonved–Marc Zeep	+ 2h 10' 38"
68	Jan Wijnants (BEL)	Boule d'Or–Colnago–Campagnolo	+ 2h 10' 53"
69	Graham Jones (GBR)	Wolber	+ 2h 15' 03"
70	Eugène Urbany (LUX)	Boule d'Or–Colnago–Campagnolo	+ 2h 16' 43"
71	Serge Demierre (SUI)	Cilo–Aufina	+ 2h 19' 33"
72	Johan Lammerts (NED)	TI Raleigh–Campagnolo	+ 2h 21' 15"
73	Ludo De Keulenaer (BEL)	TI Raleigh–Campagnolo	+ 2h 22' 37"
74	Eric Dall'Armelina (FRA)	Sem–Mavic–Reydel	+ 2h 25' 54"
75	Enrique Aja (ESP)	Reynolds	+ 2h 29' 49"
76	Jean-Louis Gauthier (FRA)	Coop–Mercier–Mavic	+ 2h 32' 15"
77	Guy Janiszewski (BEL)	Boule d'Or–Colnago–Campagnolo	+ 2h 35' 19"
78	Frédéric Brun (FRA)	Peugeot–Shell–Michelin	+ 2h 44' 00"
79	Laurent Biondi (FRA)	La Redoute	+ 2h 44' 04"
80	Jan van Houwelingen (NED)	Boule d'Or–Colnago–Campagnolo	+ 2h 45' 47"
81	Henri Manders (NED)	J.Aernoudt–Hoonved–Marc Zeep	+ 2h 56' 46"
82	Marc Dierickx (BEL)	J.Aernoudt–Hoonved–Marc Zeep	+ 2h 57' 16"
83	Julius Thalmann (SUI)	Cilo–Aufina	+ 3h 01' 48"
84	Erich Mächler (SUI)	Cilo–Aufina	+ 3h 16' 31"
85	Gilbert Glaus (SUI)	Cilo–Aufina	+ 3h 33' 56"
86	Guy Gallopin (FRA)	La Redoute	+ 3h 34' 57"
87	Marcel Russenberger (SUI)	Cilo–Aufina	+ 3h 42' 07"
88	Marcel Laurens (BEL)	J.Aernoudt–Hoonved–Marc Zeep	+ 4h 02' 46"

Points classification

Final points classification (1–10)^[15][16]

Rank	Rider	Team	Points
1	Sean Kelly (IRE)	Sem–Mavic–Reydel	360
2	Frits Pirard (NED)	Metauromobili–Pinarello	144
3	Laurent Fignon (FRA)	Renault–Elf	126
4	Gilbert Glaus (SUI)	Cilo–Aufina	122
5	Pierre Le Bigaut (FRA)	Coop–Mercier–Mavic	103
6	Henk Lubberding (NED)	TI Raleigh–Campagnolo	101
7	Phil Anderson (AUS)	Peugeot–Shell–Michelin	97
8	Adrie van der Poel (NED)	J.Aernoudt–Hoonved–Marc Zeep	96
9	Kim Andersen (DEN)	Coop–Mercier–Mavic	93
10	Serge Demierre (SUI)	Cilo–Aufina	84

Mountains classification

Final mountains classification (1–10)^[15][16]

Rank	Rider	Team	Points
1	Lucien Van Impe (BEL)	Metauromobili–Pinarello	272
2	José Patrocinio Jiménez (COL)	Colombia–Varta	195
3	Robert Millar (GBR)	Peugeot–Shell–Michelin	157
4	Pedro Delgado (ESP)	Reynolds	133
5	Jean-René Bernaudeau (FRA)	Wolber	125
6	Ángel Arroyo (ESP)	Reynolds	121
7	Jacques Michaud (FRA)	Coop–Mercier–Mavic	117
8	Edgar Corredor (COL)	Colombia–Varta	110
9	Peter Winnen (NED)	TI Raleigh–Campagnolo	105
10	Laurent Fignon (FRA)	Renault–Elf	94

Young rider classification

Young rider classification (1–5)^[15]

Rank	Rider	Team	Time
1	Laurent Fignon (FRA)	Renault–Elf	105h 07' 52"
2	Ángel Arroyo (ESP)	Reynolds	+ 4' 04"
3	Stephen Roche (IRE)	Peugeot–Shell–Michelin	+ 21' 30"
4	Robert Millar (GBR)	Peugeot–Shell–Michelin	+ 23' 29"
5	Pedro Delgado (ESP)	Reynolds	+ 25' 44"

Intermediate sprints classification

Intermediate sprints classification (1–5)^[15]

Rank	Rider	Team	Points
1	Sean Kelly (IRE)	Sem–Mavic–Reydel	151
2	Pierre Le Bigaut (FRA)	Coop–Mercier–Mavic	77
3	Laurent Fignon (FRA)	Renault–Elf	54
4	Phil Anderson (AUS)	Peugeot–Shell–Michelin	48
5	Frits Pirard (NED)	Metauromobili–Pinarello	42

Team classification

Final team classification (1–10)^[16]

Rank	Team	Time
1	TI Raleigh–Campagnolo	322h 39' 07"
2	Coop–Mercier–Mavic	+ 4' 02"
3	Peugeot–Shell–Michelin	+ 9' 03"
4	Renault–Elf	+ 36' 39"
5	Sem–Mavic–Reydel	+ 40' 13"
6	Wolber	+ 1h 01' 36"
7	Reynolds	+ 1h 19' 11"
8	La Redoute	+ 1h 56' 48"
9	Cilo–Aufina	+ 2h 04' 47"
10	Colombia–Varta	+ 2h 09' 16"

References

1. "Alleen Portugese en Colombiaanse amateurs in Ronde van Frankrijk". Amigoe (in Dutch). Koninklijke Bibliotheek. 13 January 1983. p. 6. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
2. "70ème Tour de France 1983" (in French). Mémoire du cyclisme. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
3. Historical guide 2016, p. 74.
4. Zwegers, Arian. "Tour de France GC Top Ten". CVCCBike.com. Archived from the original on 10 June 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
5. Historical guide 2016, p. 110.
6. McGann, p. 143–144
7. McGann, p. 139
8. McGann, p. 141
9. "Rider biographies: Laurent Fignon". Cycling hall of fame. Archived from the original on 2 September 2010. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
10. McGann, p. 142
11. Pickering, Edward (31 August 2010). "Laurent Fignon: My way or the fairway". Cycling Weekly. IPC Media Ltd. Archived from the original on 2 September 2010. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
12. Christian, Sarah (2 July 2009). "Tour de France demystified - Evaluating success". RoadCycling.co.nz Ltd. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
13. Chauner, David; Halstead, Michael (1990). The Tour de France Complete Book of Cycling. Villard. ISBN 0-679-72936-4. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
14. Mark, Eddy van der. "Tour Xtra: Intermediate Sprints Classification". Chippewa Valley Cycling Club. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
15. "Clasificaciones". El Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 25 July 1983. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
16. "Eindklassement". Leidsch Dagblad (in Dutch). Regionaal Archief Leiden. 25 July 1983. p. 10. Retrieved 18 July 2013.

Sources

• Augendre, Jacques (2016). Guide historique [Historical guide] (PDF). Tour de France (in French). Paris: Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
• McGann, Bill; McGann, Carol (2008). The Story of the Tour de France: 1965–2007. Dog Ear Publishering. ISBN 1-59858-608-4. Retrieved 31 August 2010.

External links

• Official 1983 Tour de France results.