1993 Tour de France

The organisers of the Tour, Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), felt that it was no longer safe to have 198 cyclists in the race, as more and more traffic islands had been made, so the total number of teams was reduced from 22 to 20,[1] composing of 9 cyclists.[2] The first 14 teams were selected in May 1993, based on the FICP ranking.[3] In June 1993, six additional wildcards were given; one of which was given to a combination of two teams, Chazal–Vetta–MBK and Subaru.[4] The Subaru team did not want to be part of a mixed team, so Chazal was allowed to send a full team.[5]

The teams entering the race were:[2]

Qualified teams

Invited teams

The defending champion Miguel Indurain was the big favourite, having won the 1993 Giro d'Italia earlier that year.[6]

The route was unveiled in October 1992. Most team directors expected it to be more difficult than the 1992 Tour de France.[1] The highest point of elevation in the race was 2,802 m (9,193 ft) at the Cime de la Bonette loop road on stage 11.[7][8]

Stage characteristics and winners[9][10][11][12]

Stage	Date	Course	Distance	Type		Winner
P	3 July	Le Puy du Fou	6.8 km (4.2 mi)		Individual time trial	Miguel Indurain (ESP)
1	4 July	Luçon to Les Sables-d'Olonne	215.0 km (133.6 mi)		Plain stage	Mario Cipollini (ITA)
2	5 July	Les Sables-d'Olonne to Vannes	227.5 km (141.4 mi)		Plain stage	Wilfried Nelissen (BEL)
3	6 July	Vannes to Dinard	189.5 km (117.7 mi)		Plain stage	Djamolidine Abdoujaparov (UZB)
4	7 July	Dinard to Avranches	81.0 km (50.3 mi)		Team time trial	GB–MG Maglificio
5	8 July	Avranches to Évreux	225.5 km (140.1 mi)		Plain stage	Jesper Skibby (DEN)
6	9 July	Évreux to Amiens	158.0 km (98.2 mi)		Plain stage	Johan Bruyneel (BEL)
7	10 July	Péronne to Châlons-sur-Marne	199.0 km (123.7 mi)		Plain stage	Bjarne Riis (DEN)
8	11 July	Châlons-sur-Marne to Verdun	184.5 km (114.6 mi)		Plain stage	Lance Armstrong (USA)
9	12 July	Lac de Madine	59.0 km (36.7 mi)		Individual time trial	Miguel Indurain (ESP)
	13 July	Villard-de-Lans			Rest day
10	14 July	Villard-de-Lans to Serre Chevalier	203.0 km (126.1 mi)		Stage with mountain(s)	Toni Rominger (SUI)
11	15 July	Serre Chevalier to Isola 2000	179.0 km (111.2 mi)		Stage with mountain(s)	Toni Rominger (SUI)
12	16 July	Isola to Marseille	286.5 km (178.0 mi)		Plain stage	Fabio Roscioli (ITA)
13	17 July	Marseille to Montpellier	181.5 km (112.8 mi)		Plain stage	Olaf Ludwig (GER)
14	18 July	Montpellier to Perpignan	223.0 km (138.6 mi)		Plain stage	Pascal Lino (FRA)
15	19 July	Perpignan to Pal	231.5 km (143.8 mi)		Stage with mountain(s)	Oliverio Rincón (COL)
	20 July	Andorra			Rest day
16	21 July	Andorra to Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d'Adet	230.0 km (142.9 mi)		Stage with mountain(s)	Zenon Jaskuła (POL)
17	22 July	Tarbes to Pau	190.0 km (118.1 mi)		Stage with mountain(s)	Claudio Chiappucci (ITA)
18	23 July	Orthez to Bordeaux	199.5 km (124.0 mi)		Plain stage	Djamolidine Abdoujaparov (UZB)
19	24 July	Brétigny-sur-Orge to Montlhéry	48.0 km (29.8 mi)		Individual time trial	Toni Rominger (SUI)
20	25 July	Viry-Châtillon to Paris (Champs-Élysées)	196.5 km (122.1 mi)		Plain stage	Djamolidine Abdoujaparov (UZB)
	Total		3,714 km (2,308 mi)[13]

The group containing Miguel Indurain, wearing the yellow jersey as leader of the general classification, on the Col du Galibier in stage ten

Miguel Indurain in the penultimate stage's individual time trial

The 1993 Tour started in the same way as the 1992 Tour: Indurain won, with Alex Zülle in second place.[6] The next stages were flat, and all finished in mass sprints. After the second stage, sprinter Wilfried Nelissen had collected enough time bonuses to become leader in the general classification.[6]

The team time trial in stage four was the first stage with significant effects on the general classification. Banesto (Indurain's team) came in seventh, losing more than one minute, but the biggest loser was Tony Rominger, whose Clas team lost more than three minutes.[6]

The contenders for the overall victory saved their energy in the next few stages, and cyclists who would not be a threat in the mountains were allowed to break away, with only the sprinters' teams trying to get them back. The sixth stage was run with an average speed of almost 49.5 kilometres per hour (30.8 mph), at that moment the fastest mass-start stage in the Tour.[6]

In the ninth stage, an individual time trial, the general classification changed. Indurain was a lot faster than the other cyclists, winning the stage with a margin of more than two minutes, and became the new leader in the general classification.[6]

The next stages were in the Alps. Tony Rominger attacked, trying to win back time. Although he was able to win the stage, Indurain had followed him closely, so Rominger did not win back any time. Other pre-race favourites lost considerable time this stage and were no longer in contention, such as Claudio Chiappucci, who lost more than eight minutes.[6]

In the eleventh stage, Rominger tried it again. But again, Indurain stayed with him. Rominger won the stage again, but the margin to Indurain stayed the same. Rominger did jump to the fourth place in the general classification, because Erik Breukink lost almost ten minutes.[6]

The next three stages were relatively flat, and the top of the general classification stayed the same. In the fifteenth stage, Pyrenean climbs were included. The stage was won by Oliverio Rincón, the only survivor of an early breakaway. Behind him, Rominger again tried to get away from Indurain, but was unable to do so.[6]

In the sixteenth stage, again in the Pyrenées, Rominger was finally able to get away from Indurain, but the margin was only three seconds. The seventeenth stage was the last stage with serious climbs, so the last realistic opportunity to win back time on Indurain, but this did not happen, so it seemed certain that Indurain would become the winner.[6]

The rest of the podium was determined in the individual time trial in stage 19. It was won by Rominger, with Indurain in second place. Rominger thus climbed to the second place in the general classification.

There were several classifications in the 1993 Tour de France.[14] 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.[15]

Additionally, there was a points classification, which awarded a green jersey. In the points classification, 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.[16]

There was also a mountains classification. The organisation had categorised 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-categorised climbs. The cyclist with the most points lead the classification, and wore a white jersey with red polka dots.[17]

The fourth individual classification was the young rider classification, which was not marked by a jersey. This was decided the same way as the general classification, but only riders under 26 years were eligible.[18]

For the team classification, the times of the best three cyclists per team on each stage were added; the leading team was the team with the lowest total time.[19]

In addition, there was a combativity award given after each mass-start stage to the cyclist considered most combative. The decision was made by a jury composed of journalists who gave points. The cyclist with the most points from votes in all stages led the combativity classification.[20] Massimo Ghirotto won this classification, and was given overall the super-combativity award.[10] The Souvenir Henri Desgrange was given in honour of Tour founder Henri Desgrange to the first rider to pass the summit of the Col du Galibier on stage 10. This prize was won by Tony Rominger.[21][22] The fair-play award was given to Gianni Bugno.[9]

Classification leadership by stage[23][24]

Stage	Winner	General classification	Points classification	Mountains classification	Young rider classification[lower-alpha 1]	Team classification	Combativity
							Award	Classification
P	Miguel Indurain	Miguel Indurain	Miguel Indurain	François Simon	Alex Zülle	ONCE	no award
1	Mario Cipollini		Mario Cipollini				Massimo Ghirotto	Massimo Ghirotto
2	Wilfried Nelissen	Wilfried Nelissen	Wilfried Nelissen		Wilfried Nelissen		Ján Svorada	Ján Svorada
3	Djamolidine Abdoujaparov			Laurent Desbiens			Laurent Desbiens	Laurent Desbiens
4	GB–MG Maglificio	Mario Cipollini					no award
5	Jesper Skibby	Wilfried Nelissen		Davide Cassani			Bjarne Riis
6	Johan Bruyneel	Mario Cipollini					Jacky Durand
7	Bjarne Riis	Johan Museeuw	Mario Cipollini	Bjarne Riis		Motorola	Bjarne Riis	Bjarne Riis
8	Lance Armstrong			Davide Cassani			Pascal Lance
9	Miguel Indurain	Miguel Indurain			Alex Zülle	ONCE	no award
10	Tony Rominger						Tony Rominger
11	Tony Rominger		Djamolidine Abdoujaparov	Tony Rominger	Oliverio Rincón	Ariostea	Davide Cassani
12	Fabio Roscioli					Carrera Jeans–Tassoni	Fabio Roscioli
13	Olaf Ludwig						Jacky Durand
14	Pascal Lino						Giancarlo Perini
15	Oliverio Rincón						Richard Virenque
16	Zenon Jaskuła				Antonio Martín		Claudio Chiappucci
17	Claudio Chiappucci						Claudio Chiappucci
18	Djamolidine Abdoujaparov						Michel Vermote	Massimo Ghirotto
19	Tony Rominger						no award
20	Djamolidine Abdoujaparov						Rolf Sørensen
Final		Miguel Indurain	Djamolidine Abdoujaparov	Tony Rominger	Antonio Martín	Carrera Jeans–Tassoni	Massimo Ghirotto

• In stage 1, Alex Zülle wore the green jersey.
• In stages 3, 4, and 6, Mario Cipollini wore the green jersey.

• 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. 2. Indianapolis, IN: Dog Ear Publishing. ISBN 978-1-59858-608-4.
• Nauright, John; Parrish, Charles (2012). Sports Around the World: History, Culture, and Practice. 2. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-59884-300-2.
• van den Akker, Pieter (2018). Tour de France Rules and Statistics: 1903–2018. Self-published. ISBN 978-1-79398-080-9.

• Walsh, David (1994). Inside the Tour de France. London: Stanley Paul. ISBN 978-0-09-178536-9.

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