Wikipedia

1994 Tour de France

The 1994 Tour de France was the 81st edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The Tour began on 2 July with a 7.2 km (4.5 mi) prologue around the French city Lille. After 21 more days of racing, the Tour came to a close on the street of the Champs-Élysées. Twenty-one teams entered the race that was won by Miguel Induráin of the Banesto team.[1] Second and third respectively were the Latvian Piotr Ugrumov and the Italian rider, Marco Pantani.

1994 Tour de France
Route of the 1994 Tour de France
Route of the 1994 Tour de France
Race details
Dates2–24 July 1994
Stages21 + Prologue
Distance3,978 km (2,472 mi)
Winning time103h 38' 38"
Results
Winner  Miguel Induráin (ESP) (Banesto)
  Second  Piotr Ugrumov (LAT) (Gewiss–Ballan)
  Third  Marco Pantani (ITA) (Carrera Jeans–Tassoni)
Points  Djamolidine Abdoujaparov (UZB) (Team Polti–Vaporetto)
Mountains  Richard Virenque (FRA) (Festina–Lotus)
  Youth  Marco Pantani (ITA) (Carrera Jeans–Tassoni)
  Combativity  Eros Poli (ITA) (Mercatone Uno–Medeghini)
  Team Festina–Lotus
← 1993
1995 →

Miguel Induráin first captured the lead after the stage 9 individual time trial. Chris Boardman was the first rider to wear the yellow jersey as leader of the general classification after winning the opening prologue. Boardman lost the lead to Johan Museeuw after Museeuw's GB–MG Maglificio team won the stage three team time trial. Flavio Vanzella took the lead away from Museeuw the next day as the Tour made its way into Great Britain. Vanzella lost the lead to Sean Yates after the race's sixth stage. Yates led the race for a single day before losing it to Museeuw after the conclusion of stage 7. Museeuw lost the lead to Indurain after the stage 9 individual time trial, who then successfully defended the lead through the Alps and Pyrenees and to the Tour's finish in Paris.

Indurain became the third rider to win four consecutive Tours de France. In the race's other classifications, Team Polti–Vaporetto rider Djamolidine Abdoujaparov won the points classification, Richard Virenque of the Festina–Lotus team won the mountains classification, Carrera Jeans–Tassoni rider Marco Pantani won the youth classification for the best rider aged 26 or under in the general classification after having finished third overall, and Eros Poli of the Mercatone Uno–Medeghini team won the combativity classification. Festina–Lotus won the team classification, which ranked each of the twenty teams contesting the race by lowest cumulative time.

Teams

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For a more comprehensive list, see List of teams and cyclists in the 1994 Tour de France.

A total of 21 teams were invited to participate in the 1994 Tour de France. Fifteen teams were announced in May, based on their UCI ranking:[2] Although the organisation had planned to give five additional wildcards in June, after the 1994 Giro d'Italia, it was decided to invite one extra team, and six wildcards were given.[3] The Jolly Componibili–Cage team of Zenon Jaskuła, who had finished in third place in the 1993 Tour de France, was not selected.[3] Each team sent a squad of nine riders, so the Tour began with a peloton of 189 cyclists;[4] of these, a total of 117 riders made it to the finish in Paris.[5]

The teams entering the race were:[4]

Qualified teams

Invited teams

Route and stages

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The 1994 edition of the Tour de France began with a short 7.2 km (4.5 mi) prologue that navigated around the French city of Lille. There were a total of six stages that held many high mountains, while there was only one hilly stage that contained climbs of lesser degree. Eleven of the stages were primarily flat stages. The official route contained four time trials, three of which were individual and one of which was a team event.[6]

There were two stages that began or ended outside France. Stage 4 began in the English port town of Dover and ended in Brighton. The fifth stage began and ended in the British city of Portsmouth. This was only the second time the tour has visited England, and to mark the opening of the Channel Tunnel.[7]

Of the stages that contained mountains, four contained summit finishes: stage 11 to Hautacam, stage 12 to Luz Ardiden, stage 16 to Alpe d'Huez, and stage 17 to Val Thorens. The nineteenth stage, an individual time trial, had a summit finish to Avoriaz. The highest point of elevation in the race was 2,275 m (7,464 ft) at the summit of the Val Thorens climb on stage 17.[8][9]

Stage characteristics and winners[5][6][10][11]
Stage Date Course Distance Type Winner
P 2 July Lille 7.2 km (4.5 mi)   Individual time trial   Chris Boardman (GBR)
1 3 July Lille to Armentières 234.0 km (145.4 mi)   Plain stage   Djamolidine Abdoujaparov (UZB)
2 4 July Roubaix to Boulogne-sur-Mer 203.5 km (126.4 mi)   Plain stage   Jean-Paul van Poppel (NED)
3 5 July Calais to Eurotunnel 66.5 km (41.3 mi)   Team time trial  GB–MG Maglificio
4 6 July Dover (United Kingdom) to Brighton (United Kingdom) 204.5 km (127.1 mi)   Plain stage   Francisco Cabello (ESP)
5 7 July Portsmouth (United Kingdom) 187.0 km (116.2 mi)   Plain stage   Nicola Minali (ITA)
6 8 July Cherbourg-en-Cotentin to Rennes 270.5 km (168.1 mi)   Plain stage   Gianluca Bortolami (ITA)
7 9 July Rennes to Futuroscope 259.5 km (161.2 mi)   Plain stage   Ján Svorada (SVK)
8 10 July Poitiers to Trélissac 218.5 km (135.8 mi)   Plain stage   Bo Hamburger (DEN)
9 11 July Périgueux to Bergerac 64.0 km (39.8 mi)   Individual time trial   Miguel Induráin (ESP)
10 12 July Bergerac to Cahors 160.5 km (99.7 mi)   Plain stage   Jacky Durand (FRA)
11 13 July Cahors to Hautacam 263.5 km (163.7 mi)   Stage with mountain(s)   Luc Leblanc (FRA)
14 July Lourdes Rest day
12 15 July Lourdes to Luz Ardiden 204.5 km (127.1 mi)   Stage with mountain(s)   Richard Virenque (FRA)
13 16 July Bagnères-de-Bigorre to Albi 223.0 km (138.6 mi)   Plain stage   Bjarne Riis (DEN)
14 17 July Castres to Montpellier 202.0 km (125.5 mi)   Plain stage   Rolf Sørensen (DEN)
15 18 July Montpellier to Carpentras 231.0 km (143.5 mi)   Stage with mountain(s)   Eros Poli (ITA)
16 19 July Valréas to Alpe d'Huez 224.5 km (139.5 mi)   Stage with mountain(s)   Roberto Conti (ITA)
17 20 July Le Bourg-d'Oisans to Val Thorens 149.0 km (92.6 mi)   Stage with mountain(s)   Nelson Rodríguez (COL)
18 21 July Moutiers to Cluses 174.5 km (108.4 mi)   Stage with mountain(s)   Piotr Ugrumov (LAT)
19 22 July Cluses to Avoriaz 47.5 km (29.5 mi)   Mountain time trial   Piotr Ugrumov (LAT)
20 23 July Morzine to Lac Saint-Point 208.5 km (129.6 mi)   Hilly stage   Djamolidine Abdoujaparov (UZB)
21 24 July Disneyland Paris to Paris (Champs-Élysées) 175.0 km (108.7 mi)   Plain stage   Eddy Seigneur (FRA)
Total 3,978 km (2,472 mi)[12]

Race overview

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Main articles: 1994 Tour de France, Prologue to Stage 10 and 1994 Tour de France, Stage 11 to Stage 21
 
Miguel Induráin, wearing the yellow jersey as leader of the general classification, on stage 16's ascent to the finish at Alpe d'Huez

The 1994 edition of the Tour de France began with a brief 7.2 km (4.5 mi) prologue around the city of Lille.[13] Englishman Chris Boardman set a blistering pace on the course en route to winning the stage by fifteen seconds over the second-place finisher Miguel Induráin.[13] Stage 1 was a relatively flat stage that came down to a bunch sprint that was marred by a large crash.[13] As the riders were sprinting to the finish line, a policeman leaned out to take a photograph causing Wilfried Nelissen to slam on his brakes and crash into the policeman while also taking out Laurent Jalabert in the process.[13] Djamolidine Abdoujaparov ultimately won the stage while Jalabert and Nelissen were forced to drop out of the race due to the injuries they had sustained.[13]

The Yellow Jersey switched riders multiple times through the first eight stages but in the Stage 9 individual time trial Indurain absolutely obliterated the entire field with only eight riders able to keep him within 6:00, and of those riders only Tony Rominger was able to keep Indurain within four minutes. Amazingly a young Lance Armstrong was able to hold onto a top 10 placing through Stage 10, but other than Rominger no one was in a position to threaten Indurain's lead.

As the race entered the Pyrenees in stages 11 and 12 Indurain built on his lead over Rominger who abandoned the Tour in Stage 13. As the race climbed Mont Ventoux and crossed the Alps Marco Pantani and Piotr Ugrumov began to climb through the top 10 as Richard Virenque held onto 2nd place, but Indurain's lead was secure with Virenque more than 7:00 behind.

In the final time trial in Stage 19 Ugrumov won the stage with Pantani coming in second both riders gaining considerable time on Indurain, but by the end of the day it was too little too late for both riders as Indurain's 4th consecutive Tour de France victory was all but secure as he held a commanding lead of 5:39 over the now 2nd place Ugrumov.[13]

Classification leadership and minor prizes

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There were several classifications in the 1994 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] Eros Poli won this classification, and was given overall the super-combativity award.[6] 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 Tourmalet on stage 12. This prize was won by Richard Virenque.[21][22]

Classification leadership by stage[23][24]
Stage Winner General classification
  		Points classification
  		Mountains classification
  		Young rider classification[a] Team classification Combativity
Award Classification
P Chris Boardman Chris Boardman Chris Boardman not awarded Eddy Seigneur GAN no award
1 Djamolidine Abdoujaparov Djamolidine Abdoujaparov Jean-Paul van Poppel
2 Jean-Paul van Poppel Peter De Clercq Stephen Swart Stephen Swart
3 GB-MG Maglifico Johan Museeuw Lance Armstrong GB–MG Maglificio no award
4 Francisco Cabello Flavio Vanzella Francisco Cabello Francisco Cabello
5 Nicola Minali Giancarlo Perini
6 Gianluca Bortolami Sean Yates Motorola
7 Ján Svorada Johan Museeuw Eros Poli Eros Poli
8 Bo Hamburger Luc Leblanc
9 Miguel Induráin Miguel Induráin Abraham Olano Mapei–CLAS no award
10 Jacky Durand Castorama Gianluca Bortolami Jacky Durand
11 Luc Leblanc Mapei–CLAS Massimo Ghirotto
12 Richard Virenque Richard Virenque Richard Virenque Festina–Lotus Richard Virenque
13 Bjarne Riis
14 Rolf Sørensen
15 Eros Poli Eros Poli Eros Poli
16 Roberto Conti Hernán Buenahora
17 Nelson Rodríguez Serna
18 Piotr Ugrumov Piotr Ugrumov
19 Piotr Ugrumov Marco Pantani no award
20 Djamolidine Abdoujaparov
21 Eddy Seigneur
Final Miguel Induráin Djamolidine Abdoujaparov Richard Virenque Marco Pantani Festina–Lotus Eros Poli

Final standings

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Legend
  Denotes the winner of the general classification[1]   Denotes the winner of the mountains classification[1]
  Denotes the winner of the points classification[1]

General classification

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Final general classification (1–10)[25]
Rank Rider Team Time
1   Miguel Induráin (ESP)   Banesto 103h 38' 38"
2   Piotr Ugrumov (LAT) Gewiss–Ballan + 5' 39"
3   Marco Pantani (ITA) Carrera Jeans–Tassoni + 7' 19"
4   Luc Leblanc (FRA) Festina–Lotus + 10' 03"
5   Richard Virenque (FRA)   Festina–Lotus + 10' 10"
6   Roberto Conti (ITA) Lampre–Panaria + 12' 29"
7   Alberto Elli (ITA) GB–MG Maglificio + 20' 17"
8   Alex Zülle (SUI) ONCE + 20' 35"
9   Udo Bölts (GER) Team Telekom + 25' 19"
10   Vladimir Poulnikov (UKR) Carrera Jeans–Tassoni + 25' 28"

Points classification

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Final points classification (1–10)[5][26]
Rank Rider Team Points
1   Djamolidine Abdoujaparov (UZB)   Team Polti–Vaporetto 322
2   Silvio Martinello (ITA) Mercatone Uno–Medeghini 273
3   Ján Svorada (SVK) Lampre–Panaria 230
4   Gianluca Bortolami (ITA) Mapei–CLAS 188
5   Miguel Induráin (ESP)   Banesto 132
6   Olaf Ludwig (GER) Team Telekom 122
7   Johan Museeuw (BEL) GB–MG Maglificio 118
8   François Simon (FRA) Castorama 105
9   Luc Leblanc (FRA) Festina–Lotus 103
10   Ángel Edo (ESP) Kelme–Avianca–Gios 102

Mountains classification

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Final mountains classification (1–10)[5][26]
Rank Rider Team Points
1   Richard Virenque (FRA)   Festina–Lotus 392
2   Marco Pantani (ITA) Carrera Jeans–Tassoni 243
3   Piotr Ugrumov (LAT) Gewiss–Ballan 219
4   Miguel Induráin (ESP)   Banesto 215
5   Peter De Clercq (BEL) Lotto 192
6   Luc Leblanc (FRA) Festina–Lotus 176
7   Oscar Pelliccioli (ITA) Team Polti–Vaporetto 151
8   Roberto Conti (ITA) Lampre–Panaria 147
9   Nelson Rodríguez (COL) ZG Mobili 142
10   Udo Bölts (GER) Team Telekom 119

Young rider classification

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Final young rider classification (1–10)[5][26]
Rank Rider Team Time
1   Marco Pantani (ITA) Carrera Jeans–Tassoni 103h 45' 57"
2   Richard Virenque (FRA)   Festina–Lotus + 2' 51"
3   Bo Hamburger (DEN) TVM–Bison Kit + 36' 25"
4   Beat Zberg (SUI) Carrera Jeans–Tassoni + 49' 17"
5   Abraham Olano (ESP) Mapei–CLAS + 54' 10"
6   Laurent Dufaux (SUI) ONCE + 1h 02' 11"
7   Eddy Seigneur (FRA) GAN + 1h 39' 56"
8   Andrea Peron (ITA) Team Polti–Vaporetto + 1h 46' 28"
9   Vladislav Bobrik (RUS) Gewiss–Ballan + 1h 47' 53"
10   Vicente Aparicio (ESP) Banesto + 1h 52' 15"

Team classification

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Final team classification (1–10)[5][26]
Rank Team Time
1 Festina–Lotus 311h 28' 53"
2 Gewiss–Ballan + 42' 57"
3 Mapei–CLAS + 44' 38"
4 Banesto + 48' 25"
5 Carrera Jeans–Tassoni + 50' 55"
6 GB–MG Maglificio + 1h 06' 06"
7 ONCE + 1h 20' 47"
8 Team Telekom + 1h 51' 04"
9 Kelme–Avianca–Gios + 1h 55' 47"
10 Castorama + 2h 14' 58"

Combativity classification

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Final combativity classification (1–3)[5]
Rank Rider Team Points
1   Eros Poli (ITA) Mercatone Uno–Medeghini 34
2   Marco Pantani (ITA) Carrera Jeans–Tassoni 32
3   Piotr Ugrumov (LAT) Gewiss–Ballan 21

Notes

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  1. ^ A white jersey was not awarded to the leader of the young rider classification between 1989 and 1999.[18]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Le Tour" [The Tour] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 25 July 1994. p. 12. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 April 2016.
  2. ^ "Ploeg Priem nog niet zeker van de Tour". Leeuwarder Courant (in Dutch). ANP. 18 May 1994. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  3. ^ a b "Tourdirecteur Leblanc geeft ploeg Jaskula rood licht". Nieuwsblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). 15 June 1994. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  4. ^ a b "The history of the Tour de France – Year 1994 – The starters". Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "81ème Tour de France 1994" [81st Tour de France 1994]. Mémoire du cyclisme (in French). Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  6. ^ a b c Augendre 2016, p. 85.
  7. ^ Lewis, Phil (2 July 2014). "Archive: the Tour de France in Britain". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  8. ^ Augendre 2016, p. 181.
  9. ^ "Bergetappes" [Mountain stages]. de Volkskrant (in Dutch). 2 July 1994. p. 31 – via Delpher.
  10. ^ Zwegers, Arian. "Tour de France GC top ten". CVCC. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
  11. ^ "The history of the Tour de France – Year 1994 – The stage winners". Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  12. ^ Augendre 2016, p. 110.
  13. ^ a b c d e f Bill and Carol McGann. "1994 Tour de France". Bike Race Info. Dog Ear Publishing. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  14. ^ Nauright & Parrish 2012, pp. 452–455.
  15. ^ Nauright & Parrish 2012, pp. 452–453.
  16. ^ Nauright & Parrish 2012, pp. 453–454.
  17. ^ Nauright & Parrish 2012, p. 454.
  18. ^ a b Nauright & Parrish 2012, pp. 454–455.
  19. ^ Nauright & Parrish 2012, p. 455.
  20. ^ van den Akker 2018, pp. 211–216.
  21. ^ "Drijzengeld Tour '94" [Tour money '94]. De Telegraaf (in Dutch). 29 June 1994. p. 26 – via Delpher.
  22. ^ "Van km tot km" [From km to km]. Trouw (in Dutch). 16 July 1994. p. 13 – via Delpher.
  23. ^ "Tour de France 1994 – Leaders overview". ProCyclingStats. Archived from the original on 16 February 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  24. ^ van den Akker, Pieter. "Informatie over de Tour de France van 1994" [Information about the Tour de France from 1994]. TourDeFranceStatistieken.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  25. ^ a b "The history of the Tour de France – Year 1994 – Stage 21 Disneyland-Paris > Paris". Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  26. ^ a b c d Deblander, Bruno (25 July 1994). "Miguel Indurain va desormais au Tour par quatre chemins un tour sans peril, ce n'est pas la gloire Ugrumov n'a pas de regret" (in French). Le soir. pp. 19–23. Retrieved 12 May 2013.

Bibliography

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Further reading

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  Media related to Tour de France 1994 at Wikimedia Commons

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