By Dave Campbell
Test your knowledge this month on more trivial nuggets celebrating the greatest race in the world…
Q1. For the past five years in the Tour de France, Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard have placed first or second, with Pogačar winning three in front of the Dane while Jonas took two ahead of the Slovenian. Has such a dominance of two riders ever happened before?
Q2. This past year was the fiftieth anniversary of the Tour de France finishing on the Champs-Elysees with these finishes usually ending as field sprints on the famous avenues. There have been exceptions in these past fifty years, notably last year’s TT finish in Nice to accommodate the Olympics and the historic 1989 individual time trial. Additionally, the circuit was changed this year making the traditional field sprint virtually impossible and instead seeing an all-star breakaway enter the final lap together and eventually a solo winner. It does beg the question of how many times a breakaway has prevailed on the Tour’s final stage…can you name the years and the victorious riders?
Q3. Irishman Ben Healy won the “combativity” award this year as the most aggressive rider in the race. This prize has been in existence since 1952 and is voted on by a panel with amount of time spent in breakaways also considered as part of the decision. Notably American Quinn Simmons was also in the running for this award. Two questions: 1. Has another Irish rider ever won this title and 2. Has an American ever won this prize?
Q4. Pauline Ferrand-Prevot of France was the first home winner of the Tour de France for MANY years. How long has it been since a French man or woman triumphed in their homeland’s crown jewel?
Q5. Most people are aware that the inaugural Women’s Tour de France (1984) was won by American Marianne Martin. She also took the Queen of the Mountains category. Since that time, only TWO other Americans have won final classifications (jerseys) at the Women’s Tour de France. Can you name them?
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