When did you FIRST start following the Tour de France?

[Polish]

I first became aware of the TdF in 1986 - because of Greg getting exposure.
I do NOT remember Roche in 87 or Delgado in 88, however.

But 1989 and every year since I have followed the race day after day

So, who has the earliest memory?

Anybody "watching" during Hinault?
Anybody remember watching Eddy eat people?
In Black & White?

 

[Anonymous]

Either 83 or 84, i certainly remember fignons win, and millars polka dot but i cant remember if that was the first year i watched it or the second (i was 12 in 1983 as a guide.. my memory isnt that great), started riding myself in about 85, stopped riding seriously in 96-97ish..

certainly by 1984, possibly 83.. seen everyone since. watched 5 out of the last 8 in paris..

 

[craig1985]

First watched it in 2003. More or less spent the rest of the time catching up on the history, how the race was formed, who won what etc.

 

[ingsve]

In 1997 I was visiting my grandparents who had europort on satellite and for some reason I got into watching the Tour that year. That was the first time I had watched any cycling and got hooked right away. I remember Festina dominating in the mountains with multiple riders and lots of attacks. I thought it was very exciting and I have followed all types of races ever since.

 

[franciep10]

1977 at the age of 8 years old, watching it with my dad.

 

[Anonymous]

First watched it in 2003. More or less spent the rest of the time catching up on the history, how the race was formed, who won what etc.

Yeh I was a bit like that, catching up on the history is kinda the most interesting part.

I knew about the Tour and stuff, but never actually watched it until 2005 when I could justify staying up until 2am (2004 was final year high-school so couldn't justify it then).

2005 was just watching maybe every second stage because I didn't really get it then, but 2006 i was like WOW - this is amazing (Morzine stage comes to mind), then I really ramped up my knowledge/history of the sport and never turned back!

I think for Aussies, it is a very internet based sport in terms of learning about it. Only having the Tour and Roubaix on TV is a little bit limiting. Daily highlights of Giro and Vuelta are okay tho. I guess theres not a huge market for it so it doesn't make it to our TV sets

 

[scribe]

LA looks like he is in a rogaine or hair club for men commercial photo.

I was definitely aware of Lemond's achievements and probably looked in rather casually as a result. I enjoyed following the Indurain domination, if yet casually again. Became hooked when Armstrong came to the front. I had to follow most of '99 via internet as television coverage was nearly non-existent.

I think that is the typical American story.

 

[krebs303]

1996 when I started biking and doing triathlons.

 

[Kingsley A]

I first became aware of the TdF in 1986 - because of Greg getting exposure.
I do NOT remember Roche in 87 or Delgado in 88, however.

But 1989 and every year since I have followed the race day after day

So, who has the earliest memory?

Anybody "watching" during Hinault?
Anybody remember watching Eddy eat people?
In Black & White?

When did Channel 4 (UK) first start covering the race? I suspect it was then.

It won't be me with the earliest memories but I do clearly remember Roche's victory, Pedro Delgardo and the time trial on the Champs-Élysées. I also remember loving Abdojaparov's suicidal sprinting style!

I'll admit, until this year I was pretty much a July only person (Just noting results when I caught them in the back pages of the Guardian or Telegraph, etc. & I ignored even July a lot in the early/mid 2000s) until last year where I continued with the ToI and ToB and this year have followed the season through to the end. This is largely down to only watching what has been available on free to air TV in Britain. However, now I am aware of internet streaming I am really looking forward to watching the Spring Classics live for the first time next year, especially P-R and L-B-L, instead of just reading a couple of column inches.

I just wish every race would have free worldwide online coverage of the quality that this year's Tour of Missouri did. It may not be the best race on the calendar, but it was by far and away the best internet coverage of any sporting event I have ever seen!

 

[Hugh Januss]

The first coverage that I can remember was grainy footage of Merckx getting kidney punched just short of the finish on Puy de Dome, so that must have been the '75 tour. We watched it on a tiny black and white TV in the Milwaukee School of Engineering dorms during Superweek.
It was covered in about 1/2 an hour, on Wide World of Sports I think, on the final sunday of the race.

 

[Francois the Postman]

1976, watching it with my dad. Vague memories of a Holland vs Belgium tour,
Zoetemelk, Kuiper and Van Impe. But can't remember much more than that. Too young, but got the bug.

My old guy's memories go back to a rather different era. He's a "Tour des Legendes" kid, literally. 1948 for sure, 1947 he isn't sure about. And one heck of an anecdote resource. Let's just say he remembers a different Kirchen too.

Great company when watching the Tour.

 

[kurtinsc]

My first experience was the Lemond vs Fignon duel. My dad was into cycling and we watched it together.

I watched every Tour since. Loved it all.

It's only been the last 4-5 years I've gotten into other races. I'm still very new to one-day races and 1-week tours.

 

[RTMcFadden]

Started following the Tour in 1982. Went to my first Tour in 1999, stage 13 in Albi, won by Salvatore Commesso. Drove down from Paris and spent the whole day waiting for the peleton to arrive. Stood right at the finish line.

 

[Race Radio]

I think it would have been 79 or 80. I saw it live in 82 ( I think) for the first time, but I remember always being more into the classics then the Tour

 

[Clemson Cycling]

2001, Armstrong blew it out of the water and i was 11. Anyone know when OLN started showing the Tour every day.

 

[Publicus]

2004 the year I bought my first "real bike". Became an instant Armstrong fan. Once he retired though, my eyes were opened up to the rest of the racing calendar.

 

[auscyclefan94]

2004 the year I bought my first "real bike". Became an instant Armstrong fan. Once he retired though, my eyes were opened up to the rest of the racing calendar.

And you eyes were opened up about LA?

First ever stage I watched and started following was 2003 when Brad MCGEE won.

 

[The Falcon]

i went to France in 1983 to follow the tour with my family...my old man was a big Phil Anderson (le skippy) supporter back in the day. good times as a 5 year old.

 

[Publicus]

And you eyes were opened up about LA?

First ever stage I watched and started following was 2003 when Brad MCGEE won.

Wide open. Didn't really follow the behind the scenes stuff until roughly 2008, but when I get focused on something, I tend to get up to speed very quickly.

 

[Escarabajo]

In 1983 when the first Colombian team was sent to France:

Definitely followed all tours after that one, and especially in 1984 when Herrera took the first stage for a Colombian in a Tour.

 

[Escarabajo]

1977 at the age of 8 years old, watching it with my dad.

Where did you watch? I thought you were american.

 

[clydesdale]

The First one I remember following was Greg Lamond's 1989 Tour de France. Living in Canada with a lack of Cycling coverage and before any real internet it was very hard. I did watch it on TV but I really don't remember on what channel. It was some years after that I finally put some effort into understanding it in any real way.

 

[Moondance]

I think the first time I really remember the Tour was I think the last year Miguel Indurain won it, before Zulle, Riis and Jalabert as I recall.

 

[red_flanders]

Used to spend summers in Belgium with that half of my family. Mostly remember running around with my brother in "Eddy Merckx" cycling hat and listening to my uncle *****ing about how "none of the Belgians are worth a crap anymore". Post-Merckx hangover. Late 70's was when I started watching, but it's all pretty vague.

By the time Fignon was winning I was paying pretty good attention, then of course went nuts when LeMond hit the scene. What a great era.

 

[Oldman]

The First one I remember following was Greg Lamond's 1989 Tour de France. Living in Canada with a lack of Cycling coverage and before any real internet it was very hard. I did watch it on TV but I really don't remember on what channel. It was some years after that I finally put some effort into understanding it in any real way.

LEMOND. We got most of the info in the papers and started paying attention in '86. Any North American performance was the only thing that would cause the press to give any coverage. Loved the (petty) rivalries between the Badger and crew, the Irish whiner and the Italian whiner(s) on Carrera, etc. It made for compelling drama. Now we just get Twits.