1982 Tour | 1984 Tour | Tour de France Database | 1983 Tour Quick Facts | 1983 Tour de France Final GC | Stage results with running GC | Time bonuses earned | The Story of the 1983 Tour de France

Map of the 1983 Tour de France

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Les Woodland's book Cycling Heroes: The Golden Years is available as an audiobook here.

1983 Tour de France quick facts:

3,862 kilometers divided into 22 stages plus a prologue individual time trial. Average speed was 35.915 km/hr

There were 140 starters and 88 classified finishers.

Tendinitis prevented 1982 winner Bernard Hinault from starting the 1983 Tour.

Peugeot rider Pascal Simon became the Yellow Jersey after stage 10, the only Pyrenean stage. The next day Simon crashed and broke his shoulder blade.

Simon continued riding, keeping the lead while suffering terrible pain.

23-year-old Laurent Fignon stalked him, but didn't attack, waiting for the inevitable collapse. The collapse came in stage 17 with its six Alpine ascents where Simon abandoned.

Fignon became the leader, holding the Yellow Jersey until the end.

Fignon's only stage victory was the final time trial.

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Complete Final 1983 Tour de France General Classification

1. Laurent Fignon (Renault-Elf-Gitane) 105hr 7min 52sec
2. Angel Arroyo (Reynolds) @ 4min 4sec
3. Peter Winnen (TI-Raleigh) @ 4min 9sec
4. Lucien van Impe (Metauromobili) @ 4min 16sec
5. Robert Alban (La Redoute-Motobecane) @ 7min 53sec
6. Jean-René Bernaudeau (Wolber) @ 8min 59sec
7. Sean Kelly (SEM-Mavic-Reydel) @ 12min 9sec
8. Marc Madiot (Renault) @ 14min 55sec
9. Phil Anderson (Peugeot) @ 16min 56sec
10. Henk Lubberding (TI-Raleigh) @ 18min 55sec
11. Joaquim Agostinho (SEM-Mavic-Reydel) @ 19min
12. Jonathan Boyer (SEM-Mavic-Reydel) @ 19min 57sec
13. Stephen Roche (Peugeot) @ 21min 30sec
14. Robert Millar (Peugeot) @ 23min 29sec
15. Pedro Delgado (Reynolds) @ 25min 44sec
16. Edgar Corredor (Colombia-Varta) @ 26min 8sec
17. Patrocinio Jimenez (Colombia-Varta) @ 28min 5sec
18. Claude Criquielion (Euro Shop-Splendor) @ 33min 29sec
19. Jacques Michaud (Coop-Mercier-Mavic) @ 35min 34sec
20. Christian Seznec (Wolber) @ 39min 49sec
21. Pierre Bazzo (Coop-Mercier-Mavic) @ 40min 34sec
22. Beat Breu (Cilo-Aufina) @ 43min 53sec
23. Joop Zoetemelk (Coop-Mercier-Mavic) @ 47min 40sec
24. Eric Caritoux (SEM-Mavic-Reydel) @ 52min 56sec
25. Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke (La Redoute-Motobecane) @ 54min 8sec
26. Dominique Arnaud (Wolber) @ 57min 23sec
27. Gerard Veldscholten (TI-Raleigh) @ 1hr
28. Kim Andersen (Coop-Mercier-Mavic) @ 1hr 2min 58sec
29. Theo De Rooy (TI-Raleigh) @ 1hr 5min 41sec
30. Marc Durant (Wolber) @ 1hr 9min 28sec
31. Antonio Ferretti (Cilo-Aufina) @ 1hr 11min 33sec
32. Pierre Le Bigaut (Coop-Mercier-Mavic) @ 1hr 14min 22sec
33. Alain Vigneron (Renault-Elf-Gitane) @ 1hr 18min 13sec
34. Bernard Gavillet (Cilo-Aufina) @ 1hr 21min 6sec
35. Didier Vanoverschelde (Le Redoute-Motobecane) @ 1hr 24min 19sec
36. Patrick Clerc (SEM-Mavic-Reydel) @ 1hr 25min 40sec
37. Adrie van der Poel (Aernoud-Hoonved) @ 1hr 29min 53sec
38. Patrick Bonnet (Wolber) @ 1hr 31min 53sec
39. Alfio Vandi (Metaurobili) @ 1hr 39min 59sec
40. Dominique Garde (Peugeot) @ 1hr 33min 50sec
41. Philippe Leleu (Wolber) @ 1hr 34min 8sec
42. Frits Pirard (Metaurobili) @ 1hr 39min 22sec
43. Raymond Martin (Coop-Mercier-Mavic) @ 1hr 40min 25sec
44. Abelardo Rios (Colomia-Varta) @ 1hr 40min 59sec
45. Christian Jourfan (La Redoute-Motobecane) @ 1hr 42min 45sec
46. Celestino Prieto (Reynolds) @ 1hr 46min 8sec
47. Philippe Chevalier (Renault-Elf-Gitane) @ 1hr 50min 10sec
48. Ludwig Wijnants (Boule d'Or-Colnago) @ 1hr 50min 12sec
49. Paul Haghedooren (Euro Shop-Splendor) @ 1hr 51min 17sec
50. Hubert Linard (Peugeot) @ 1hr 53min 15sec
51. Anastasio Greciano (Reynolds) @ 1hr 53min 52sec
52. Lucien Didier (Renault-Elf-Gitane) @ 1hr 54min 45sec
53. Bernard Bourreau (Peugeot) @ 1hr 54min 46sec
54. Jesus Hernandez (Reynolds) @ 1hr 58min 39sec
55. Carlos Hernandez (Reynolds) @ 1hr 58min 39sec
56. Charly Berard (Renault-Elf-Gitane) @ 1hr 59min 5sec
57. Samuel Cabrera (Colombia-Varta) @ 2hr 3min 48sec
58. Bernard Vallet (La Redoute-Motobecane) @ 2hr 4min 2sec
59. Gilbert Duclos-Lasalle (Peugeot) @ 2hr 5min 18sec
60. Claude Moreau (Coop-Mercier-Mavic) @ 2hr 6min 10sec
61. Pascal Jules (Renault-Elf-Gitane) @ 2hr 6min 29sec
62. Jacques Bossis (Peugeot) @ 2hr 6min 50sec
63. Hendrik Devos (Euro Shop-Splendor) @ 2hr 7min 46sec
64. Alfonso Lopez (Colombia-Varta) @ 2hr 9min 42sec
65. Dominique Gaigne (Renault-Elf-Gitane) @ 2hr min 58sec
66. Jean-François Rodriguez (Wolber) @ 2hr 10min 29sec
67. Rudy Rogiers (Aernoudt-Hoonved) @ 2hr 10min 38sec
68. Jan Wynants (Boule d'Or-Colnago) @ 2hr 10min 53sec
69. Graham Jones (Wolber) @ 2hr 25min 3sec
70. Eugène Urbany (Boule d'Or-Colnago) @ 2hr 16min 43sec
71. Serge Demierre (Cilo-Aufina) @ 2hr 19min 33sec
72. Johan Lammerts (TI-Raleigh) @ 2hr 21min 15sec
73. Ludo De Keulenaer (TI-Raleigh) @ 2hr 22min 37sec
74. Eric Dall'Armelina (SEM-Mavic-Reydel) @ 2hr 25min 54sec
75. Enrique Aja (Reynolds) @ 2hr 29min 49sec
76. Jean-Louis Gauthier (Coop-Mercier-Mavic) @ 2hr 32min 15sec
77. Guy Janiszewski (Boule d'Or-Colnago) @ 2hr 35min 19sec
78. Frédéric Brun (Peugeot) @ 2hr 44min 0sec
79. Laurent Biondi (La Redoute-Motobecane) @ 2hr 44min 4sec
80. Jan van Houwelingen (Boule d'Or-Colnago) @ 2hr 45min 47sec
81. Henri Manders (Aernoudt-Hoonved) @ 2hr 45min 47sec
82. Marc Dierickx (Aernoudt-Hoonved) @ 2hr 57min 16sec
83. Julius Thalmann (Cilo-Aufina) @ 3hr 1min 48sec
84. Erich Mächler (Cilo-Aufina) @ 3hr 16min 31sec
85. Gilbert Glaus (Cilo-Aufina) @ 3hr 33min 56sec
86. Guy Gallopin (La Redoute-Motobecane) @ 3hr 34min 57sec
87. Marcel Russenberger (Cilo-Aufina) @ 3hr 42min 7sec
88. Marcel Laurens (Aernoudt-Hoonved) @ 4hr 2min 46sec

Climbers' Competition:

1. Lucien van Impe (Metauromobili): 271 points
2. Patrocinio Jimenez (Colombia-Varta): 195
3. Robert Millar (Peugeot): 157
4. Pedro Delgado (Reynolds): 133
5. Jean-René Bernaudeau (Wolber) 125
6. Angel Arroyo (Reymolds): 121
7. Jacques Michaud (Coop-Mercier-Mavic): 117
8. Edgar Corredor (Colombia-Varta): 110
9. Peter Winnen (TI-Raleigh): 105

Points Competition:

1. Sean Kelly (SEM-Mavic-Reydel): 360 points
2. Frits Pirard (Metauromobili): 144
3. Laurent Fignon (Renault): 126
4. Gilbert Glaus (Cilo-Aufina): 122
5. Pierre Le Bigaut (Coop-Mercier-Mavic): 103

White Jersey for rider in his first Tour de France

1. Laurent Fignon (Renault) 105hr 39min 7sec
2. Angel Arroyo (Reynolds) @ 4min 4sec
3. Stephen Roche (Peugeot) @ 21min 30sec
4. Robert Millar (Peugeot) @ 23min 29sec
5. Pedro Delgado (Reynolds) @ 25min 44sec

Most Aggressive Rider

1. Serge Demierre (Cilo-Aufina): 38 points
2. Christian Jourdan (La Redoute): 33
3. Pierre Le Bigaut (Coop-Mercier-Mavic): 26

Team Classification:

1. TI-Raleigh: 322hr 39min 7sec
2. Coop-Mercier-Mavic @ 4min 2sec
3. Peugeot @ 9min 3sec
4. SEM-Mavic-Reydel @ 30min 13sec

Time bonuses earned by the top ten riders:

1. Laurent Fignon: 2min 42sec
2. Angel Arroyo: 1min 4sec
3. Peter Winnen: 2min 15sec
4. Lucien van Impe: 56sec
5. Robert Alban: 1min 20sec
6. Jean-René Bernaudeau: 2min 10sec
7. Sean Kelly: 5min 47sec
8. Marc Madiot: 2min 2sec
9. Phil Anderson: 4min
10. Henk Lubberding: 40sec

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1983 Tour de France stages, results and running General Classification

Prologue: Friday, July 1, Fontenay sous Bois 5.5 km Individual Time Trial

1. Eric Vanderaerden: 7min 2sec
2. Bert Oosterbosch @ 2sec
3. Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke @ 4sec
4. Kim Andersen @ 6sec
5. Joop Zoetemelk s.t.
6. Stephen Roche s.t.
7. Phil Anderson @ 10sec
8. Regis Clere s.t.
9. Pascal Poisson @ 11sec
10. Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle @ 12sec

GC: same as prologue time.

Stage 1: Saturday, July 2, Nogent sur Marne - Créteil, 163 km

1. Frits Pirard: 3hr 49min 38sec
2. Jena-Louis Gauthier s.t.
3. Pascal Jules s.t.
4. Patrick Bonnet s.t.
5. Benny Van Brabant s.t.
6. Etienne De Wilde s.t.
7. Didier Vanoverschelde s.t.
8. Guy Gallopin s.t.
9. Johan Van der Velde s.t.
10. Roger De Cnijf s.t.

GC after Stage 1:

1. Eric Vanderaerden: 3hr 56min 7sec
2. Sean Kelly @ 21sec
3. Bert Oosterbosch @ 26sec
4. Phil Anderson s.t.
5. Johan Van der Velde @ 32sec
6. Frits Pirard @ 36sec
7. Jean-Louis Gauthier s.t.
8. Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke s.t.
9. Joop Zoetemelk @ 38sec
10. Stephen Roche s.t.

Stage 2: Sunday, July 3, Soissons - Fontaine au Pire 100 km Team Time Trial

The stage was for time bonuses. I believe real times did not apply to the GC. Zoetemelk was later found positive for dope in this stage and eventually penalized 10 minutes.

1. Coop-Mercier-Mavic: 2hr 18min 59sec
2. Peugeot @ 17sec
3. J. Aernoudt-Hoonved s.t.
4. TI-Raleigh @ 43sec
5. Wolber @ 2min 11sec
6. SEM-Mavic-Reydel @ 2min 16sec
7. Renault @ 2min 25sec
8. La Redoute @ 4min 24sec
9. Cilo-Aufina @ 4min 28sec
10. Reynolds @ 5min 50sec
11. Euro Shop-Splendor @ 6min 8sec
12. Metauromobili @ 7min 58sec
13. Boule-d'Or @ 8min 17sec
14. Colombia-Varta @ 10min 38sec

GC after Stage 2:

1. Jean-Louis Gauthier: 3hr 52min 58sec
2. Joop Zoetemelk @ 2sec
3. Pierre Le Bigaut @ 4sec
4. Kim Andersen @ 6sec
5. Regis Clere s.t.
6. Jacques Michaud @ 8sec
7. Claude Moreau @ 16sec
8. Michel Laurent @ 19sec
9. Pierre Bazzo @ 25sec
10. Raymond Martin s.t.

Stage 3: Monday, July 4, Valenciennes - Roubaix, 152 km

1. Rudy Matthijs: 3hr 46min 6sec
2. Kim Andersen s.t.
3. Pascal Poisson @ 2min 9sec
4. Sean Kelly s.t.
5. Eric Vanderaerden s.t.
6. Johan Van der Velde s.t.
7. Jan Wijnants s.t.
8. Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke s.t.
9. Didier Vanoverschelde s.t.
10. Charly Berard s.t.

GC after Stage 3:

1. Kim Andersen: 7hr 39min 10sec
2. Joop Zoetemelk @ 2min 5sec
3. Claude Moreau @ 2min 19sec
4. Phil Anderson @ 2min 38sec
5. Eric Vanderaerden @ 2min 42sec
6. Stephene Roche @ 2min 50sec
7. Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle @ 2min 56sec
8. Bossis @ 3min 5sec
9. Pascal Simon @ 3min 8sec
10. Borreau @ 3min 18sec

Stage 4: Tuesday, July 5, Roubaix - Le Havre, 300 km

1. Serge Demierre: 7hr 58min 11sec
2. Sean Kelly @ 4min 50sec
3. Eric McKenzie s.t.
4. Benny Van Brabant s.t.
5. Etienne De Wilde s.t.
6. Eric Vanderaerden s.t.
7. Johan Van der Velde s.t.
8. Pascal Poisson s.t.
9. Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke s.t.
10. Phil Anderson s.t.

GC after Stage 4:

1. Kim Andersen: 15hr 42min 11sec
2. Eric Vanderaerden @ 1min 54sdec
3. Joop Zoetemelk @ 2min 5sec
4. Claude Moreau @ 2min 19sec
5. Phil Anderson @ 2min 34sec
6. Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle @ 2min 44sec
7. Stephen Roche @ 3min
8. Jacques Bossis @ 3min 5sec
9. Pascal Simon @ 3min 8sec
10. Sean Kelly @ s.t.

Stage 5: Wednesday, July 6, Le Havre - Le Mans, 257 km

1. Dominique Gaigne: 7hr 9min 53sec
2. Gilbert Glaus @ 9sec
3. Etienne De Wilde s.t.
4. Sean Kelly s.t.
5. Eric Vanderaerden s.t.
6. Johan Van der Velde s.t.
7. Henri Manders s.t.
8. Johan Lammerts s.t.
9. Benny Van Brabant s.t.
10. Frits Pirard s.t.

GC after Stage 5:

1. Kim Andersen: 22hr 52min 13sec
2. Eric Vanderaerden @ 1min 50sec
3. Joop Zoetemelk @ 2min 5sec
4. Phil Anderson @ 2min 6sec
5. Claude Moreau @ 2min 7sec
6. Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle @ 2min 44sec
7. Sean Kelly @ 2min 59sec
8. Stephen Roche @ 3min
9. Jacques Bossis @ 3min 5sec
10. Pascal Simon @ 3min 8sec

Stage 6: Thursday, July 7, Châteaubriant - Nantes 58.5 km Individual Time Trial

1. Bert Oosterbosch: 1hr 18min 34sec
2. Daniel Willems @ 45sec
3. Julian Gorospe @ 1min 7sec
4. Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke @ 1min 8sec
5. Jean-Marie Grezet @ 1min 28sec
6. Sean Kelly @ 1min 29sec
7. Joaquim Agostinho @ 2min 2sec
8. Phil Anderson @ 2min 7sec
9. Jan Van Howelingen @ 2min 12sec

GC after stage 6:

1. Kim Andersen: 24hr 14min 18sec
2. Phil Anderson @ 42sec
3. Sean Kelly @ 57sec
4. Joop Zoetemelk @ 1min 19sec
5. Eric Vanderaerden @ 2min 1sec
6. Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke @ 2min 5sec
7. Stephen Roche @ 2min 9sec
8. Adrie Van der Poel @ 2min 25sec
9. Pascal Simon @ 2min 40sec
10. Claude Moreau @ 2min 41sec

Stage 7: Friday, July 8, Nantes - Ile d'Oléron, 216 km

1. Ricardo Magrini: 5hr 45min 37sec
2. Eric Vanderaerden s.t.
3. Gilbert Glaus s.t.
4. Etienne De Wilde s.t.
5. Sean Kelly s.t.
6. Jan or Ludwig(?) Wijnants s.t.
7. Benny Van Brabant s.t.
8. Johan Van der Velde s.t.
9. Adrie Van der Poel s.t.
10. Eric McKenzie s.t.

GC after Stage 7

1. Kim Andersen: 29hr 59min 55sec
2. Phil Anderson @ 38sec
3. Sean Kelly @ 45sec
4. Joop Zoetemelk @ 1min 19sec
5. Eric Vanderaerden @ 1min 41sec
6. Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke @ 2min 5sec
7. Stephen Roche @ 2min 9sec
8. Adrie Van der Poel @ 2min 25sec
9. Pascal Simon @ 2min 40sec
10. Claude Moreau @ 2min 41sec

Stage 8: Saturday, July 9, La Rochelle - Bordeaux, 222 km.

1. Bert Oosterbosch: 6hr 16min
2. Hennie Kuiper @ 1sec
3. Jean-René Bernaudeau @ 1min 14sec
4. Eric McKenzie @ 1min 17sec
5. Sean Kelly s.t.
6. Etienne De Wilde s.t.
7. Benny Van Brabant s.t.
8. Daniel Willems s.t.
9. Johan Van der Velde s.t.
10. Adrie Van der Poel s.t.

GC after Stage 8

1. Kim Andersen: 36hr 17min 12sec
2. Sean Kelly @ 25sec
3. Phil Anderson @ 34sec
4. Joop Zoetemelk @ 1min 19sec
5. Eric Vanderaerden @ 1min 41sec
6. Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke @ 2min 5sec
7. Stephen Roche @ 2min 9sec
8. Hennie Kuiper @ 2min 22sec
9. Adrie Van der Poel @ 2min 25sec
10. Pascal Simon @ 2min 40sec

Stage 9: Sunday, July 9, Bordeaux - Pau, 207 km

1. Philippe Chevalier: 5hr 46min 42sec
2. Gerard Veldscholten @ 2min 37sec
3. Sean Kelly @ 2min 49sec
4. Etienne de Wilde s.t.
5. Johan Van der Velde s.t.
6. Benny Van Brabant s.t.
7. Frits Pirard s.t.
8. Steven Rooks s.t.
9. Hennie Kuiper s.t.
10. Pierangelo Bincoletto s.t.

GC after Stage 9:

1. Sean Kelly: 42hr 6min 38sec
2. Kim Andersen @ 1sec
3. Phil Anderson @ 39sec
4. Joop Zoetemelk @ 1min 24sec
5. Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke @ 2min 10sec
6. Stephen Roche @ 2min 14sec
7. Hennie Kuiper @ 2min 27sec
8. Pascal Simon @ 2min 45sec
9. Claude Moreau @ 2min 46sec
10. Daniel Willems @ 2min 47sec

Stage 10: Monday, July 11, Pau - Bagneres de Luchon, 201 km

Major climbs: Aubisque, Tourmalet, Aspin, Peyresourde

1. Robert Millar: 6hr 23min 27sec
2. Pedro Delgado @ 6sec
3. Pascal Simon @ 1min 13sec
4. Patrocinio Jimenez @ 1min 30sec
5. Edgar Corredor @ 3min 40sec
6. Jean-René Bernaudeau @ 4min 6sec
7. Laurent Fignon @ 4min 23sec
8. Jacques Michaud @ 5min 45sec
9. Marc Madiot s.t.
10. Robert Alban s.t.

GC after Stage 10:

1. Pascal Simon: 48hr 34min 3sec
2. Laurent Fignon @ 4min 22sec
3. Jean-René Bernaudeau @ 5min 34sec
4. Sean Kelly @ 6min 13sec
5. Joop Zoetemelk @ 6min 21sec
6. Jacques Michaud @ 7min 16sec
7. Marc Madiot @ 7min 36sec
8. Pedro Delgado @ 9min 9sec
9. Robert Alban s.t.
10. Phil Anderson @ 9min 22sec

Stage 11: Tuesday, July 12, Bagneres de Luchon - Fleurance, 177 km

1. Régis Clére: 4hr 27min 6sec
2. Christian Jourdan @ 3sec
3. Frits Pirard @ 5sec
4. Ludwig Wijnants @ 25sec
5. Michel Laurent @ 28sec
6. Adrie Van der Poel @ 33sec
7. Serge Demierre s.t.
8. Henk Lubberding s.t.
9. Pierre Bazzo s.t.
10. Pedro Delgado s.t.

GC after Stage 11:

1. Pascal Simon: 53hr 3min 15sec
2. Laurent Fignon @ 4min 22sec
3. Jean-René Bernaudeau @ 5min 34sec
4. Sean Kelly @ 5min 57sec
5. Joop Zoetemelk @ 6min 21sec
6. Jacques Michaud @ 7min 16sec
7. Pedro Delgado @ 7min 32sec
8. Marc Madiot @ 7min 36sec
9. Robert Alban @ 9min 9sec
10. Phil Anderson @ 9min 19sec

Stage 12: Wednesday, July 13, Fleurance - Roquefort sur Soulzon

1. Kim Andersen: 7hr 17min 49sec
2. Pedro Delgado @ 1sec
3. Gerard Veldscholten @ 9sec
4. Pascal Poisson @ 9sec
5. Joaquim Agostinho @ 29sec
6. Sean Kelly @ 31sec
7. Laurent Fignon s.t.
8. Phil Anderson s.t.
9. Jean René Bernaudeau s.t.
10. Peter Winnen s.t.

GC after Stage 12:

1. Pascal Simon: 60hr 21min 35sec
2. Laurent Fignon @ 4min 14sec
3. Sean Kelly @ 5min 33sec
4. Jean-René Bernaudeau @ 5min 34sec
5. Pedro Delgado @ 6min 42sec
6. Jacques Michaud @ 7min 16sec
7. Marc Madiot @ 7min 28sec
8. Robert Alban @ 9min 9sec
9. Joaquim Agostinho @ 9min 19sec
10. Phil Anderson s.t.

Stage 13: Thursday, July 14, Roquefort sur Soulzon - Aurillac, 210 km

Major climbs: Monjaux, Montsalvy

1. Henk Lubberding: 6hr 6sec
2. Hubert Linard @ 30sec
3. Regis Clere @ 34sec
4. Johan Lammerts @ 7min 26sec
5. Philippe Leleu s.t.
6. Adrie Van der Poel s.t.
7. Lucien Didier s.t.
8. Didier Vanoverschelde s.t.
9. Jan Wijnants s.t.
10. Pierre Bazzo s.t.

GC after Stage 13:

1. Pascal Simon: 66hr 34min 25sec
2. Laurent Fignon @ 4min 14sec
3. Sean Kelly @ 5min 33sec
4. Jean-René Bernaudeau @ 5min 34sec
5. Pedro Delgado @ 6min 42sec
6. Jacques Michaud @ 7min 16sec
7. Marc Madiot @ 7min 28sec
8. Robert Alban @ 9min 9sec
9. Joaquim Agostinho @ 9min 19sec
10. Phil Anderson s.t.

Stage 14: Friday, July 15, Aurillac - Issoire, 149 km

Major climb: Puy Marie

1. Pierre Le Bigaut: 3hr 39min 16sec
2. Theo De Rooy @ 6min 14sec
3. Dominique Arnaud @ 6min 16sec
4. Carlos Hernandez @ 6min 21sec
5. Charly Berard s.t.
6. Pierre Bazzo s.t.
7. Robert Millar @ 6min 24sec
8. Phil Anderson @ 7min 7sec
9. Adrie Van der Poel @ 7min 8sec
10. Bernard Gavillet s.t.

GC after Stage 14:

1. Pascal Simon: 70hr 21min 2sec
2. Laurent Fignon @ 4min 14sec
3. Sean Kelly @ 5min 29sec
4. Jean-René Bernaudeau @ 5min 34sec
5. Pedro Delgado @ 6min 42sec
6. Jacques Michaud @ 7min 16sec
7. Marc Madiot @ 7min 28sec
8. Robert Alban @ 9min 9sec
9. Phil Anderson @ 9min 11sec
10. Joaquim Agostinho @ 9min 19sec

Stage 15: Saturday, July 16, Clemont Ferrand - Puy de Dôme 15.6 km Individual Time Trial

Major climb: Puy de Dôme.

1. Angel Arroyo: 40min 43sec
2. Pedro Delgado @ 13sec
3. Patrocinio Jimenez @ 29sec
4. Lucien van Impe @ 30sec
5. Michel Laurent @ 42sec
6. Edgar Corredor @ 1min 9sec
7. Sean Kelly @ 1min 10sec
8. Peter Winnen @ 1min 10sec
9. Johan Van der Velde @ 1min 15sec
10. Laurent Fignon @ 1min 48sec

55. Pascal Simon @ 5min 10sec

GC after Stage 15:

1. Pascal Simon: 71hr 6min 55sec
2. Laurent Fignon @ 52sec
3. Sean Kelly @ 1min 29sec
4. Pedro Delgado @ 1min 45sec
5. Angel Arroyo @ 4min 24sec
6. Marc Madiot @ 4min 30sec
7. Jean-René Bernaudeau @ 5min 20sec
8. Johan Van der Velde @ 6min 4sec
9. Joaquim Agostinho @ 6min 12sec
10. Peter Winnen @ 6min 18sec

Stage 16: Sunday, July 17, Issoire - St. Etienne, 144.5 km

Major climb: Côte de Lavet

1. Michel Laurent: 3hr 49min 38sec
2. Henk Lubberding s.t.
3. Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke 1min 7sec
4. Christian Seznec s.t.
5. Pascal Poisson @ 1min 8sec
6. Gerard Veldscholten s.t.
7. Pierre Bazzo @ 1min 10sec
8. Christian Jourdan @ 5min 27sec
9. Jan Van Houwelingen @ 5min 28sec
10. Marc Durant @ 6min 21sec

GC after Stage 16:

1. Pascal Simon: 75hr 3min 6sec
2. Laurent Fignon @ 40sec
3. Sean Kelly @ 1min 21sec
4. Pedro Delgado @ 1min 45sec
5. Angel Arroyo @ 4min 24sec
6. Marc Madiot @ 4min 30sec
7. Henk Lubberding @ 4min 54sec
8. Jean-René Bernaudeau @ 5min 20sec
9. Johan Van der Velde @ 6min
10. Joaquim Agostinho @ 6min 12sec
11. Peter Winnen @ 6min 18sec

Stage 17: Monday, July 18, La Tour de Pin - L'Alpe d'Huez, 223 km

Major climbs: Cucheron, Granier, Côte de la Table, Grand Cucheron, Glandon, L'Alpe d'Huez.

This is the stage Pascal Simon abandoned.

1. Peter Winnen: 7hr 21min 32sec
2. Jean-René Bernaudeau s.t.
3. Edgar Corredor @ 57sec
4. Robert Alban @ 1min 22sec
5. Laurent Fignon @ 2min 7sec
6. Lucien van Impe @ 2min 9sec
7. Pedro Delgado @ 2min 10sec
8. Raymond Martin @ 2min 42sec
9. Patrocinio Jimenez @ 3min 5sec
10. Gerard Veldscholten @ 3min 7sec

GC after Stage 17:

1. Laurent Fignon: 82hr 27min 28sec
2. Pedro Delgado @ 1min 8sec
3. Jean-René Bernaudeau @ 2min 33sec
4. Peter Winnen @ 3min 31sec
5. Sean Kelly @ 4min 20sec
6. Marc Madiot @ 4min 52sec
7. Robert Alban @ 5min
8. Lucien van Impe @ 5min 58sec
9. Angel Arroyo @ 6min 26sec
10. Henk Lubberding @ 10min 2sec

Stage 18: Wednesday, July 20, Bourg d'Oisons - Morzine, 247 km

Major climbs: Glandon, Madeleine, Aravis, Colombière, Joux-Plane

1. Jacques Michaud: 7hr 45min 25sec
2. Angel Arroyo @ 1min 11sec
3. Edgar Corredor @ 2min 15sec
4. Lucien van Impe @ 2min 16sec
5. Robert Alban @ 2min 19sec
6. Stephen Roche @ 2min 48sec
7. Robert Millar s.t.
8. Laurent Fignon @ 3min 42sec
9. Peter Winnen s.t.
10. Jean-René Bernaudeau @ 4min 11sec

GC after Stage 18:

1. Laurent Fignon: 90hr 16min 32sec
2. Jean-René Bernaudeau @ 3min 2sec
3. Peter Winnen @ 3min 31sec
4. Robert Alban @ 3min 37sec
5. Angel Arroyo @ 3min 55sec
6. Lucien van Impe @ 4min 32sec
7. Marc Madiot @ 9min 12sec
8. Sean Kelly @ 10min 20sec
9. Jonathan Boyer @ 12min 54sec
10. Phil Anderson @ 15min

Stage 19: Thursday, July 21, Morzine - Avoriaz 15 km Individual Time Trial

Major climb: Avoriaz

1. Lucien van Impe: 35min 9sec
2. Stephen Roche @ 36sec
3. Peter Winnen @ 49sec
4. Angel Arroyo @ 55sec
5. Bernard Gavillet @ 1min 19sec
6. Joaquim Agostinho @ 1min 28sec
7. Pedro Delgado @ 1min 37sec
8. Patrocinio Jimenez s.t.
9. Edgar Corredor @ 1min 44sec
10. Laurent Fignon @ 1min 45sec

GC after Stage 19:

1. Laurent Fignon: 90hr 53min 25sec
2. Peter Winnen @ 2min 35sec
3. Lucien van Impe @ 2min 48sec
4. Angel Arroyo @ 3min 5sec
5. Robert Alban @ 4min 11sec
6. Jean-René Bernaudeau @ 4min 52sec
7. Sean Kelly @ 10min 37sec
8. Marc Madiot @ 11min 10sec
9. Jonathan Boyer @ 14min 57sec
10. Phil Anderson @ 15min 19sec

Stage 20: Friday, July 22, Morzine - Dijon, 291 km

1. Philippe Leleu: 7hr 22min 56sec
2. Jean-Louis Gauthier @ 9min 17sec
3. Sean Kelly @ 9min 21sec
4. Gilbert Glaus s.t.
5. Adrie Van der Poel s.t.
6. Frits Pirard s.t.
7. Henri Manders s.t.
8. Ludwig Wijnants s.t.
9. Laurent Fignon s.t.
10. Didier Vanoverschelde s.t.

GC after Stage 20:

1. Laurent Fignon: 98hr 25min 18sec
2. Peter Winnen @ 2min 59sec
3. Lucien van Impe 2 3min 8sec
4. Angel Arroyo @ 3min 29sec
5. Robert Alban @ 4min 35sec
6. Jean-René Bernaudeau @ 5min 16sec
7. Sean Kelly @ 10min 11sec
8. Marc Madiot @ 11min 34sec
9. Jonathan Boyer @ 15min 21sec
10. Phil Anderson @ 15min 43sec

Stage 21: Saturday, July 21, Dijon 50 km Individual Time Trial

1. Laurent Fignon: 1hr 11min 37sec
2. Angel Arroyo @ 35sec
3. Stephen Roche @ 37sec
4. Lucien van Impe @ 1min 8sec
5. Peter Winnen @ 1min 10sec
6. Phil Anderson @ 1min 13sec
7. Joaquim Agostinho @ 1min 15sec
8. Adrie Van der Poel @ 1min 21sec
9. Claude Criquielion @ 1min 49sec
10. Sean Kelly @ 1min 59sec

GC after Stage 20:

1. Laurent Fignon: 99hr 36min 55sec
2. Angel Arroyo @ 4min 4sec
3. Peter Winnen @ 4min 9sec
4. Lucien van Impe @ 4min 16sec
5. Robert Alban @ 7min 53sec
6. Jean-René Bernaudeau @ 8min 59sec
7. Sean Kelly @ 12min 10sec
8. Marc Madiot @ 14min 55sec
9. Phil Anderson @ 16min 56sec
10. Henk Lubberding @ 18min 55sec

Stage 22: Sunday, July 24, Alfortville - Paris (Champs Elysées), 195 km

1. Gilbert Glaus: 5hr 30min 56sec
2. Sean Kelly s.t.
3. Eugene Urbany @ 1sec
4. Laurent Fignon s.t.
5. Guy Gallopin s.t.
6. Phil Anderson s.t.
7. Laurent Biondi s.t.
8. Patrick Bonnet s.t.
9. Didier Vanoverschelde s.t.
10. Dominique Gaigne s.t.

Complete Final 1983 Tour de France General Classification

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The Story of the 1983 Tour de France

This excerpt is from "The Story of the Tour de France", Volume 2. If you enjoy it we hope you will consider purchasing the book, either print eBook or audiobook. The Amazon link here will make the purchase easy.

Who could beat Hinault in the Tour? After his flawless victory in 1982 there seemed to be no one who could topple the mighty Breton. It wasn't who would stop Hinault. It was "what". That spring he won the Vuelta and the Flèche Wallonne. During the Vuelta his tendinitis flared up again. It was the same right knee that caused him to abandon the Tour in 1980. On the eve of the start of the Tour, Hinault announced that he could not start. He had to quit racing and let his body heal or risk irreparable damage. That left his Renault team without a captain. At first they thought they would go for stage wins and perhaps their Marc Madiot or Laurent Fignon could earn the Best Young Rider category. As events will show, they really didn't know what they had on their team.

The Tour was again wide open with a new crop of young riders looking to contest the race. Colombia's national team was invited, bringing in several superb climbers although only the most optimistic believed that any of them were real General Classification hopes. Merckx said that the individualistic racing style in Colombia with its solo breakaways in the mountains made them poor contenders for a high placing. The high-speed early stages over bad roads would sap their reserves and weaken them for the mountains.

Forcing the smaller climbers to drain themselves while trying to maintain a hot pace throughout the pre-climbing stages of a Tour had been a classic Merckx stage-racing tactic.

Peugeot's Phil Anderson would require watching, having come in tenth in the 1981 Tour, his first. In 1982 he was fifth, wore Yellow for 10 days and won the second stage. In the spring of 1983 he had already won Amstel Gold, the Tour de l'Aude and the Tour of America as well as a second place in the Tour of Romandie. He had 2 weaknesses. The first was his suspect climbing abilities. The second was the crucial problem of team support. While he was Peugeot's number 1 protected rider, being a man from the English-speaking world he couldn't count on the absolute commitment of his team to support him. Those were different days.

It is interesting to note that no one really had the slightest clue as to who would win the Tour. Pierre Martin gathered the prognostications of 8 of the Tour's leading experts including the great writers Philippe Brunel and Pierre Chany. The eventual winner was not on anyone's top-8 lists. The 1983 Tour was truly a cipher to all.

After the 1982 Tour had tired the riders with too many transfers, the organizers promised that the 1983 Tour would have no transfers. The promise was easy to make and difficult to keep. There were several including a long one by high-speed train before the final stage in Paris.

Eric Vanderaerden powers to victory in the Prologue.

Belgian tough-guy Eric Vanderaerden won the Prologue and kept the lead until the stage 2 team time trial, a 100-kilometer brute. The Coop-Mercier team won giving the Yellow Jersey to Jean-Louis Gauthier. When his teammate Kim Andersen got into a break the next day and beat the field by 2 minutes, the lead migrated to the Dane, the first man of his country to ever wear Yellow. Meanwhile, Joop Zoetemelk's constant losing battle with the mass spectrograph continued. He turned up positive for dope again and was penalized his usual 10 minutes.

This was to be a Tour in which misfortune played a large part, starting with Hinault's tendinitis. A new super climber, Scotsman Robert Millar, crashed in stage 3 and lost almost 17 minutes. Any hope of a high General Classification for him ended right there. A crash caused by Vanderaerden in the Roubaix velodrome took down Phil Anderson and French champion Marc Gomez. Gomez had to retire. Because it happened in the last kilometer, even though he had to walk his bike across the finish line, Anderson lost no time.

As the racers made their way across Northern France the riders had to endure stages long enough to remind one of the early days of the Tour. Stage 4 was 300 kilometers, stage 5 was 257 kilometers. Through all of this, Kim Andersen kept the Yellow Jersey. Meanwhile, Sean Kelly had been chasing intermediate sprint bonuses and moving up the leader board. On stage 9 he managed to get the lead, but only barely. Before the stage 10 trip into the Pyrenees, here was the General Classification:

1. Sean Kelly

2. Kim Andersen @ 1 second

3. Phil Anderson @ 39 seconds

4. Joop Zoetemelk @ 1 minute 24 seconds

The first day in the mountains and the only Pyrenean stage was 201 kilometers from Pau to Bagnères de Luchon. The riders would face the Aubisque, the Tourmalet, the Aspin and the Peyresourde. The first 2 were rated as hors category and the second 2 were first category climbs. Van Impe led over the Aubisque but it was Robert Millar who won the stage in front of Pedro Delgado. Pascal Simon was third at 1 minute, 13 seconds and became the new Yellow Jersey. Seventh in the stage was one of Hinault's young lieutenants Laurent Fignon, who had decided to go with Simon that day, 4 minutes, 23 seconds behind Millar.

Stage 10: Pascal Simon is third at Bagnères de Luchon.

And Phil Anderson? He crashed on the Aubisque and had his shoe come off. He had to undo the double knots (cycling shoes used laces back then) before he could get the shoe back on. Meantime, none of his teammates waited for him to pace him back up to the peloton. He did make contact with the leaders before the summit of the Tourmalet, the second climb, but the effort cost him dearly. Since Kim Andersen, who was the Yellow Jersey, had not been able to follow the leaders, Phil Anderson was the virtual Yellow Jersey. And here's where the suspect support of the Peugeot team comes in to play. Even though Anderson was the virtual Tour leader, his teammate Pascal Simon attacked him. As writer John Wilcockson noted, Simon could do this simply because he was French and Anderson wasn't. With the crash and tiring chase efforts, Anderson finished twenty-fifth, 12 minutes, 41 seconds after the stage winner Millar.

Phil Anderson was demoted to being a domestique for Simon.

In the General Classification Fignon had lifted himself up to second place, 4 minutes, 22 seconds behind Simon.

The General Classification after the big Pyrenean stage:

1. Pascal Simon

2. Laurent Fignon @ 4 minutes 22 seconds

3. Jean-René Bernaudeau @ 5 minutes 34 seconds

4. Sean Kelly @ 6 minutes 13 seconds

5. Joop Zoetemelk @ 6 minutes 21 seconds (his penalty for doping wasn't announced until the end of stage 11)

Earlier I wrote that misfortune would be writ large on the 1983 Tour. Early in stage 11 Joaquim Agostinho took off. Pascal Simon's Peugeot teammate Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle went with him. The Peugeot team, concerned that such an accomplished rider as Agostinho was away, started pulling him back. Agostinho's SEM teammate, Jonathan Boyer, went up front to be with the Peugeot chasers. Not wanting him there interfering with the pursuit, they tried to push him back, out of the way. In the resultant crash, 2 Peugeot riders went down, Bernard Bourreau and Pascal Simon. In his first day of riding in the Yellow Jersey, Simon had crashed and broken his shoulder blade. Simon remounted and with help from his team, finished the stage in sixty-first place, in the same group as Kelly, van Impe and Fignon.

The next 6 stages were an agony for Simon as he kept the Yellow Jersey as long as he could. He really did very well as the Tour went through the Massif Central, losing only a little time to Fignon. He was aided by a perception in the peloton that it would be gauche to attack the wounded man. There was a feeling that eventually he would be forced to abandon.

In the stage 15 time trial up Puy de Dôme, Simon's having only 1 working shoulder really began to tell. Fignon closed to within 52 seconds of Simon. Simon's performance was remarkable because he had to climb the extremely steep final kilometer of the dead volcano sitting down. Phil Anderson, despite his domestique duties, had so far managed to stay in the top 10 in the General Classification. That day on the steep slopes Anderson lost another 4 minutes, ruining his chances for a place on the podium in Paris.

The new General Classification:

1. Pascal Simon

2. Laurent Fignon @ 52 seconds

3. Sean Kelly @ 1 minute 29 seconds

4. Pedro Delgado @ 1 minute 45 seconds

The sense of entitlement that colors the professional peloton's attitude towards drugs was made very clear during stage 13. Patrick Clerc of the SEM team had been riding under a suspended sentence for refusing (along with Bernard Hinault) to give a urine sample after a criterium the previous year. It was announced that Clerc was the fourth rider of the 1983 Tour to fail a drug test. His suspended sentence should have been imposed automatically. To protest this potential penalty the riders did a go-slow ride and it's said that Duclos-Lasalle rode up to Colombian rider Patrocinio Jimenez, who was off on a breakaway, and got him to join the slowdown. After trying and failing to talk the riders out of their plans to ruin the stage and desperate to avoid a riders' strike, Tour boss Lévitan capitulated and announced that the suspended sentences had been abrogated and Clerc could continue to ride.

The Pascal Simon drama had to end, and on stage 17 it did. He had earned the love and respect of the fans, but his broken shoulder kept him from participating in the final ceremony of the day where the Tour leader puts on his Yellow Jersey. Facing 6 major climbs covering 223 kilometers and ending at the top of l'Alpe d'Huez, Simon's keeping the Yellow Jersey was out of the question. Simon abandoned after 95 kilometers and 2 climbs and Fignon, who took fifth in the stage, became the Yellow Jersey.

The General Classification now stood thus:

1. Laurent Fignon

2. Pedro Delgado @ 1 minute 8 seconds

3. Jean-René Bernaudeau @ 2 minutes 33 seconds

4. Peter Winnen @ 3 minutes 31 seconds

5. Sean Kelly @ 4 minutes 20 seconds

Because Fignon had already helped Hinault win the Vuelta, Renault boss Cyrille Guimard had originally planned not to bring his 22-year old rider to the Tour. Troubled that Fignon already had 1 Grand Tour under his belt this year, Guimard was hesitant to have him ride another 3-week competition. He didn't want to run the risk of over-racing his wonderful new young talent. With Hinault out of the Tour, Guimard decided that he needed Fignon's help. He put Fignon in the Renault roster but planned to pull him the minute he looked tired. In 1984 Guimard again had Fignon ride 2 Grand Tours, this time the Giro and the Tour. Fignon had a wonderful 1984 Tour, but could not ride the Tour in 1985, nor could he compete effectively again for years. Perhaps Guimard's original instincts were correct.

There were 2 more Alpine stages, one a time trial. Fignon did not cover himself with glory but he rode well enough to keep Peter Winnen in second place. Under Guimard's direction, Fignon was riding economically and carefully.

By stage 21, the penultimate day of the 1983 Tour, Fignon had a solid lead but had failed to win a stage. A win in the 50-kilometer individual time trial at Dijon let Fignon silence his critics and show that he was a deserving winner. Phil Anderson finished ninth, the best-placed rider on his team.

Stage 21: Fignon wins the Dijon time trial and clinches the Tour.

At 22, Fignon was one of the youngest winners of the Tour. He also joined another exclusive club, those who had won the Tour in their first attempt. The other freshman postwar winners were Coppi, Koblet, Anquetil, Merckx, Gimondi and Hinault.

The final 1983 Tour de France General Classification:

1. Laurent Fignon (Renault): 105 hours 7 minutes 52 seconds

2. Angel Arroyo (Reynolds) @ 4 minutes 4 seconds

3. Peter Winnen (Ti-Raleigh) @ 4 minutes 9 seconds

4. Lucien van Impe (Metauromobili) @ 4 minutes 16 seconds

5. Robert Alban (La Redoute) @ 7minutes 53 seconds

Climbers' Competition:

1. Lucien van Impe: 272 points

2. Patrocinio Jimenez: 195 points

3. Robert Millar: 157 points

Points Competition:

1. Sean Kelly: 360 points

2. Frits Pirard: 144 points

3. Laurent Fignon: 126 points

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