1986 Tour | 1988 Tour | Tour de France Database | 1987 Tour Quick Facts | 1987 Tour de France Final GC | Stage results with running GC | The Story of the 1987 Tour de France | Owen Mulholland's Story of the 87 Tour | Video

1987 Tour de France map

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Plato's dialogue Phaedo is available as an audiobook here.

1987 Tour quick facts:

4,321.1 kilometers, average Speed: 36.645 km/hr

Eight different owners of the Yellow Jersey, nine changes of leader.

207 starters, 135 finishers.

From stage 19, where Roche took the lead after Jean-François Bernard punctured, the 1987 Tour was a nail-biter with Pedro Delgado and Stephen Roche being well-balanced opponents.

Winner Roche had already won the Giro that year and went on to become World Champion.

Only Eddy Merckx in 1974 had performed that triple. No one has since.

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1987 Tour de France complete final General Classification

1. Stephen Roche (Carrera) 115hr 27min 42sec
2. Pedro Delgado (PDM) @ 40sec
3. Jean François Bernard (Toshiba) @ 2min 13sec
4. Charly Mottet (Système U) @ 6min 40sec
5. Luis Herrera (Cafe de Colombia) @ 9min 32sec
6. Fabio Parra (Cafe de Colombia) @ 16min 53sec
7. Laurent Fignon (Système U) @ 18min 24sec
8. Anselmo Fuerte (BH) @ 18min 33sec
9. Raul Alcala (7-Eleven) @ 21min 49sec
10. Marino Lajaretta (Caja Rural) @ 26min 13sec
11. Claude Criquielion (Hitachi-Marc) @ 30min 32sec
12. Federico Echave (BH) @ 31min 6sec
13. Martin Alonso (Cafe de Colombia) @ 36min 55sec
14. Gerhard Zadrobilek (Supermercati Brianzoli) @ 40min 35sec
15. Luciano Loro (Del Tongo) @ 43min 52sec
16. Andrew Hampsten (7-Eleven) @ 44min 7sec
17. Jean-René Bernaudeau (Fagor) @ 47min 16sec
18. Rafael Acevedo (Cafe de Colombia) @ 50min 33sec
19. Robert Millar (Panasonic) @ 50min 47sec
20. Denis Roux (Z) @ 52min 13sec
21. Erik Breukink (Panasonic) @ 53min 35sec
22. Pedro Muñoz (Fagor) @ 59min 27sec
23. Eric Caritoux (Fagor) @ 1hr 5min 33sec
24. Omar Pablo Hernandez (Ryalcao-Postobon) @ 1hr 14min 10sec
25. Eduardo Chozas (Teka) @ 1hr 14min 59sec
26. Beat Breu (Joker) @ 1hr 20min 2sec
27. Phil Anderson (Panasonic) @ 1hr 20min 43sec
28. Gilles Sanders (KAS) @ 1hr 20min 57sec
29. Jesper Skibby (Roland-Skala) @ 1hr 21min 13sec
30. Eddy Schepers (Carrera) @ 1hr 22min 13sec
31. Guido Van Calster (BH) @ 1hr 26min 47sec
32. Gilles Mas (RM) @ 1hr 26min 48sec
33. Jean-Claude Bagot (Fagor) @ 1hr 27min 16sec
34. Martial Gayant (Système U) @ 1hr 29min 17sec
35. José Salvador Sanchis (Caja Rural) @ 1hr 30min 6sec
36. Juan Carlos Castillo (Cafe de Colombia) @ 1hr 33min 1sec
37. Bruno Cornillet (Z) @ 1hr 33min 37sec
38. Robert Forest (Fagor) @ 1hr 35min 4sec
39. Dag Otto Lauritzen (7-Eleven) @ 1hr 35min 52sec
40. Christophe Lavainne (Système U) @ 1hr 36min 12sec
41. Jokin Mujika (Caja Rural) @ 1hr 36min 15sec
42. Jérôme Simon (Z) @ 1hr 36min 25sec
43. José Luis Laguia (PDM) @ 1hr 38min 27sec
44. Marco Antonio Leon (Cafe de Colombia) @ 1hr 29min 40sec
45. Peter Stevenhaagen (PDM) @ 1hr 41min 50sec
46. Julio-César Cadena (Cafe de Colombia) @ 1hr 44min 11sec
47. Marc Madiot (Système U) @ 1hr 46min 46sec
48. Gert-Jan Theunisse (PDM) @ 1hr 53min 5sec
49. Rolf Gölz (Superconfex) @ 1hr 54min 24sec
50. Jean-Claude Leclercq (Toshiba) @ 1hr 54min 40sec
51. Fabian Fuchs (Hitachi-Marc) @ 1hr 55min 11sec
52. Roque de la Cruz (Caja Rural) @ 1hr 55min 36sec
53. Pascal Simon (Z) @ 1hr 58min 19sec
54. Dominique Garde (Toshiba) @ 1hr 59min 4sec
55. Silvano Contini (Del Tongo) @ 1hr 59min 15sec
56. Eric Van Lancker (Panasonic) @ 1hr 59min 46sec
57. Bernard Gavillet (Système U) @ 2hr 0min 18sec
58. Enrique Aja (Teka) @ 2hr 0min 48sec
59. Charly Berard (Toshiba) @ 2hr 1min 31sec
60. Bernard Vallet (RMO) @ 2hr 4min 39sec
61. Guy Nulens (Panasonic) @ 2hr 5min 46sec
62. Kim Andersen (Toshiba) @ 2hr 5min 48sec
63. Nestor Oswaldo Mora (Ryalcao-Postobon) @ 2hr 6min 7sec
64. Acácio da Silva (KAS) @ 2hr 13min 27sec
65. Martin Early (Fagor) @ 2hr 14min 22sec
66. Philippe Bouvatier (BH) @ 2hr 15min 50sec
67. Pascal Poisson (Système U) @ 2hr 16min 5sec
68. Jørgen V. Pedersen (Carrera) @ 2hr 16min 45sec
69. Argemiro Bohoquez (Cafe de Colombia) @ 2hr 18min 55sec
70. Adrian Timmis (ANC-Halfords) @ 2hr 19min 21sec
71. Jos Haex (Hitachi-Marc) @ 2hr 20min 49sec
72. Régis Clère (Teka) @ 2hr 21min 21sec
73. Yvon Madiot (Système U) @ 2hr 21min 57sec
74. Steve Bauer (Toshiba) @ 2hr 24min 41sec
75. François Lemarchand (Fagor) @ 2hr 26min 57sec
76. Jean-Philippe Vandenbrande (Hitachi-Marc) @ 2hr 28min 58sec
77. Jean-François Rault (RMO) @ 2hr 30min 6sec
78. Jesus Rodriguez (Teka) @ 2hr 30min 8sec
79. Marc Gomez (Reynolds) @ 2hr 31min 0sec
80. Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle (Z) @ 2hr 31min 21sec
81. Alessandro Pozzi (Del Tongo) @ 2hr 31min 48sec
82. Ron Kiefel (7-Eleven) @ 2hr 33min 34sec
83. Julián Gorospe (Reynolds) @ 2hr 36min 11sec
84. Teun van Vliet (Panasonic) @ 2hr 39min 11sec
85. Erich Mächler (Carrera) @ 2hr 40min 1sec
86. Alfred Achermann (KAS) @ 2hr 41min 36sec
87. Thierry Marie (Système U) @ 2hr 42min 1sec
88. Jeff Pierce (7-Eleven) @ 2hr 42min 22sec
89. Gerrie Knetemann (PDM) @ 2hr 43min 7sec
90. Raimund Dietzen (Teka) @ 2hr 43min 19sec
91. Theo De Rooy (Panasonic) @ 2hr 43min 19sec
92. Frédéric Brun (Z) @ 2hr 44min 32sec
93. Stefan Morjean (Hitachi-Marc) @ 2hr 47min 55sec
94. Malcom Eliotti (ANC-Halfords) @ 2hr 48min 39sec
95. Henk Lubberding (Panasonic) @ 2hr 51min 8sec
96. Ludo Peeters (Superconfex) @ 2hr 52min 45sec
97. Miguel Indurain (Reynolds) @ 2hr 53min 11sec
98. Jonathan Boyer (7-Eleven) @ 2hr 53min 47sec
99. Jörg Müller (PDM) @ 2hr 54min 4sec
100. Celestino Prieto (KAS) @ 2hr 55min 2sec
101. Cristóbal Pérez (Cafe de Colombia) @ 2hr 58min 20sec
102. Giancarlo Perini (Carrera) @ 2hr 58min 38sec
103. Kvetoslav Palov (ANC-Halfords) @ 2hr 59min 4sec
104. Luc Roosen (Superconfex) @ 2hr 59min 30sec
105. Adrie van der Poel (PDM) @ 2hr 59min 44sec
106. Peter Hilse (Teka) @ 3hr 1min 26sec
107. Roland Le Clerc (Caja Rural) @ 3hr 3min 4sec
108. Jesús Hernández (Reynolds) @ 3hr 4min 9sec
109. Massimo Ghirotto (Carrera) @ 3hr 4min 57sec
110. Brian Holm (Roland-Skala) @ 3hr 8min 13sec
111. Davide Cassani (Carrera) @ 3hr 10min 33sec
112. Guido Winterberg (Toshiba) @ 3hr 12min 26sec
113. José Luis Navarro (BH) @ 3hr 12min 38sec
114. Pascal Jules (Caja Rural) @ 3hr 12min 47sec
115. Michel Dernies (Joker) @ 3hr 12min 53sec
116. Rudy Patry (Roland-Skala) @ 3hr 14min 45sec
117. Francisco-José Antequera (BH) @ 3hr 16min 13sec
118. Manuel Jorge Dominguez (BH) @ 3hr 16min 38sec
119. Guido Bontempi (Carrera) @ 3hr 16min 41sec
120. Maurizio Piovani (Del Tongo) @ 3hr 18min 57sec
121. Jan Wynants (Hitachi-Marc) @ 3hr 19min 19sec
122. Herman Frison (Roland-Skala) @ 3hr 19min 37sec
123. André Chappuis (RMO) @ 3hr 21min 18sec
124. Jelle Nijdam (Superconfex) @ 3hr 21min 18sec
125. Patrick Verschueren (Roland-Skala) @ 3hr 23min 5sec
126. Willem Van Eynde (Joker) @ 3hr 23min 40sec
127. Gerrit Solleveld (Superconfex) @ 3hr 24min 21sec
128. Carlos Hernández (Teka) @ 3hr 24min 41sec
129. Stefano Allocchio (Supermarcati Brianzoli) @ 3hr 32min 56sec
130. Jean-Paul van Poppel (Superconfex) @ 3hr 36min 5sec
131. Jan Goessens (Joker) @ 3hr 36min 30sec
132. Josef Lieckens (Joker) @ 3hr 49min 48sec
133. Guy Gallopin (ANC-Hlafords) @ 4hr 3min 13sec
134. Jean-Louis Gauthier (Z) @ 4hr 5min 18sec
135. Mathieu Hermans (Caja Rural) @ 4hr 23min 30sec

Points (Green Jersey):

1. Jean-Paul van Poppel (Superconfex): 263 points
2. Stephen Roche (Carrera): 247
3. Pedro Delgado (PDM): 228
4. Jean-François Bernard (Toshiba): 201
5. Josef Lieckens (Joker): 195

King of the Mountains (Climber's Polka Dot Jersey)

1. Luis Herrera (Cafe De Colombia): 453 points
2. Anselmo Fuerte (BH): 314
3. Raul Alcala (7-Eleven): 277
4. Pedro Delgado (PDM): 224
5. Fabio Enrique Parra (Cafe de Colombia): 180

Team Classification:

1. Système U 346hr 44min 2sec
2. Cafe de Colombia @ 38min 20sec
3. BH @ 56min 2sec
4. Fagor @ 1hr 7min 54sec
5. Toshiba @ 1hr 28min 54sec

Team Points:

1. Système U: 1,790 points
2. PDM: 1,804
3. 7-Eleven: 1,821
4. Panasonic: 1,863
5. BH: 2,670

Performance (Combination) competition:

1. Jean-François Bernard (Toshiba): 72 points
2. Laurent Fignon (Système U): 70
3. Stephen Roche (Carrera): 69
4. Luis Herrera (Cafe de Colombia): 65
5. Anselo Fuerte (BH): 65

Best New Rider:

1. Raul Alcala (7-Eleven)
2. Erik Breukink (Panasonic) @ 31min 46sec
3. Gilles Sanders (KAS): 59min 8sec
4. Jesper Skibby (Roland-Skala) @ 59min 24sec
5. José Salvador Sanchis (Caja Rural) @ 1hr 8min 17sec

Catch competition:

1. Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle (Z): 249 points
2. Jean-Paul van Poppel (Superconfex): 178
3. Régis Clère (Teka): 142
4. Martin Early (Fagor): 100
5. Teun van Vliet (Panasonic): 70

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Stage results with running GC

Prologue, Wednesday, July 1: Berlin - Berlin Individual Time Trial, 6.1 kilometers.

1. Jelle Nijdam (Superconfex): 7min 6sec
2. Lech Piasecki (Del Tongo) @ 3sec
3. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 7sec
4. Guido Bontempi (Carrera) s.t.
5. Milan Jurco (Brianzoli) @ 8sec
6. Dietrich Thurau (Roland) s.t.
7. Jean-François Bernard (Toshiba) @ 9sec
8. Miguel Indurain (Reynolds) @ 10sec
9. Thierry Marie (Système U) s.t.
10. Czeslaw Lang (Del Tongo) @ 11sec

General Classification: No time bonus, so the GC placings and times are the same as for the stage

Stage 1, Thursday, July 2: Berlin - Berlin, 105.5 kilometers.

1. Nico Verhoeven (Superconfex): 2hr 11min 33sec
2. Giovanni Bottoia (Brianzoli) s.t.
3. Patrick Verschueren (Roland) s.t.
4. Jerome Simon (Peugeot) s.t.
5. Theo De Rooy (Panasonic) s.t.
6. Lech Piasecki (Del Tongo) s.t.
7. Jörg Muller (PDM) @ 2sec
8. Rudy Patry (Roland) @ 5sec
9. Michel Vermote (RMO) @ 23sec
10. Bruno Wojtinek (Z) s.t.

General Classification:

1. Lech Piasecki (Del Tongo) 2hr 18min 42sec
2. Patrick Verschueren (Roland) @ 18sec
3. Jelle Nijdam (Super Confex) @ 20sec
4. Guido Bontempi (Carrera) @ 21sec
5. Jerome Simon (Peugeot) @ 23sec
6. Jean-Claude Colotti (RMO) s.t.
7. Giovanni Bottoia (Brianzoli) @ 25sec
8. Dietrich Thurau (Roland) @ 26sec
9. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 27sec
10. Peter Stevehaagen (PDM) s.t.

Stage 2, Thursday, July 2: Berlin 40.5 kilometer Team Time Trial.

1. Carrera: 44min 50sec
2. Del Tongo @ 8sec
3. Panasonic @ 27sec
4. Toshiba @ 36sec
5. Système U @ 37sec
6. Peugeot @ 1min
7. PDM @ 1min 1sec
8. Roland-Skala @ 1min 6sec
9. 7-Eleven-Hoonved
10. Superconfex @ 1min 24sec

General Classification:

1. Lech Piasecki (Del Tongo): 3hr 3min 40sec
2. Guido Bontempi (Carrera) @ 13sec
3. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 19sec
4. Erich Maechler (Carrera) @ 25sec
5. Czeslaw Lang (Del Tongo) @ 31sec
6. Giancarlo Perini (Carrera) @ 34sec
7. Jorgen Pedersen (Carrera) @ 38sec
8. Giuseppe Saronni (Del Tongo) @ 42sec
9. Silvano Contini (Del Tongo) @ 43sec
10. Massimo Ghirotto (Carrera) @ 46sec

Stage 3, Saturday, July 4: Karlsruhe - Stuttgart, 219 kilometers.

1. Acacio Da Silva (KAS): 5hr 27min 35sec
2. Erich Maecher (Carrera) @ 2sec
3. Jorg Muller (PDM) @ 9sec
4. Dag-Otto Lauretzen (7-Eleven) @ 14sec
5. Jean-Claude Leclercq (Toshiba) @ 48sec
6. Federico Echave (BH) s.t.
7. Guy Nulens (Panasonic) s.t.
8. Dietrich Thurau (Roland) s.t.
9. Bruno Cornillet (Z) s.t.
10. Eric Carritoux (Fagor) s.t.

General Classification:

1. Erich Maechler (Carrera): 8hr 31min 42sec
2. Jorg Muller (PDM) @ 44sec
3. Giancarlo Perini (Carrera) @ 55sec
4. Acacio Da Silva (KAS) @ 1min 35sec
5. Charly Mottet (Système U) @ 1min 36sec
6. Guy Nulens (Panasonic) @ 1min 38sec
7. Dietrich Thurau (Roland) @ 1min 45sec
8. Yvon Madiot (Système U) @ 1min 49sec
9. Dag-Otto Lauritzen (7-Eleven) @ 1min 50sec
10. Jean-Claude Leclercq (Toshiba) @ 1min 55sec

Stage 4, Sunday, July 5: Stuttgart - Pforzheim, 79 km.

1. Herman Frison (Roland): 1hr 49min 23sec
2. Jean-Paul Van Poppel (Superconfex) @ 1min 28sec
3. Stefano Allocchio (Brianzoli) s.t.
4. Phil Anderson (Panasonic) s.t.
5. Davis Phinney (7-Eleven) s.t.
6. Johan Capiot (Roland) s.t.
7. Jozef Lieckens (Roland) s.t.
8. Bruno Wojtinek (Z) s.t.
9. Sean Kelly (KAS) s.t.
10. Michel Vermote (RMO) s.t.

General Classification:

1. Erich Maechler (Carrera): 10hr 22min 33sec
2. Jorg Muller (PDM) @ 44sec
3. Giancarlo Perini (Carrera) @ 55sec
4. Acacio Da Silva (KAS) @ 1min 35sec
5. Charly Mottet (Système U) @ 1min 36sec
6. Guy Nulens (Panasonic) @ 1min 38sec
7. Dietrich Thurau (Roland) @ 1min 45sec
8. Yvon Madiot (Système U) @ 1mn 49sec
9. Dag-Otto Lauritzen (7-Eleven) @ 1min 50sec
10. Jean-Claude Leclercq (Toshiba) @ 1min 55sec

Stage 5, Sunday, July 5: Pforzheim - Strasbourg, 112.5 km.

1. Marc Sergeant (Joker): 2hr 32min 29sec
2. Bruno Wojtinek (Peugeot) @ 13sec
3. Sean Kelly (KAS) s.t.
4. Davis Phinney (7-Eleven) s.t.
5. Roberto Amadio (Brianzoli) s.t.
6. Martial Gayant (Système U) s.t.
7. Jean-Paul van Poppel (Superconfex) s.t.
8. Rudy Dhaenens (Hitachi) s.t.
9. Jean-Philippe Vandenbrande (Hitachi) s.t.
10. Jozef Lieckens (Roland) s.t.

General Classification:

1. Erich Maechler (Carrera): 12hr 55min 15sec
2. Jorg Muller (PDM) @ 44sec
3. Giancarlo Perini (Carrera) @ 55sec
4. Acacio Da Silva (KAS) @ 1min 35sec
5. Charly Mottet (Systeme U) @ 1min 36sec
6. Guy Nulens (Panasonic) @ 1min 38sec
7. Dietrich Thurau (Roland) @ 1min 45sec
8. Yvon Madiot (Système U) @ 1min 49sec
9. Dag-Otto Lauritzen (7-Eleven) @ 1min 50sec
10. Jean-Claude Leclercq (Toshiba) @ 1min 55sec

Stage 6, Monday, July 6: Strasbourg - Epinal, 169 kilometers.

Climbs: Cote du Champ de Feu, Le Donon

1. Christophe Lavainne (Système U): 4hr 12min 57sec
2. Raul Alcala (7-Eleven) @ 1min 34sec
3. Manuel-Jorge Dominguez (BH) @ 2min 34sec
4. Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle (Peugeot) s.t.
5. Jean-Claude Bagot (Fagor) s.t.
6. Niki Ruttiman (Toshiba) s.t.
7. Hendrik Devos (Hitachi) s.t.
8. Bernard Vallet (RMO) s.t.
9. Gérardo Moncada (Ryalcao) s.t.
10. Jean-Paul van Poppel (Superconfex) @ 2min 37sec

General Classification:

1. Erich Maechler (Carrera): 17hr 10min 49sec
2. Christophe Lavainne (Système U) @ 36sec
3. Jorg Muller (PDM) @ 44sec
4. Giancarlo Perini (Carrera) @ 55sec
5. Acacio Da Silva (KAS) @ 1min 35sec
6. Charly Mottet (Système U) @ 1min 36sec
7. Guy Nulens (Panasonic) @ 1min 38sec
8. Dietrich Thurau (Roland) @ 1min 45sec
9. Yvon Madiot (Système U) @ 1min 49sec
10. Dag-Otto Lauritzen (7-Eleven) @ 1min 50sec

Stage 7, Tuesday, July 7: Epinal - Troyes, 211 kilometers.
Guido Bontempi won the sprint, but was relegated to last place after a positive dope test.

1. Manuel-Jorge Dominguez (BH) 5hr 8min 17sec
2. Jean-Paul Van Poppel (Super Confex) s.t.
3. Jos Liekens (Joker) s.t.
4. Sean Kelly (KAS) s.t.
5. Johan Capiot (Roland) s.t.
6. Mathieu Hermans (Caja Rural) s.t.
7. Phil Anderson (Panasonic) s.t.
8. Roberto Amadio (Brianzoli) s.t.
9. Malcom Elliott (ANC) s.t.
10. Jean-Philippe Vandenbrande (Hitachi) s.t.

General Classification:

1. Erich Maechler (Carrera): 22hr 19min 6sec
2. Christophe Lavainne (Systeme U) @ 36sec
3. Jorg Muller (PDM) @ 44sec
4. Giancarlo Perini (Carrera) @ 1min 16sec
5. Acacio Da Silva (KAS) @ 1min 35sec
6. Charly Mottet (Systeme U) @ 1min 36sec
7. Guy Nulens (Panasonic) @ 1min 38sec
8. Dietrich Thurau (Roland) @ 1min 45sec
9. Yvon Madiot (Système U) @ 1min 49sec
10. Dag-Otto Lauritzen (7-Eleven) @ 1min 50sec

Stage 8, Wednesday, July 8: Troyes - Epinay sous Sénart, 205.5 kilometers

1. Jean-Paul Van Poppel (Super Confex) 5hr 23min 53sec
2. Michel Vermote (RMO) s.t.
3. Johan Capiot (Roland) s.t.
4. Bruno Wojtinek (Peugeot) s.t.
5. Jozef Liekens (Joker) s.t.
6. Stefano Allochio (Brianzoli) s.t.
7. Davis Phinney (7-Eleven) s.t.
8. Manuel-Jorge Dominguez (BH) s.t.
9. Teun Van Vliet (Panasonic) s.t.
10. Frank Hoste (Fagor) s.t.

General Classification:

1. Erich Maechler (Carrera): 27hr 42min 59sec
2. Christophe Lavainne (Système U) @ 36sec
3. Jorg Muller (PDM) @ 44sec
4. Giancarlo Perini (Carrera) @ 1min 16sec
5. Acacio Da Silva (KAS) @ 1min 35sec
6. Charly Mottet (Systeme U) @ 1min 36sec
7. Guy Nulens (Panasonic) @ 1min 38sec
8. Dietrich Thurau (Roland) @ 1min 45sec
9. Yvon Madiot (Système U) @ 1min 49sec
10. Dag-Otto Lauritzen (7-Eleven) @ 1min 50sec

Stage 9, Thursday, July 9: Orléans - Rénáze, 260 kilometers

1. Adrie Van der Poel (PDM): 7hr 5min 54sec
2. Roberto Amadio (Brianzoli) s.t.
3. Ludo Peeters (Super Confex) s.t.
4. Theo De Rooy (Panasonic) s.t.
5. Dominique Garde (Toshiba) s.t.
6. Guido Bontempi (Carrera) @ 1min 21sec
7. Guido Van Calster (BH) s.t.
8. Pascal Poisson (Système U) s.t.
9. Guy Nulens (Panasonic) s.t.
10. Steven Rooks (PDM) s.t.

General Classification:

1. Erich Maechler (Carrera): 34hr 50min 25sec
2. Christophe Lavainne (Système U) @ 36sec
3. Jorg Muller (PDM) @ 44sec
4. Ludo Peeters (Super Confex) @ 58sec
5. Giancarlo Perini (Carrera) @ 1min16sec
6. Guy Nulens (Panasonic) @ 1min 27sec
7. Acasio Da Silva (KAS) @ 1min 35sec
8. Charly Mottet (Système U) @ 1min 36sec
9. Dietrich Thurau (Roland) @ 1min 45sec
10. Yvon Madiot (Système U) @ 1min 49sec

Stage 10, Friday, July 10: Saumur - Futuroscope Individual Time Trial, 87.5 kilometers.

1. Stephen Roche (Carrera): 1hr 58min 11sec
2. Charly Mottet (System U) @ 42sec
3. Jesper Skibby (Roland) @ 53sec
4. Marc Madiot (Systeme U) @ 1min 9sec
5. Didi Thurau (Roland) @ 1min 20sec
6. Jean-François Bernard (Toshiba) @ 1min 24sec
7. Peter Stevenhaagen (PDM) @ 1min 55sec
8. Dag-Otto Lauritzen (7-Eleven) @ 2min 11sec
9. Jorg Muller (PDM) @ 2min 24sec
10. Pedro Delgado (PDM) @ 2min 29sec

General Classification:

1. Charly Mottet (Système U): 36hr 50min 54sec
2. Didi Thurau (Roland) @ 47sec
3. Jorg Muller (PDM) @ 50sec
4. Erich Maechler (Carrera) @ 1min 6sec
5. Dag-Otto Lauritzen (7-Eleven) @ 1min 43sec
6. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 3min 23sec
7. Bruno Cornillet (Peugeot) @ 4min 31sec
8. Jean-François Bernard (Toshiba) @ 5min 31sec
9. Acacio Da Silva (KAS) @ 5mi 38sec
10. Jesper Skibby (Roland) @ 5min 45sec

Stage 11, Saturday, July 11: Futuroscope (Poitiers) - Chaumeil, 255 kilometers

1. Martial Gayant (Systeme U): 7hr 6min 55sec
2. Laudelino Cubino (BH) @ 38sec
3. Kim Andersen (Toshiba) @ 1min 38sec
4. Gilles Mas (RMO) @ 1min 44sec
5. Massimo Ghirotto (Carrera) @ 3min 27sec
6. Peter Hilse (Tea) s.t.
7. Marc Sergeant (Joker) @ 3min 30sec
8. Heinz Imboden (Toshiba) @ 3min 34sec
9. Jan Nevens (Joker) @ 3min 52sec
10. Stefano Allochio (Brianzoli) @ 4min 30sec

General Classification:

1. Martial Gayant (Systeme U) 44hr 8min 29sec
2. Charly Mottet (Systeme U) @ 22sec
3. Didi Thurau (Roland) @ 1min 9sec
4. Jorg Muller (PDM) @ 1min 12sec
5. Dag-Otto Lauritzen (7-Eleven) @ 2min 5sec
6. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 3min 45sec
7. Marc Sergeant (Joker) @ 4min 11sec
8. Bruno Cornillet (Peugeot) @ 4min 53sec
9. Erich Maechler (Carrera) @ 5min 5sec
10. Kim Andersen (Toshiba) @ 5min 52sec

Stage 12, Sunday, July 12: Brive - Bordeaux, 228 kilometers.

1. Davis Phinney (7-Eleven) 5hr 46min 21sec
2. Jean-Paul Van Poppel (Super Confex) s.t.
3. Malcom Elliot (ANC) s.t.
4. Jean-Philippe Vendenbrande (Hitachi) s.t.
5. Teun Van Vliet (Panasonic) s.t.
6. Marc Sergeant (Joker) s.t.
7. Christophe Lavainne (Système U) s.t.
8. Fran Hoste (Fagor) s.t.
9. Herman Frison (Roland) s.t.
10. Jozef Lieckens (Joker) s.t.

General Classification:

1. Martial Gayant (Systeme U): 49hr 54min 50sec
2. Charly Mottet (Systeme U) @ 22sec
3. Didi Thurau (Roland) @ 1min 9sec
4. Jorg Muller (PDM) @ 1min 12sec
5. Dag-Otto Lauritzen (7-Eleven) @ 2min 5sec
6. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 3min 45sec
7. Marc Sergeant (Joker) @ 4min 11sec
8. Bruno Cornillet (Peugeot) @ 4min 53sec
9. Erich Maechler (Carrera) @ 5min 5sec
10. Kim Andersen (Toshiba) @ 5min 52sec

Stage 13, Monday, July 13: Bayonne - Pau, 219 kilometers

Climbs: Burdincurutcheta, Bargargui, Soudet, Marie-Blanque

1. Erik Breukink (Panasonic) 6hr 19min 56sec
2. Jean-François Bernard (Toshiba) @ 6sec
3. Pablo Wilches (Ryalco) @ 11sec
4. Luis Herrera (Cafe de Colombia) @ 13sec
5. Eric Van Lancker (Panasonic) @ 3min 45sec
6. José-Luis Laguia (PDM) s.t.
7. Pedro Delgado (PDM) s.t.
8. Thierry Claveyrolat (RMO) s.t.
9. Claude Criquielion (Hitachi) s.t.
10. Niki Ruttiman (Tochiba) s.t.

General Classification:

1. Charly Mottet (Systeme U): 56hr 18min 53sec
2. Jean-François Bernard (Toshiba) @ 1min 52sec
3. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 3min 23sec
4. Erik Breukink (Panasonic) @ 4min 42sec
5. Marc Madiot (Systeme U) @ 5min 55sec
6. Pedro Delgado (PDM) @ 6min 24sec
7. Federico Echave (BH) @ 6min 37sec
8. Robert Millar (Panasonic) @ 6min 45sec
9. Urs Zimmermann (Carrera) @ 7min 13sec
10. Raul Alcala (7-Eleven) @ 7min 50sec

Stage 14, Tuesday, July 14: Pau - Luz Ardiden, 166 kilometers

Climbs: Marie-Blanque, Aubisque, Les Borderes, Luz Ardiden.

1. Dag-Otto Lauritzen (7-Eleven) 5hr 14min 28sec
2. Luis Herrera (Cafe de Colombia) @ 7sec
3. Andy Hampsten (7-Eleven) @ 53sec
4. Pablo Wilches (Ryalco) @ 59sec
5. Anselmo Fuerte (BH) @ 1min 28sec
6. Pedro Delgado (PDM) @ 1min 30sec
7. Robert Millar (Panasonic) s.t.
8. Jean-Claude Bagot (Fagor) s.t.
9. Fabio Parra (Cafe de Colombia) s.t.
10. Stephen Roche (Carrara) @ 1min 36sec

General Classification:

1. Charly Mottet (Systeme U): 61hr 36min 54sec
2. Jean-François Bernard (Toshiba) @ 1min 13sec
3. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 1min 26sec
4. Pedro Delgado (PDM) @ 4min 21sec
5. Robert Millar (Panasonic) @ 4min 42sec
6. Pablo Wilches (Ryalcao) @ 5min 42sec
7. Urs Zimmermann (Carrera) @ 7m in 29sec
8. Raul Alcala (7-Eleven) @ 8min 18sec
9. Luis Herrera (Cafe de Colombia) @ 8min 34sec
10. Andy Hampsten (7-Eleven) @ 8min 44sec

Stage 15, Wednesday, July 15: Tarbes - Blagnac, 164 kilometers.

1. Rolf Gölz (Superconfex): 3hr 57min 59sec
2. Roland Le Clerc (Caja Rural) s.t.
3. Martin Earley (Fagor) @ 4sec
4. Phil Anderson (Panasonic) @ 11min 47sec
5. Peter Stevenhaagen (PDM) s.t.
6. Gerrie Knetemann (PDM) s.t.
7. Andy Hampsten (7-Eleven) s.t.
8. Jos Haex (Hitachi) s.t.
9. Steven Rooks (PDM) s.t.
10. Jean-René Bernaudeau (Fagor) s.t.

General Classification:

1. Charly Mottet (Système U): 65hr 46min 40sec
2. Jean-François Bernard (Toshiba) @ 2min 20sec
3. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 2min 33sec
4. Pedro Delgado (PDM) @ 4min 21sec
5. Robert Millar (Panasonic) @ 5min 49sec
6. Pablo Wilches (Ryalcao) @ 6min 49sec
7. Raul Alcala (7-Eleven) @ 8min 18sec
8. Luis Herrera (Cafe de Colombia) @ 8min 34sec
9. Urs Zimmermann (Carrera) @ 8min 36sec
10. Andy Hampsten (7-Eleven) @ 8min 44sec

Stage 16, Thursday, July 16: Blagnac - Millau, 216.5 kilometers

Climbs: Le Cade

1. Régis Clère (Teka): 5hr 58min 21sec
2. Raul Alcala (7-Eleven) @ 14min 13sec
3. Jean-Francois Bernard (Toshiba) @ 14min 14sec
4. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 14min 16sec
5. Andy Hampsten (7-Eleven) @ 14min 18sec
6. Pedro Delgado (PDM) s.t.
7. Luis Herrera (Cafe de Colombia) @ 14min 39sec
8. Anselmo Fuerte (BH) s.t.
9. Beat Breu (Joker) @ 14min 52sec
10. Fabio Parra (Cafe de Colombia) @ 14min 55sec

General Classification:

1. Charly Mottet (Système U): 72hr 24sec
2. Jean-François Bernard (Toshiba) @ 1min 11sec
3. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 1min 26sec
4. Pedro Delgado (PDM) @ 3min 16sec
5. Robert Millar (Panasonic) @ 5min 40sec
6. Raul Alcala (7-Eleven) @ 7min 8sec
7. Andy Hampsten (7-Eleven) @ 7min 39sec
8. Pablo Wilches (Ryalcao) @ 7min 40sec
9. Luis Herrara (Cafe de Colombia) @ 7min 50sec
10. Urs Zimmermann (Carrera) @ 9min 27sec

Stage 17, Friday, July 17: Millau - Avignon, 239 kilometers.

Climbs: Col du Perjuret, Mont Aigoual

1. Jean-Paul Van Poppel (Super Confex) 6hr 17min 44sec
2. Guido Bontempi (Carrera) s.t.
3. Manuel-Jorge Dominguez (BH) s.t.
4. Jos Liekens (Joker) s.t.
5. Teun Van Vliet (Panasonic) s.t.
6. Malcom Elliott (ANC) s.t.
7. Ron Kiefel (7-Eleven) s.t.
8. Steve Bauer (Toshiba) s.t.
9. Mathieu Hermans (Caja Rural) s.t.
10. Herman Frison (Roland) s.t.

General Classification:

1. Charly Mottet (Systeme U): 78hr 18min 8sec
2. Jean-François Bernard (Toshiba) @ 1min 11sec
3. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 1min 26sec
4. Pedro Delgado (PDM) @ 3min 16sec
5. Robert Millar (Panasonic) @ 5min 40sec
6. Raul Alcala (7-Eleven) @ 7min 8sec
7. Andy Hampsten (7-Eleven) @ 7min 39sec
8. Luis Herrara (Cafe de Colombia) @ 7min 50sec
9. Pablo Wilches (Ryalcao) @ 8min 54sec
10. Urs Zimmermann (Carrera) @ 9min 27sec

Stage 18, Sunday, July 19: Carpentras - Mont Ventoux Individual Time Trial, 36.5 kilometers.

Major ascent: Mt Ventoux

1. Jean-François Bernard (Toshiba) 1hr 19min 44sec
2. Luis Herrera (Cafe de Colombia) @ 1min 39sec
3. Pedro Delgado (PDM) @ 1min 51sec
4. Fabio Parra (Cafe de Colombia) @ 2min 4sec
5. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 2min 19sec
6. Martial Gayant (Systéme U) @ 2min 52sec
7. Rafael Acevedo (Cafe de Colombia) @ 3min 5sec
8. Denis Roux (Z) @ 3min 34sec
9. Charly Mottet (Système U) @ 3min 58sec
10. Pablo Wilches (Ryalcao) @ 4min 18sec

General Classification:

1. Jean-François Bernard (Toshiba): 79hr 39min 3sec
2. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 2min 34sec
3. Charly Mottet (Systeme U) @ 2min 47sec
4. Pedro Delgado (PDM) @ 3min 56sec
5. Luis Herrera (Cafe de Colombia) @ 8min 18sec
6. Robert Millar (Panasonic) @ 9min 43sec
7. Fabio Parra (Cafe de Colombia) @ 11min 15sec
8. Pablo Wilches (Ryalcao) @ 12min 1sec
9. Andy Hampsten (7-Eleven) @ 12min 40sec
10. Urs Zimmermann (Carrera) @ 14min 26sec

Stage 19, Monday, July 20: Valreas - Villard de Lans, 185 kilometers.

Climbs: Tourniol, La Bataille, Lachau, Cote de Chalimont

1. Pedro Delgado (PDM): 4hr 53min 34sec
2. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 3sec
3. Marino Lajaretta (Caja Rural) @ 31sec
4. Anselmo Fuerte (BH) @ s.t.
5. Charly Mottet (Systeme U) s.t.
6. Luis Herrera (Cafe de Colombia) @ 1min 6sec
7. Alfred Achermann (KAS) @ 2min 8sec
8. Theo De Rooy (Panasonic) s.t.
9. Martial Gayant (Système U) s.t.
10. Laurent Fignon (Système U) s.t.

General Classification:

1. Stephen Roche (Carrera): 84hr 35min 14sec
2. Charly Mottet (Système U) @ 41sec
3. Pedro Delgado (PDM) @ 1min 19sec
4. Jean-François Bernard (Toshiba) @ 1min 39sec
5. Luis Herrera (Cafe de Colombia) @ 6min 47sec
6. Fabio Parra (Cafe de Colombia) @ 12min 54sec
7. Pablo Wilches (Ryalcao) @ 13min 40sec
8. Andy Hampsten (7-Eleven) @ 14min 19sec
9. Marino Lejarreta (Caja Rural) @ 14min 49sec
10. Raul Alcala (7-Eleven) @ 15min 9sec

Stage 20, Tuesday, July 21: Villard de Lans - L'Alpe d'Huez, 201 kilometers

Climbs: Cucheron, Coq, Cote de Laffrey, L'Alpe d'Huez

1. Federico Echave: 5hr 52min 11sec
2. Anselmo Fuerte (BH) @ 1min 32sec
3. Christophe Lavainne (Système U) @ 2min 12sec
4. Martin Ramirez (Cafe de Colombia)@ 3min
5. Luis Herrera (Cafe de Colombia) @ 3min 19sec
6. Laurent Fignon (Système U) @ 3min 25sec
7. Pedro Delgado (PDM) @ 3min 44sec
8. Guido Van Calster (BH) s.t.
9. Claude Criquielion (Hitachi) @ 4min 23sec
10. Gerhard Zadrobilek (Brianzoli) @ 4min 43sec

General Classification:

1. Pedro Delgado (PDM): 90hr 32min 20sec
2. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 25sec
3. Jean-Francois Bernard (Toshiba) @ 2min 2sec
4. Charly Mottet (Système U) @ 2min 12sec
5. Luis Herrera (Cafe de Colombia) @ 5min 3sec
6. Fabio Parra (Cafe de Colombia) @ 13min 12sec
7. Raul Alcala (7-Eleven) @ 15min 16sec
8. Laurent Fignon (Système U) @ 15min 41sec
9. Anselmo Fuerte (BH) @ 15min 54sec
10. Marino Lejaretta (Caja Rural) @ 17min 3sec

Stage 21, Wednesday, July 22: Bourg d'Oisans - La Plagne, 185.5 kilometers

Climbs: Galibier, Madaleine, La Plagne

1. Laurent Fignon (Système U): 6hr 7min 5sec
2. Anselmo Fuerte (BH) s.t.
3. Fabio Parra (Cafe de Colombia) @ 39sec
4. Pedro Delgado (PDM) @ 57sec
5. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 1min 1sec
6. Denis Roux (Z) @ 1min 5sec
7. Luciano Loro (Del Tongo) @ 1min 14sec
8. Luis Herrera (Cafe de Colombia) @ 1min 44sec
9. Charly Mottet (Système U) @ 1min 57sec
10. Jean-François Bernard (Toshiba) @ 3min 3sec

General Classification:

1. Pedro Delgado (PDM): 96hr 40min 30sec
2. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 39 sec
3. Charly Mottet (Systeme U) @ 3min 12sec
4. Jean-Francois Bernard (Toshiba) @ 4min 8sec
5. Luis Herrera (Cafe de Colombia) @ 5min 50sec
6. Fabio Parra (Cafe de Colombia) @ 12min 54sec
7. Laurent Fignon (Système U) @ 14min 44sec
8. Anselmo Fuerte (BH) @ 14min 57sec
9. Raul Alcala (7-Eleven) @ 18min 36sec
10. Claude Criquielion (Hitachi) @ 24min 11sec

Stage 22, Thursday, July 23: La Plagne - Morzine, 186 kilometers.

Climbs: Cormet de Roseland, Saises, Aravais, Colombiere, Joux-Plane

1. Eduardo Chozas (Teka): 6hr 13min 48sec
2. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 43sec
3. Pedro Delgado (PDM) @ 1min 1sec
4. Marino Lejarreta (Caja Rural) @ 1min 10sec
5. Jean-François Bernard (Toshiba) @ 1min 11sec
6. Fabio Parra (Cafe de Colombia) s.t.
7. Eddy Schepers (Carrera) s.t.
8. Omar Hernandez (Ryalcao) @ 2min 24sec
9. Laurent Fignon (Système U) @ 2min 25sec
10. Anselmo Fuerte (BH) s.t.

General Classification:

1. Pedro Delgado (PDM): 102hr 55min 19sec
2. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 21sec
3. Jean-Francois Bernard (Toshiba) @ 4min 18sec
4. Charly Mottet (Systeme U) @ 5min 54sec
5. Luis Herrera (Cafe de Colombia) @ 7min 14sec
6. Fabio Parra (Cafe de Colombia) @ 13min 4sec
7. Laurent Fignon (Système U) @ 16min 8sec
8. Anselmo Fuerte (BH) @ 16min 21sec
9. Raul Alcala (7-Eleven) @ 21min 21sec
10. Marino Lejarreta (Caja Rural) @ 25min 50sec

Stage 23, Friday, July 24: St. Julien en Genevois - Dijon, 224.5 kilometers

1. Régis Clère (Teka): 6hr 41min 22sec
2. Jean-Claude Leclercq (Toshiba) @ 3sec
3. Alfred Achermann (KAS) s.t.
4. Gerrie Knetemann (PDM) s.t.
5. Henk Lubberding (Panasonic) s.t.
6. Eric Van Lancker (Panasonic) s.t.
7. Rudy Patry (Patry) s.t.
8. Fréderic Brun (Z) s.t.
9. Jean-Paul Van Poppel @ 2min 56sec
10. Jozef Lieckens (Joker) s.t.

General Classification:

1. Pedro Delgado (PDM): 109hr 39min 37sec
2. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 21sec
3. Jean-Francois Bernard (Toshiba) @ 4min 18sec
4. Charly Mottet (Système U) @ 5min 54sec
5. Luis Herrera (Cafe de Colombia) @ 7min 14sec
6. Fabio Parra (Cafe de Colombia) @ 13min 4sec
7. Laurent Fignon (Système U) @ 16min 8sec
8. Anselmo Fuerte (BH) @ 16min 21sec
9. Raul Alcala (7-Eleven) @ 21min 21sec
10. Marino Lejarreta (Caja Rural) @ 25min 50sec

Stage 24, Saturday, July 25: Dijon - Dijon Individual Time Trial, 38 kilometers.

1. Jean-François Bernard (Toshiba) 48min 17sec
2. Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 1min 44sec
3. Marino Lajaretta (Caja Rural) @ 2mmin 28sec
4. Jesper Skibby (Roland) @ 2min 30sec
5. Raul Alcala (7-Eleven) @ 2min 23sec
6. Pedro Delgado (PDM) @ 2min 45sec
7. Miguel Indurain (Reynolds) @ 2min 35sec
8. Charly Mottet (Système U) @ 2min 51sec
9. Peter Stevenhaagen (PDM) @ 2min 55sec
10. Erik Breukink (Panasonic) @ 2min 58sec

General Classification:

1. Stephen Roche (Carrera): 110hr 29min 59sec
2. Pedro Delgado (PDM) @ 40sec
3. Jean-François Bernard (Toshiba) @ 2min 13sec
4. Charly Mottet (Système U) @ 6min 40sec
5. Luis Herrera (Cafe de Colombia) @ 9min 32sec
6. Fabio Parra (Cafe de Colombia) @ 16min 53sec
7. Laurent Fignon (Système U) @ 18min 24sec
8. Anselmo Fuerte (BH) @ 18min 33sec
9. Raul Alcala (7-Eleven) @ 21min 49sec
10. Marino Lejarreta (Caja Rural) @ 26min 13sec

Stage 25 (Final Stage), Sunday July 26: Créteil - Paris, 192 kilometers.

1. Jeff Pierce (7-Eleven) 4hr 57min 26sec
2. Steve Bauer (Toshiba) @ 1sec
3. Wim Van Eynde (Joker) @ 5sec
4. Peter Stevenhaagen (PDM) @ 7sec
5. Adrie Van der Poel (PDM) @ 11sec
6. Acacio Da Silva (KAS) s.t.
7. Eric Van Lancker (Panasonic) s.t.
8. Martial Gayant (Système U) s.t.
9. Jean-Paul Van Poppel (Superconfex) @ 17sec
10. Phil Anderson (Panasonic) s.t.

Complete Final 1987 Tour de France General Classification

---

The Story of the 1987 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.

On March 17, Félix Lévitan found his office locked. The problem was said to be the finances involved with a proposed American race. Emilion Amaury, owner of L'Équipe and the Tour, had turned the management of his organization to his son Philippe. Lévitan could no longer call upon the friendship of Emilion Amaury to protect him. Lévitan was sacked and replaced by an interim manager Jean-François Naquet-Radiguet, who lasted only a year.

LeMond was turkey hunting and was accidentally shot by his brother-in-law. That April 20, 40 shotgun pellets tore into his body. He lost 3/4 of his blood and his right lung collapsed. 30 of the pellets could not be removed because of their location, including pellets in his heart lining, liver, small intestine and diaphragm. The short-term consequences of the accident were that LeMond could not return in 1987 to contest the Tour. The long-term effects on LeMond were even greater. The lead in his body left him damaged goods. Even though we will see him return in later years for wonderful victories, he was never the same and eventually had to retire with mitochondrial myopathy. This disorder interferes with the cell's basic ability to produce energy.

Hinault, seeing that he could no longer ride at the top, retired. He rode his last race in November of 1986.

So who was there? Laurent Fignon was still working on finding his old form. That spring he did rather well with a third in both Paris–Nice and the Vuelta a España and several other top-10 placings.

Jean-François Bernard, out from under the shadow of LeMond and Hinault, was expected to do very well. His team, Toshiba-La Vie Claire was a superb formation with Steve Bauer, Kim Andersen and Niki Ruttimann there to back him up.

Pedro Delgado had been showing promise in previous Tours. His team, PDM, was one of the finest in the world. He would have such sterling riders as Gerrie Knetemann, Gert-Jan Theunisse and Steven Rooks helping him. Delgado's spring was an easy, low-key lead-in to the Tour with no notable wins.

Andy Hampsten, with a fourth in the 1986 Tour under his belt and now riding for 7-Eleven, should have been licking his chops at the mountainous 1987 Tour.

Stephen Roche, who played such a large, but perhaps unintentional part in LeMond's 1985 famous ride to Luz-Ardiden, was having a wonderful year. Roche's racing had been up and down. A crash in the Paris Six-Day started the series of never-ending knee problems and attempts to surgically correct them. In 1987 his knee was holding together. Coming to the 1987 Tour he had already won the Tour of Romandie and the Giro d'Italia. He took second in Liège–Bastogne–Liège (he says that if he had been more tactically astute, he would have won it, "I rode like an amateur that day.") and fourth in Paris–Nice.

The 1987 Tour was designed to be tough. It was, in Roche's words, "one of the most mountainous since the war," with a record 26 stages, counting the Prologue. The Prologue was held in West Berlin. Europe was still divided between East and West and would remain so until the autumn of 1989. Dutchman Jelle Nijdam won the prologue, but several of the Tour contenders, showing their form, were hot on his heels.

1. Jelle Nijdam: 7 minutes 6 seconds

3. Stephen Roche @ 7 seconds

7. Jean-François Bernard @ 9 seconds

8. Miguel Indurain @ 10 seconds (his glory days were a few years away)

23. Pedro Delgado @ 19 seconds

26. Andy Hampsten @ 20 seconds

Jelle Nijdam wins the Prologue.

The Tour slowly made its way across Germany and moved into France when stage 5 ended in Strasbourg. The Yellow Jersey had already changed hands a few times as the sprinters enjoyed their stint in the Tour. The high speeds caused the large (209 starters) and nervous peloton to suffer repeated crashes. The Europeans blamed a lot of the crashes on the Colombians, whom the Euros considered poor bike handlers. At one point in stage 10, after a Belgian hit a Colombian in the head with a water bottle, a couple of other Colombians went after him and started a fight.

Roche crosses the finish line in stage 8.

By the time of the stage 10 87.5-kilometer individual time trial from Saumur to Futuroscope, the first real test of the Tour, the only rider in the top 15 with any real hope for a high General Classification was Systeme U's Charly Mottet. The others had been riding quietly in the pack, trying to stay out of trouble while the big rouleurs and sprinters gained time bonuses that moved them up to the front of the leader's list. The time trial sorted things out. Roche won it with Mottet second at 42 seconds. That put Mottet in Yellow.

The General Classification at this point:

1. Charly Mottet

6. Stephen Roche @ 3 minutes 23 seconds

8. Jean-François Bernard @ 5 minutes 31 seconds

15. Pedro Delgado @ 6 minutes 41 seconds

 

Stage 13 was the first day in the Pyrenees. The contenders stayed together all the way to Pau even with 4 highly rated climbs. The day was so hot the tar on the road melted. Worse, there was an attack on the descent of the second category Bargargui. The high speeds and hard braking in the corners melted the glue holding the tires to the rims. Some riders rolled the tires off their rims, others had their tires explode from the heat build-up, causing several crashes. The stage removed the non-climbers from the top of the roster of the General Classification:

1. Charly Mottet

2. Jean-François Bernard @ 1 minute 52 seconds

3. Stephen Roche @ 3 minutes 23 seconds

6. Pedro Delgado @ 6 minutes 24 seconds

14. Andy Hampsten @ 11 minutes 24 seconds

 

The Tour is run through almost all conditions as this trip over a flooded road in stage 13 shows.

Stage 14 with the Aubisque, the Marie-Blanque and a finish at Luz-Ardiden, caused no real change to the General Classification.

The Tour headed towards the Massif Central. Stage 18's individual time trial up Mount Ventoux promised to shake things up and it did not disappoint. Jean-François Bernard rode the ride of his life. Never before had he risen to such heights and never again would he perform at such an extraordinary level. Bernard won the stage and the Yellow Jersey. Look at some of the times of his competition to get an idea of how well the Frenchman rode the 36.9-kilometer time trial:

1. Jean-François Bernard: 1 hour 19 minutes 44 seconds

2. Luis Herrera @ 1 minute 39 seconds

3. Pedro Delgado @ 1 minute 51 seconds

5. Stephen Roche @ 2 minutes 19 seconds

9. Charly Mottet @ 3 minutes 58 seconds

25. Andy Hampsten @ 6 minutes 12 seconds

 

The General Classification situation:

1. Jean-François Bernard

2. Stephen Roche @ 2 minutes 34 seconds

3. Charly Mottet @ 2 minutes 47 seconds

4. Pedro Delgado @ 3 minutes 56 seconds

 

 

It seemed so beautiful for Bernard, the chosen heir of Hinault and the great hope of French cycling. He had a good lead and was climbing and time trialing well. He turned out to be a far better rider than his opposition had supposed. He should have been able to keep the Yellow all the way to Paris. But fate knocked on the door. The next day was a mountainous stage and with the Tour a Wild West wide-open shootout, he was not going to be allowed to keep the lead without mounting a serious defense.

Near the top of the first real climb, Bernard flatted and was unable to get his bike serviced before the other racers had disappeared up the mountains.

Bernard's luck didn't get any better. Mottet and his Systeme U teammates had hatched a plan to attack Bernard in that day's feed zone. They packed extra food to carry them through the long day. For insurance, Mottet told Roche about the plan to make sure there would be enough horsepower to keep Bernard and his tough La Vie Claire team at bay. Mottet knew the area and saw that the feed zone was just after a very narrow bridge, which would really slow the peloton. Things happened exactly as Mottet predicted. Bernard, who had been chasing to get back on terms with the leaders after his flat tire was forced to a stop at one point when the peloton slowed upon reaching the bridge. Mottet, Delgado and Roche were already up the road and putting real time between themselves and the furiously chasing Bernard.

Bernard was never able to rejoin the leaders and came in 4 minutes, 16 seconds after Delgado and Roche. Roche was now in yellow with Mottet only 41 seconds behind and Delgado stalking him at 1 minute, 19 seconds. Delgado and Roche had dropped Mottet, who had planned the day's skullduggery in the first place.

But wait, this gets better.

Stage 20 was another tough alpine stage that finished with the first category Cote de Laffrey and the Hors Category L'Alpe d'Huez. The final climb up the Alpe had the riders coming in one at a time. Federico Echave won the stage. The first real General Classification rider to finish was Laurent Fignon who was finally starting to get his legs. Fignon rolled in sixth, 3 minutes, 25 seconds after Echave. Delgado was next, 20 seconds later. Roche was fifteenth that day at 5 minutes, 28 seconds. Delgado now took the Yellow and Roche was 25 seconds behind. Spain was so transfixed with the excitement of Delgado's struggle with Roche for the lead that the Spanish parliament suspended its deliberations so that the members could watch the stage.

The next day was finer still. The giant mountains kept coming at the riders like mosquitoes on a hot Louisiana night. Stage 21 went from Bourg d'Oisans up to La Plagne, 185.5 kilometers of pure effort. Along the way were the Galibier, the Madeleine and the final climb to La Plagne, all Hors Category climbs. Now Roche wasn't a climber, as he has said over and over in many interviews. He was like so many truly fine racers, capable of putting out so much power that he not only had absolute power to time-trial and ride the flats well, he possessed superb relative power, or as we usually say, a good strength to weight ratio. That ratio allowed him to handle the mountains well. Yet he knew the specialist climbers like Delgado could give him trouble on their own turf.

Fignon launched a hard attack and won the stage. But the real drama was Roche's story. In the November, 2003 Cycle Sport magazine he gave an interview about that fateful day:

"I had the Jersey at Villard-de-Lans [stage 19, won by Delgado]. But Delgado took it back from me the next day at the summit of L'Alpe d'Huez [stage 20, related just above]. I was not a climber like him. Between the descent of the Galibier and the foot of the Madeleine [stage 21, the stage we are discussing] I attacked because he was isolated. I passed him and rejoined the group ahead. Afterwards I climbed the Madeleine alone. Delgado and his teammates caught me again at the foot of La Plagne. I said to myself, 'What am I going to do? If I stay with him he'll kill me. I'll never get to the top.' I let him go and conceded 1'10", 1'15".

"But he didn't trust himself. And 4 kilometers from the line, I attacked at top speed. I gave it everything I had. And I got to within a few seconds of him. Psychologically, that was my most beautiful victory."

After his titanic effort to bring Delgado back, Roche collapsed at the finish and needed oxygen. He was taken to a hospital but was found to be perfectly fine.

The General Classification now, after Roche was penalized 10 seconds for taking an illegal feed:

1. Pedro Delgado

2. Stephen Roche @ 39 seconds

3. Charly Mottet @ 3 minutes 12 seconds

The next day, the last one in the Alps finishing at Morzine, Roche was able to take another 18 seconds out of Delgado. The Spaniard was tiring. They were now only 21 seconds apart. Roche felt confident that his superior time-trialing abilities would give him the Yellow in the final time trial.

So it came down to the penultimate stage, a 38-kilometer time trial, the "race of truth" at Dijon. Bernard's results let us know that this would have been an even more interesting race, if that were even possible, if he had not had that unfortunate flat.

The stage results:

1. Jean-François Bernard: 48 minutes 17 seconds

2. Stephen Roche @ 1 minute 44 seconds

7. Pedro Delgado @ 2 minutes 45 seconds

The Yellow Jersey was Roche's. And with only the final stage into Paris left, it was his to keep.

That last stage into Paris had a big surprise in store for the 7-Eleven team. Jeff Pierce won the stage in a solo victory with Steve Bauer only 1 second behind him.

In that same interview in Cycle Sport, Roche said some kind words that reflected well on both Roche and Delgado.

"The memory of the Tour de France that will stay with me all my life is when I retook the jersey in Dijon. I went through the ceremony and then on the Jacques Chancel TV program Delgado was already in the middle of doing his interview. I arrived on the set and Delgado got up. He embraced me. Chancel said to him 'Less than an hour ago he took the Yellow Jersey from you and now you embrace him?' Delgado replied, 'I have had 4,500 kilometers in which to win the jersey, and I couldn't do it.' It was beautiful when he said that."

This was a fantastic Tour with eight different men wearing the Yellow Jersey, a record.

The final 1987 Tour de France General Classification:

1. Stephen Roche (Carrera): 115 hours 27 minutes 42 seconds

2. Pedro Delgado (PDM) @ 40 seconds

3. Jean-Francois Bernard (Toshiba) @ 2 minutes 13 seconds

4. Charly Mottet (Systeme U) @ 6 minutes 40 seconds

5. Luis "Lucho" Herrera (Cafe de Colombia) @ 9 minutes 32 seconds

 

Climbers' Competition:

1. Luis Herrera: 452 points

2. Anselmo Fuerte: 314 points

3. Raul Alcala: 277 points

 

Points Competition:

1. Jean-Paul van Poppel: 263 points

2. Stephen Roche: 247 points

3. Pedro Delgado: 228 points

 

That year Roche won the Giro, the Tour and went on to win the World Championship. Only one other rider in the history of the sport, Eddy Merckx, has been able to win all 3 in a single year.

Erin Go Bragh

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Video of Stage 21 to La Plagne:

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