Tour de France Google Doodle 2013: The 100th Anniversary
Tour de France Google Doodle
On June 29th 2013 Google created a commemorative doodle to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Tour de France. For the day the doodlers created and replaced the Google logo with a symbol of the tour. The Tour de France Google Doodle featured two cyclists wearing the much sought after yellow jersey. The double “O” in the symbol was replaced by two bike wheels. The “L” of the Google symbol was also replaced by another cyclist. On the Tour de France Google Doodle two cyclists were placed on a pastel lilac background which featured a map of France.
The Tour de France is a competition which is held annually. Since the creation of the event, it has been held each year with the exception of the years during the two World Wars. The competition involves cycle races through France and its neighbouring countries. The Tour de France has a total length of over 3600km which is completed over 3 weeks. This distance is completed through a series of daily stages. A total of 22 teams are competing in the 2013 Tour. Each team is comprised of 9 teammates, making for a total of 198 cyclists. Winners are decided on their accumulated time at each stage of the Tour. Each day the cyclist with the lowest accumulated time gains the prestigious yellow jersey.
Each year the Tour de France takes place on a slightly different route but always ends in Paris. This year for the first time ever, the Tour begins in Porto Vecchio, Corsica. Since 1975, the final stage of the Tour takes place along the famous Champs- Élysées.
The Tour de France: The First Edition and the First Winner
The first Tour de France was held in 1903 by Henri Desgrange, a French cyclist and journalist. The initial plan was to stage a five stage race during the period May 31st to July 5th. The plan involved races being held at night. Between stages were scheduled along with rest days. The initial plan proved to be costly and discouraging to participants. Due to this, there were only 15 entrants to the first Tour.
The first Tour was won by Maurice-Francois Garin.
The Tour de France: Top Facts
1. The shortest route for the Tour de France was in 1904, the course was a total of 2428km.
2. The longest route for the Tour de France was in 1926, the course consisted of a total of 5745km.
3. The replacement of damaged bikes was first allowed in 1923. Before this cyclists had to repair their bikes themselves.
4. In 1937, multi-speed bikes were first allowed to be used.
5. The oldest winner was Firmin Lambot who won in 1922 aged 36.
6. The youngest winner of The Tour de France was Henri Cornet. Aged just 19, he won the second edition of the event in 1904.
7. Competitors were first disqualified from the event in 1904. A total of 12 contestants, including the previous year’s winner Maurice-Francois Garin, were disqualified for cheating.