| One of my favourite past times is to go | | | | advertisers were against what Le Velo stood |
| mountain biking down countryside trails and | | | | and were very much against the support of |
| travel long distances from one town to | | | | Dreyfus's innocence. Those that withdrew |
| another. For me this is an enjoyable form of | | | | their advertising later published their own |
| keeping fit and you have the added benefit of | | | | rival magazine. |
| appreciating the scenery. Mountain biking | | | | |
| does not necessarily have to be enjoyed in | | | | L'Auto was established and to promote it the |
| your own home territory and one can be | | | | Tour de France began. This was also a |
| involved with mountain biking abroad. Places | | | | publicity spectacle to rival Le Velo and |
| like France, Italy, Spain, Africa and | | | | their event, Paris-Brest et retour organised |
| Australia. | | | | by editor Pierre Gifford. Originally, the |
| | | | race was discussed to be a five weeklong |
| Mountain biking in France is more popular | | | | tour, however with only 15 entrants this was |
| than any other destination because of the | | | | then reduced down to just 19 days. Cycling |
| smooth and challenging trails that make | | | | journalist Geo Lefevre and Editor Henri |
| biking here more fun. The French Alps is | | | | Desgrange announced the event on January 19th |
| famous for holding the popular Tour de France | | | | of 1903 - thus born a new trend of mountain |
| biking event, whereby thousands of spectators | | | | biking in France. |
| come from all over the world and support the | | | | |
| contenders. The Alps is also popular with | | | | The public were caught and drawn in by the |
| skiing holidays and professional skiing | | | | event, from the growing number of entrants |
| competitions, which has placed the French | | | | (who were offered a daily allowance) and the |
| Alps as one of the top destinations for | | | | entertainment attractions (some amateur and |
| activity holidays. | | | | unemployed entertainers). The tour was split |
| | | | into stages of riding 400km, this saw the |
| The Tour de France has helped to keep the | | | | riders riding into the night, which captured |
| Alps to maintain its reputation for being one | | | | the spectators attention. After the event, |
| of the best experience mountain biking in | | | | the magazine sales went from 25,000 copies |
| France as a whole. The first Tour de France | | | | sold to 65,000. By 1933 when the Tour had |
| event began in 1903 and is structured so it | | | | finished Desgrange had received a record of |
| is partaken in stages rather than one long | | | | 854,000. |
| marathon. History will reveal that the Tour | | | | |
| de France was largely influenced and inspired | | | | L'Auto magazine was not a direct predecessor |
| by the popular sporting magazine in France, | | | | to the now popular magazine L'Equipe, but was |
| called Le Velo. Like most sporting magazines, | | | | a spiritual figure and influence to the |
| this focussed on sporting events but also | | | | current organisers of the Tour. This is not |
| included politic and current affairs in | | | | directly organised by L'Equipe but is run by |
| France. | | | | its owners called Societe du Tour de France. |
| | | | To this day this is an event which has grown |
| Le Velo was produced and published to | | | | on a massive scale over the years. This has |
| symbolise the innocence of Alfred Dreyfus, | | | | influenced much of France to see many |
| who was accused and found guilty of selling | | | | holidaymakers take part in mountain biking in |
| secrets to the Germans. There was a large | | | | places like the French Alps, but also open up |
| division between the people of France, with | | | | other events like the Tour such as Giro |
| one side favouring his innocence and the | | | | d'Italia based in Italy and Vuelta a Espana |
| other believing he was guilty. Some of the | | | | based in Spain. |