This brand new edition, with new features and stories, comprises an authoritative narrative account of each major era, up to and including the 2019 Tour, with more than 300 photographs, some dating back to the nineteenth century. There are features on the superstars and memorable moments for each era. The photos include souvenir brochures, period newspapers, posters, stickers, postcards and items of correspondence, together with action shots of all the major stars both in the saddle and associated with what is universally known as Le Tour.
The Official History of the Tour de France is a celebration of one of the world's most famed annual events. Generally considered the greatest test of endurance in the sporting world, the Tour de France cycle race covers more than 2,200 miles in just over three weeks, climbing high into both the Alps and Pyrenees on a journey around France and, more often than not, briefly into neighbouring countries before ending on Paris's infamous Champs-Élysées.
Serge Laget has followed the Tour since 1954 when, aged seven, he watched the peloton ride through his native Cevennes region of southern France. As a journalist he has covered the race for
L'Equipe France's leading sports newspaper for more than 30 years and also written numerous Tour-related books.
Luke Edwardes-Evans is a freelance writer who regularly contributes articles to
Cycling Weekly. He is the co-author (with Serge Laget) of Carlton Books' best-selling
Official Treasures of the Tour de France. He lives in Tonbridge, in Kent, a short hop from France.
Andy McGrath is a staff writer for
Cycling Weekly and
Cycle Sport magazines. He has covered the Tour de France, Tour of Italy and the sport's big one-day Classics.