Bike Brand With Most Tour De France Wins
The Tour De France is one of the most prestigious cycling events in the world, and winning it is no easy feat. It takes years of training, discipline, and determination to even compete in the race, let alone win it. While the riders themselves deserve most of the credit, their bikes play a crucial role in their success. In this article, we'll take a look at some of the bike brands with the most Tour De France wins in history.
1. Pinarello: 12 Wins
Pinarello is an Italian bike brand that has been around since 1952. They have been the bike of choice for Team Sky, which has dominated the Tour De France in recent years. In fact, Pinarello bikes have been involved in 12 of the last 13 Tour De France victories. Their flagship model, the Dogma, is one of the most popular bikes in the professional peloton.
2. Peugeot: 10 Wins
Peugeot is a French car manufacturer that also made bikes in the early 20th century. They were one of the dominant bike brands in the Tour De France's early years, winning 10 times between 1905 and 1939. Their most successful rider was Frenchman Louison Bobet, who won three consecutive Tours from 1953 to 1955 riding a Peugeot.
3. Bianchi: 9 Wins
Bianchi is another Italian bike brand that has enjoyed success in the Tour De France. They have won 9 times in the race's history, including Fausto Coppi's famous victory in 1949. Coppi rode a Bianchi and won the race by almost 30 minutes. Bianchi bikes are known for their distinctive celeste color, which has become iconic in the cycling world.
4. Raleigh: 6 Wins
Raleigh is a British bike brand that has been around since 1887. They have had success in the Tour De France, winning six times between 1976 and 1984. Their most successful rider was Belgian Lucien Van Impe, who won the King of the Mountains jersey twice and the yellow jersey once riding a Raleigh.
5. Gitane: 5 Wins
Gitane is a French bike brand that has won the Tour De France five times. They were the bike of choice for Eddy Merckx, who is considered one of the greatest cyclists of all time. Merckx won the Tour De France four times riding a Gitane, and he also set the hour record on one of their bikes in 1972.
Conclusion
While there are many bike brands that have had success in the Tour De France, these five stand out as the most successful. Pinarello and Peugeot dominated in the race's early years, while Bianchi and Gitane have enjoyed success throughout the race's history. Raleigh is a relative newcomer to the scene, but they have still managed to win six times. Regardless of the brand, the bikes that have won the Tour De France are all high-quality machines that have been designed to withstand the rigors of one of the toughest sporting events in the world.