1981 Tour de France
Encyclopedia
The 1981 Tour de France was the 68th Tour de France
, taking place June 25 to July 19, 1981. The total race distance was 24 stages over 3753 km, with riders averaging 38.96 km/h.
It was dominated by Bernard Hinault
, who lead the race from the sixth stage on, increasing his lead almost every stage, and winning the race with a margin of almost 15 minutes. Only Phil Anderson
was able to stay close to him, until the seventeenth stage when he lost 17 minutes.
The points classification
was won by Freddy Maertens
, who did so by winning six stages. The mountains classification was won by Lucien Van Impe
, Peter Winnen
won the young rider classification
, and the Peugeot team won the team classification
.
Bernard Hinault, the winner of the 1978
and 1979 Tour de France
and reigning world champion, was the main favourite. His knee problems, that caused him to leave the 1980 Tour de France
, were solved, and he was in form: Hinault had won important races in the spring, and he had skipped the 1981 Giro d'Italia
to focus on the Tour.
His main rivals were 1980 Tour de France
winner Joop Zoetemelk
, 1976 Tour de France
winner Lucien Van Impe
and Joaquim Agostinho
, although they had never been able to beat Hinault when he was in form.
Freddy Maertens
, the winner of the points classification in the Tour de France
in 1976 and 1978, had won only three minor races in 1979 and 1980, but in 1981 he was selected again for the Tour.
showed he was still able to win sprints by wining the first part of the first stage. The second part was a team time trial, won by Ti-Raleigh, which put Gerrie Knetemann
in the lead of the race. Ti Raleigh also won the second team time trial in stage four.
The Pyrenees were only briefly visited, in the fifth stage. For the last mountain, Hinault was the lead group, together with Lucien Van Impe
and Phil Anderson
. Van Impe escaped in the last kilometers and won the stage, 27 seconds ahead of Hinault. Anderson, who finished in third place, became the new leader, the first Australian cyclist to wear the yellow jersey. Anderson had started as domestique for Jean-René Bernaudeau
, and nobody was expeciting him to be able to follow Hinault.
In the time trial of stage six, Hinault won as expected, and became the race leader. Anderson surprised with a third place, and he now followed Hinault by 13 seconds in the general classification.
In the following stages, through Northern France and Belgium, Hinault slowly increased his margin to Anderson by winning bonification sprints, until lead by 57 seconds after stage 13. In stage 14, Hinault won the time trial, and added two more minutes to the margin.
In the sixteenth stage in the Alps, Anderson was not able to follow anymore. He lost 4 minutes to Hinault, but stayed in second place. Anderson lost this second place in the 17th stage, where he lost 17 minutes, making Van Impe the new second placed cyclist, nine minutes behind. Hinault showed his dominance by winning the eighteenth stage.
The time trial in stage 20 was also won by Hinault, who increased the margin to Van Impe to more than 14 minutes.
The plans to make the Tour de France open to amateurs were not forgotten, and it happened in 1983.
Anderson would again wear the yellow jersey in the next year, when he also won the young rider classification.
Hinault won five stages as reigning world champion. This had happened before, most recently in 1979 with Gerrie Knetemann
and in 1980 with Jan Raas
, but after 1981 it became a rare occurrence. The next time that this happened was in 2002 with Oscar Freire
, and after that in 2011 with Thor Hushovd
.
Maertens would make his comeback year complete by winning the 1981 UCI Road World Championships
later that year, but after that never reached his 1981 level again.
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, taking place June 25 to July 19, 1981. The total race distance was 24 stages over 3753 km, with riders averaging 38.96 km/h.
It was dominated by Bernard Hinault
Bernard Hinault
Bernard Hinault is a former French cyclist known for five victories in the Tour de France. He is one of only five cyclists to have won all three Grand Tours, and the only cyclist to have won each more than once. He won the Tour de France in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1985...
, who lead the race from the sixth stage on, increasing his lead almost every stage, and winning the race with a margin of almost 15 minutes. Only Phil Anderson
Phil Anderson
Philip Grant Anderson OAM is an Australian former professional racing cyclist who was the first non-European to wear the yellow jersey of the Tour de France.-Origins:...
was able to stay close to him, until the seventeenth stage when he lost 17 minutes.
The points classification
Points classification in the Tour de France
The points classification in the Tour de France is a secondary competition in the Tour de France, that started in 1953. Points are given for high finishes in a stage and for winning intermediate sprints, and these are recorded in a points classification. It is considered a sprinters' competition...
was won by Freddy Maertens
Freddy Maertens
Freddy Maertens is a Belgian former professional racing cyclist and twice World Road Race Champion.- Career :...
, who did so by winning six stages. The mountains classification was won by Lucien Van Impe
Lucien Van Impe
Lucien van Impe was a Belgian cyclist from 1969 to 1987. He excelled mainly as a climber in multiple-day races such as the Tour de France...
, Peter Winnen
Peter Winnen
Peter Johannes Gertrudis Winnen is a Dutch former road racing cyclist. He was professional from 1980 until 1991. Among his 14 victories were two stages at Alpe d'Huez in the Tour de France and a national championship. He came third in the Tour de France in 1983.-Results:1981...
won the young rider classification
Young rider classification in the Tour de France
-History:From 1968 to 1975, there was a white jersey awarded in the Tour de France to the lead rider in the combination classification . In 1975, this classification was removed, and replaced by the Best Young Rider Classification...
, and the Peugeot team won the team classification
Team classification
The team classification is a prize given in the Tour de France to the best team in the race. It has been awarded since 1930, and the calculation has changed throughout the years.-Calculation:...
.
Participants
Late 1980, there were plans to make the tour "open", which meant that amateur teams would also be allowed to join. This would make it possible for teams from Eastern Europe to join. The plan did not materialize, so only professional teams were invited. The organisation invited 15 teams, who each selected 10 cyclists, for a total of 150 participants. The teams were:- Ti Raleigh-Creda
- Peugeot-Esso-Michelin
- Miko-Mercier-Vivagel
- Wickes-Splendor-Europ decor
- Sem-France Loire-Campagnolo
- La Redoute-Motobecane
- Capri Sonne-Koga Miyata
- Puch-Wolber-Campagnolo
- Boston-Mavic
- Teka
- DAF Trucks-Côte d'Or-Gazelle
- Kelme
- Sunair-Sport 80-Colnago
- Renault-Elf-Gitane
- Vermeer-Thijs-Gios
Bernard Hinault, the winner of the 1978
1978 Tour de France
The 1978 Tour de France was the 65th Tour de France, taking place June 29 to July 23, 1978. The total race distance was 22 stages over 3908 km, with riders averaging 36.084 km/h...
and 1979 Tour de France
1979 Tour de France
The 1979 Tour de France was the 66th Tour de France, taking place June 27 to July 22, 1979. The total race distance was 24 stages over 3765 km, with riders averaging 36.513 km/h. It was the only tour to finish at L'Alpe d'Huez twice. It was won by Bernard Hinault, who also won the points...
and reigning world champion, was the main favourite. His knee problems, that caused him to leave the 1980 Tour de France
1980 Tour de France
The 1980 Tour de France was the 67th Tour de France. The total distance was 3945.5 km over 22 stages, the average speed of the riders was 35.317 km/h....
, were solved, and he was in form: Hinault had won important races in the spring, and he had skipped the 1981 Giro d'Italia
1981 Giro d'Italia
The 1981 Giro d'Italia of cycling, the 64th running of the race, was held from 13 May to 7 June 1981, consisting of 22 stages. It was won by Giovanni Battaglin.-General classification:-Maglia rosa holders:-Other jerseys:...
to focus on the Tour.
His main rivals were 1980 Tour de France
1980 Tour de France
The 1980 Tour de France was the 67th Tour de France. The total distance was 3945.5 km over 22 stages, the average speed of the riders was 35.317 km/h....
winner Joop Zoetemelk
Joop Zoetemelk
Hendrik Gerardus Jozef "Joop" Zoetemelk is a retired professional racing cyclist from the Netherlands who has emigrated to France. He started the Tour de France 16 times and finished every time, a record. He won the race in 1980 and also came eighth, fifth, fourth and second...
, 1976 Tour de France
1976 Tour de France
The 1976 Tour de France was the 63rd Tour de France, taking place June 24 to July 18, 1976. The total race distance was 22 stages over 4017 km, with riders averaging 34.518 km/h.It was won by mountain specialist Lucien Van Impe...
winner Lucien Van Impe
Lucien Van Impe
Lucien van Impe was a Belgian cyclist from 1969 to 1987. He excelled mainly as a climber in multiple-day races such as the Tour de France...
and Joaquim Agostinho
Joaquim Agostinho
Joaquim Fernandes Agostinho, OIH was a Portuguese professional bicycle racer. He was champion of Portugal in six successive years. He rode the Tour de France 13 times and finished all but once, winning on Alpe d'Huez in 1979, and finishing 3rd twice...
, although they had never been able to beat Hinault when he was in form.
Freddy Maertens
Freddy Maertens
Freddy Maertens is a Belgian former professional racing cyclist and twice World Road Race Champion.- Career :...
, the winner of the points classification in the Tour de France
Points classification in the Tour de France
The points classification in the Tour de France is a secondary competition in the Tour de France, that started in 1953. Points are given for high finishes in a stage and for winning intermediate sprints, and these are recorded in a points classification. It is considered a sprinters' competition...
in 1976 and 1978, had won only three minor races in 1979 and 1980, but in 1981 he was selected again for the Tour.
Differences from the 1980 Tour de France
The time bonus for stage winners had been absent in the years before, but it returned in 1981.Race details
Hinault started out strong and won the prologue. Freddy MaertensFreddy Maertens
Freddy Maertens is a Belgian former professional racing cyclist and twice World Road Race Champion.- Career :...
showed he was still able to win sprints by wining the first part of the first stage. The second part was a team time trial, won by Ti-Raleigh, which put Gerrie Knetemann
Gerrie Knetemann
Gerrie Knetemann was a Dutch road bicycle racer who won the 1978 World Championship....
in the lead of the race. Ti Raleigh also won the second team time trial in stage four.
The Pyrenees were only briefly visited, in the fifth stage. For the last mountain, Hinault was the lead group, together with Lucien Van Impe
Lucien Van Impe
Lucien van Impe was a Belgian cyclist from 1969 to 1987. He excelled mainly as a climber in multiple-day races such as the Tour de France...
and Phil Anderson
Phil Anderson
Philip Grant Anderson OAM is an Australian former professional racing cyclist who was the first non-European to wear the yellow jersey of the Tour de France.-Origins:...
. Van Impe escaped in the last kilometers and won the stage, 27 seconds ahead of Hinault. Anderson, who finished in third place, became the new leader, the first Australian cyclist to wear the yellow jersey. Anderson had started as domestique for Jean-René Bernaudeau
Jean-René Bernaudeau
Jean-René Bernaudeau is a French former professional road bicycle racer. He was professional from 1978 to 1988. Bernaudeau is currently directeur sportif of the Team Europcar cycling team...
, and nobody was expeciting him to be able to follow Hinault.
In the time trial of stage six, Hinault won as expected, and became the race leader. Anderson surprised with a third place, and he now followed Hinault by 13 seconds in the general classification.
In the following stages, through Northern France and Belgium, Hinault slowly increased his margin to Anderson by winning bonification sprints, until lead by 57 seconds after stage 13. In stage 14, Hinault won the time trial, and added two more minutes to the margin.
In the sixteenth stage in the Alps, Anderson was not able to follow anymore. He lost 4 minutes to Hinault, but stayed in second place. Anderson lost this second place in the 17th stage, where he lost 17 minutes, making Van Impe the new second placed cyclist, nine minutes behind. Hinault showed his dominance by winning the eighteenth stage.
The time trial in stage 20 was also won by Hinault, who increased the margin to Van Impe to more than 14 minutes.
Stages
The 1981 Tour de France started on 25 June, and had two rest days, in Nantes and Morzine.| Stage | Date | Route | Terrain | Length | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 25 June | Nice Nice Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of... |
 Individual time trial An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials... |
6 km (3.7 mi) | |
| 1A | 26 June | Nice |  |
97 km (60.3 mi) | |
| 1B | Nice | Team time trial A team time trial is a road-based bicycle race in which teams of cyclists race against the clock .Teams start at equal intervals, usually two, three or four minutes apart... |
40 km (24.9 mi) | Raleigh | |
| 2 | 27 June | Nice – Martigues Martigues Martigues is a commune northwest of Marseille. It is part of the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region on the eastern end of the Canal de Caronte.... |
 |
254 km (157.8 mi) | |
| 3 | 28 June | Martigues – Narbonne Narbonne Narbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea... |
|
232 km (144.2 mi) | |
| 4 | 29 June | Narbonne – Carcassonne Carcassonne Carcassonne is a fortified French town in the Aude department, of which it is the prefecture, in the former province of Languedoc.It is divided into the fortified Cité de Carcassonne and the more expansive lower city, the ville basse. Carcassone was founded by the Visigoths in the fifth century,... |
Team time trial A team time trial is a road-based bicycle race in which teams of cyclists race against the clock .Teams start at equal intervals, usually two, three or four minutes apart... |
77 km (47.8 mi) | Raleigh |
| 5 | 30 June | St Gaudens – St Lary Soulan |  |
117 km (72.7 mi) | |
| 6 | 1 July | Nay Nay, Pyrénées-Atlantiques Nay is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It lies in the former province of Béarn.-Geography:The land of the commune are crossed by the Gave de Pau and one of its tributaries, the Béez-Place names:... – Pau |
Individual time trial An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials... |
27 km (16.8 mi) | |
| 7 | 2 July | Pau – Bordeaux Bordeaux Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture... |
|
227 km (141.1 mi) | |
| 8 | 3 July | Rochefort Rochefort, Charente-Maritime Rochefort is a commune in southwestern France, a port on the Charente estuary. It is a sub-prefecture of the Charente-Maritime department.-History:... – Nantes Nantes Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants.... |
|
182 km (113.1 mi) | |
| 9 | 5 July | Nantes – Le Mans Le Mans Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux... |
|
197 km (122.4 mi) | |
| 10 | 6 July | Le Mans – Aulnay sous Bois | |
264 km (164 mi) | |
| 11 | 7 July | Compiegne Compiègne Compiègne is a city in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.The city is located along the Oise River... – Roubaix Roubaix Roubaix is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is located between the cities of Lille and Tourcoing.The Gare de Roubaix railway station offers connections to Lille, Tourcoing, Antwerp, Ostend and Paris.-Culture:... |
|
246 km (152.9 mi) | |
| 12A | 8 July | Roubaix – Brussel | |
107 km (66.5 mi) | |
| 12B | Brussel – Zolder Zolder The Circuit Zolder, also known as Circuit Terlaemen, is an undulating motorsport race track in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium.Built in 1963, Zolder hosted the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix on 10 separate occasions in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as the 1980 Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix. The F1 circus... |
|
138 km (85.7 mi) | ||
| 13 | 9 July | Beringen – Hasselt Hasselt Hasselt is a Belgian city and municipality, and capital of the Flemish province of Limburg... |
|
157 km (97.6 mi) | |
| 14 | 10 July | Mulhouse Mulhouse Mulhouse |mill]] hamlet) is a city and commune in eastern France, close to the Swiss and German borders. With a population of 110,514 and 278,206 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2006, it is the largest city in the Haut-Rhin département, and the second largest in the Alsace region after... |
Individual time trial An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials... |
38 km (23.6 mi) | |
| 15 | 11 July | Besancon Besançon Besançon , is the capital and principal city of the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It had a population of about 237,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2008... – Thonon les Bains |
|
231 km (143.5 mi) | |
| 16 | 12 July | Thonon les Bains – Morzine Morzine Morzine is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France with panoramic mountain views, modern ski facilities and hotels and restaurants. The ski resort of Avoriaz is located on the territory of the commune... |
|
200 km (124.3 mi) | |
| 17 | 14 July | Morzine – L'Alpe d'Huez | |
230 km (142.9 mi) | |
| 18 | 15 July | Bourg d'Oisans – Le Pleynet | |
134 km (83.3 mi) | |
| 19 | 16 July | Veurey – St Priest | |
118 km (73.3 mi) | |
| 20 | 17 July | St Priest | Individual time trial An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials... |
46 km (28.6 mi) | |
| 21 | 18 July | Auxerre Auxerre Auxerre is a commune in the Bourgogne region in north-central France, between Paris and Dijon. It is the capital of the Yonne department.Auxerre's population today is about 45,000... – Fontenay sous Bois |
|
207 km (128.6 mi) | |
| 22 | 19 July | Fontenay sous Bois – Parijs | |
187 km (116.2 mi) |
General classification
| Rank | Name | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Renault | 96h 19' 38" | |
| 2 | Boston | +14' 34" | |
| 3 | La Redoute | +17' 04" | |
| 4 | TI-Raleigh-Creda | +18' 21" | |
| 5 | Capri Sonne | +20' 26" | |
| 6 | Peugeot | +23' 02" | |
| 7 | Splendor | +24' 25" | |
| 8 | Splendor | +24' 37" | |
| 9 | Splendor | +26' 18" | |
| 10 | Peugeot | +27' 00" |
| Final general classification (11–121) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Team | Time |
| 11 | Vermeer Thys | +28' 53" | |
| 12 | TI-Raleigh-Creda | +29' 46" | |
| 13 | SEM | +30' 03" | |
| 14 | Sunair-Sport Solo-Colnago | +32' 09" | |
| 15 | La Redoute | +32' 16" | |
| 16 | DAF Trucks-Côte d'Or | +33' 27" | |
| 17 | Miko | +33' 41" | |
| 18 | Peugeot | +34' 41" | |
| 19 | Renault | +38' 32" | |
| 20 | Peugeot | +41' 06" | |
| 21 | Teka | +42' 27" | |
| 22 | Renault | +49' 26" | |
| 23 | SEM | +50' 23" | |
| 24 | Puch | +52' 15" | |
| 25 | Sunair-Sport Solo-Colnago | +52' 48" | |
| 26 | La Redoute | +53' 13" | |
| 27 | Renault | +56' 06" | |
| 28 | Peugeot | +56' 37" | |
| 29 | Puch | +56' 43" | |
| 30 | DAF Trucks-Côte d'Or | +57' 21" | |
| 31 | La Redoute | +58' 00" | |
| 32 | Renault | +59' 21" | |
| 33 | SEM | +1h 01' 40" | |
| 34 | Capri Sonne | +1h 02' 46" | |
| 35 | Teka | +1h 10' 37" | |
| 36 | Miko | +1h 12' 43" | |
| 37 | Puch | +1h 12' 48" | |
| 38 | Kelme | +1h 14' 23" | |
| 39 | Capri Sonne | +1h 16' 02" | |
| 40 | Capri Sonne | +1h 17' 08" | |
| 41 | Boston | +1h 18' 38" | |
| 42 | Kelme | +1h 23' 28" | |
| 43 | Renault | +1h 24' 52" | |
| 44 | Peugeot | +1h 25' 55" | |
| 45 | La Redoute | +1h 26' 10" | |
| 46 | Peugeot | +1h 26' 12" | |
| 47 | Miko | +1h 27' 20" | |
| 48 | Splendor | +1h 28' 24" | |
| 49 | Puch | +1h 28' 51" | |
| 50 | Kelme | +1h 30' 46" | |
| 51 | Miko | +1h 31' 01" | |
| 52 | DAF Trucks-Côte d'Or | +1h 33' 39" | |
| 53 | Puch | +1h 35' 25" | |
| 54 | TI-Raleigh-Creda | +1h 37' 43" | |
| 55 | TI-Raleigh-Creda | +1h 39' 54" | |
| 56 | Renault | +1h 41' 25" | |
| 57 | DAF Trucks-Côte d'Or | +1h 42' 05" | |
| 58 | Miko | +1h 42' 12" | |
| 59 | TI-Raleigh-Creda | +1h 43' 05" | |
| 60 | Renault | +1h 43' 45" | |
| 61 | Peugeot | +1h 43' 56" | |
| 62 | Sunair-Sport Solo-Colnago | +1h 44' 07" | |
| 63 | Peugeot | +1h 44' 39" | |
| 64 | Teka | +1h 44' 49" | |
| 65 | Splendor | +1h 46' 53" | |
| 66 | Sunair-Sport Solo-Colnago | +1h 47' 34" | |
| 67 | Vermeer Thys | +1h 47' 54" | |
| 68 | Renault | +1h 48' 05" | |
| 69 | Teka | +1h 49' 11" | |
| 70 | Puch | +1h 50' 34" | |
| 71 | Puch | +1h 52' 15" | |
| 72 | Peugeot | +1h 56' 32" | |
| 73 | Miko | +1h 58' 29" | |
| 74 | Capri Sonne | +1h 59' 59" | |
| 75 | Capri Sonne | +2h 00' 34" | |
| 76 | Vermeer Thys | +2h 02' 01" | |
| 77 | Miko | +2h 02' 36" | |
| 78 | SEM | +2h 03' 20" | |
| 79 | Vermeer Thys | +2h 03' 25" | |
| 80 | DAF Trucks-Côte d'Or | +2h 05' 31" | |
| 81 | Vermeer Thys | +2h 06' 20" | |
| 82 | La Redoute | +2h 07' 14" | |
| 83 | DAF Trucks-Côte d'Or | +2h 07' 41" | |
| 84 | Capri Sonne | +2h 08' 21" | |
| 85 | Renault | +2h 10' 08" | |
| 86 | Miko | +2h 10' 22" | |
| 87 | Boston | +2h 10' 47" | |
| 88 | La Redoute | +2h 12' 04" | |
| 89 | Vermeer Thys | +2h 12' 42" | |
| 90 | SEM | +2h 12' 49" | |
| 91 | Teka | +2h 13' 12" | |
| 92 | La Redoute | +2h 13' 51" | |
| 93 | DAF Trucks-Côte d'Or | +2h 21' 50" | |
| 94 | Sunair-Sport Solo-Colnago | +2h 23' 40" | |
| 95 | TI-Raleigh-Creda | +2h 23' 56" | |
| 96 | Splendor | +2h 25' 01" | |
| 97 | Kelme | +2h 25' 38" | |
| 98 | SEM | +2h 28' 09" | |
| 99 | La Redoute | +2h 28' 11" | |
| 100 | Kelme | +2h 29' 41" | |
| 101 | Teka | +2h 30' 43" | |
| 102 | Sunair-Sport Solo-Colnago | +2h 30' 46" | |
| 103 | Kelme | +2h 33' 54" | |
| 104 | Kelme | +2h 35' 45" | |
| 105 | Kelme | +2h 37' 36" | |
| 106 | DAF Trucks-Côte d'Or | +2h 38' 10" | |
| 107 | Capri Sonne | +2h 40' 27" | |
| 108 | Vermeer Thys | +2h 44' 22" | |
| 109 | SEM | +2h 44' 24" | |
| 110 | DAF Trucks-Côte d'Or | +2h 45' 21" | |
| 111 | Boston | +2h 46' 44" | |
| 112 | Puch | +2h 51' 30" | |
| 113 | Splendor | +3h 01' 58" | |
| 114 | Boston | +3h 05' 51" | |
| 115 | TI-Raleigh-Creda | +3h 11' 29" | |
| 116 | Boston | +3h 15' 21" | |
| 117 | Sunair-Sport Solo-Colnago | +3h 16' 02" | |
| 118 | Teka | +3h 16' 13" | |
| 119 | Sunair-Sport Solo-Colnago | +3h 19' 07" | |
| 120 | Boston | +4h 14' 59" | |
| 121 | Teka | +4h 29' 54" | |
Aftermath
The 1981 Tour de France is seen as the year in which the globalization of the Tour became important. Before, the most cyclists come from France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Luxemburg and the Netherlands, with only occasional success from other European cyclists. Anderson was the first non-European cyclist to lead the Tour de France, and more would follow in the coming years.The plans to make the Tour de France open to amateurs were not forgotten, and it happened in 1983.
Anderson would again wear the yellow jersey in the next year, when he also won the young rider classification.
Hinault won five stages as reigning world champion. This had happened before, most recently in 1979 with Gerrie Knetemann
Gerrie Knetemann
Gerrie Knetemann was a Dutch road bicycle racer who won the 1978 World Championship....
and in 1980 with Jan Raas
Jan Raas
Jan Raas is a Dutch former professional cyclist whose 115 wins include the 1979 World Road Race Championship in Valkenburg, he also won the Ronde van Vlaanderen in 1979 and 1983, Paris–Roubaix in 1982 and Milan – San Remo in 1977. He won ten stages in the Tour de France...
, but after 1981 it became a rare occurrence. The next time that this happened was in 2002 with Oscar Freire
Óscar Freire
Óscar Freire Gómez is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer, riding for the UCI ProTeam Rabobank. He is one of the top sprinters in road bicycle racing, having won the world championship a three times, equalling Alfredo Binda, Rik Van Steenbergen and Eddy Merckx...
, and after that in 2011 with Thor Hushovd
Thor Hushovd
Thor Hushovd is a Norwegian professional road bicycle racer riding . He has signed for from 2012 onwards. He is known for sprinting and time trialing and is the 2010 Norwegian and world road champion. He is the first Norwegian to lead the Tour de France, and first Scandinavian to win the road...
.
Maertens would make his comeback year complete by winning the 1981 UCI Road World Championships
1981 UCI Road World Championships
The 1981 UCI Road World Championships took place on 30 August 1981 in Prague, Czechoslovakia.- Results :- Medal table :- List of professional riders :NB : List of teams by number of riders then alphabetically....
later that year, but after that never reached his 1981 level again.