1919 Tour de France

The 1919 Tour de France was the 13th edition and the first after the First World War, held from 29 June to 27 July over 5,560 km, and won by the Belgian Firmin Lambot. After the tenth stage the yellow jersey for the leader of the general classification was introduced and first worn by Eugène Christophe. The war had ravaged the French roads: the average speed of 24.056 km/h and the ten finishers were the lowest in the race's history. Three former winners, François Faber, Octave Lapize and Lucien Petit-Breton, had died in the fighting; Philippe Thys and Odile Defraye started, but with the war over for only seven months few riders were properly trained and the older men dominated.