1955 Tour de France

The 1955 Tour de France was the 42nd edition, held from 7 to 30 July over 22 stages and 4,495 km, and was won by Louison Bobet, completing three consecutive victories. Eight national teams of ten rode, from France, Belgium, Spain, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Italy and Switzerland plus a mixed team of Luxembourgers, Austrians, West Germans and Australians, alongside five French regional teams, 120 riders in all. The British team was the first in Tour history, and the mixed team's West Germans were the first Germans to ride since the Second World War. Bobet, the winner of 1953 and 1954, prepared aggressively through the spring and started as the main favourite.