1973 Tour de France

The 1973 Tour de France was the 60th edition, held from 30 June to 22 July over 20 stages and 4,090 km. Eddy Merckx, winner of the previous four editions, did not start, partly to avoid hostile French fans and partly to please his new sponsor Molteni, whose contract required him to ride the Vuelta and the Giro; he won both and judged three Grand Tours in one year impossible. In his absence Luis Ocaña dominated, winning four mountain stages and two time trials and taking the overall by more than fifteen minutes. A team points classification, based on the three best stage placings per team, was added and lasted until 1988. The Italian teams stayed away because no top French rider had ridden the Giro, and twelve teams of eleven started.