The 107th edition of the Tour de France is currently underway – albeit months behind schedule, due to the global coronavirus pandemic. And Britain’s Adam Yates, who was a massive outsider in the pre-race Tour de France odds, is currently in possession of the yellow jersey.
As the drama of this year’s race unfolds, let’s take a look back at the riders with the most wins in the history of the Tour de France. Read on to find out more!
Jacques Anquetil – 5
Frenchman Jacques Anquetil took part in his first Tour de France in 1957 and went on to win the illustrious race. Anquetil, who raced for his country – as teams were decided by nations back then and not commercially – amazingly won four stages, before finishing the race almost 15 minutes ahead of the other racers.
Anquetil didn’t win the Grand Boucle again until 1961, when he claimed the yellow jersey in stage one, defending it throughout the whole tour. The French rider went on to win again for the following three years on the bounce, becoming the first man to win the tour four successive times!
Eddy Merckx – 5
Édouard Merckx, better known as Eddy Merckx, is considered to be the most successful rider in the history of the sport. The Belgian won 11 Grand Tours, including five Tour De France, five Tours of Italy, and one Tour of Spain.
In 1969, “The Cannibal” also won his first attempt at the tour and went on to match Anquetil’s record in the prestigious race of four wins on the trot, becoming only the second cyclist to do so. In 1973, Merckx opted to take part in the Vuelta a España and Gito d’Italia – both of which he won – instead of the Tour de France. However, he returned to Grand Boucle in 1974, and picked up his fifth, and final, victory.
Bernard Hinault – 5
Bernard Hinault is another cyclist to win the Tour de France in his inaugural race. In 1978, now racing under commercial teams, the Team Renault rider won his first tour by three minutes and 56 seconds, despite not clinching the yellow jersey until the final trial!
Hinault was successful again in 1979, this time winning by more than 13 minutes, as second-placed Joop Zoetemelk had 10 minutes added to his time due to doping. Despite holding the lead in 1980, Hinault pulled out of the race after the 12th stage due to injury. The Frenchman went on to win back-to-back tour’s in ’81 and ’82, before his fifth, and final, victory in 1985.
Miguel Indurain – 5
Spaniard Miguel Indurain dominated the Tour de France throughout the 1990’s. Within that decade, he became the fourth, and last, cyclist to win the race five times, whilst he also became the first man to win the tour five times in a row.
Indurain won his first tour in 1991, beating Italian Gianni Bugno by three minutes and 36 seconds. The Banesto rider won again in 1992, this time by a margin of four minutes and 35 seconds. The Spaniard pulled even further ahead of second in 1993, winning by four minutes and 59 seconds. Sweeping up again in 1994, Indurain won by an even bigger margin of five minutes and 39 seconds. In 1995, Alex Zülle finished second, four minutes and 35 seconds behind Indurain, who claimed his fifth, and final tour victory.
