For fifty years, some have watched the Tour de France live, turning every edition into a shared ritual. Fifty years following the same race invites reflection: how much has the world changed while cyclists keep chasing glory, while records tumble, and the Grande Boucle remains a sprawling family of more than 3,000 people who cross paths more by fate than by familiarity? In this long arc, one guide remains constant, a whisper guiding the audience through the miles and memories, a nomad who keeps turning up across France and much of Europe, ready for another journey even as the years stack up. He will celebrate eighty in 2023, dressed in a reserve of stories and a suitcase full of memories.
Alongside familiar names like Phil Liggett, and the enduring figures associated with the sport, the Tour has named legends in its own ledger — riders who became pillars of the story: Brad Wiggins, Chris Froome, and Geraint Thomas. Their chapters sit within a larger narrative where six Tours often feel like a monumental trio, a quartet of enduring empires bound by distance, yellow jerseys, and the relentless pursuit of time trials and mountains.
Here is Phil Liggett, at the 50th edition of France’s classic race.
People remember his presence as a kind of legend. A public figure known to fans and peers alike who, through the years, has drawn cheers and admiration from spectators and critics as the Tour rolled on.
He often jokes about the early days, about starting in 1973 when Eddy Merckx dominated the landscape of the race and the sport itself, a period when the event carried a different pace and a different sense of spectacle. Those years saw Luis Ocaña win under the shadow of controversy and competition, a reminder that the Tour has always lived between triumph and turmoil. Liggett recalls a time when the press relied on typewriters, when the internet did not exist and the sound of a telephone line framed the narration, and when the role of an analyst meant translating the sport’s evolution to a growing audience.
In 1973, cyclists wore practical gear, shoes with holes and toe clips to manage the heat and sweat. A subtle contrast to today’s look, where white shoes have replaced the darker styles of that era. The global political landscape also coloured the event, with Franco’s Spain and Nixon’s presidency standing in the background as generations of athletes entered the race. The audience in those days was different too, with many future fans yet to be born.
Mentions of impressive moments and emotional tributes have punctuated Liggett’s years. A yellow jersey signed by race officials and key figures punctuated a moment of shared pride, a keepsake of a special edition that remains vivid in memory. Observers noted the evolving relationship between media and cycling, from the early days of phone chronicles to modern broadcasts that capture the sport in real time and across continents.
Bicycles and cars have progressed in leaps and bounds. The vehicles in this year’s Tour, powered by a brand like Skoda, reflect ongoing efforts to reduce pollution on the route. Inside the 1970s, climate control was not a feature on tour buses; many riders slept in hostels and simple restaurants, while reporters relied on in-person calls and handwritten notes. Journalism then faced social constraints that would gradually ease, with portrayals of the sport shifting from mere reportage to broader storytelling about society and sport.
Ocana and his wife
Liggett remembers learning about Luis Ocana, a rider whose pursuit of the yellow jersey carried personal risk. The pressures of competing at the Tour affected more than just the bike—it touched lives and families, sometimes in ways that sparked controversy or discomfort. The Tour’s trajectory over fifty years reveals a sport that has grown dramatically while still wrestling with its own past.
The Tour has seen figures who inspired debate and curiosity, including moments when a single rider could dominate the public imagination. Fans, journalists, and analysts recall periods of triumph and questions about methods, strategy, and the sport’s ethics. The evolution of the Tour’s leadership and its coverage reflects a broader shift in sports media, with a constant tension between storytelling and the rigorous demands of competition.
Piquer’s trunk
The era of manual record-keeping and primitive communication gave way to modern technology. The memory of scribbled notes and on-the-ground reporting gave way to digital archives and real-time broadcasts. The Tour’s history is a tapestry of people and gear, of stages won and days lost, and of a sport that has matured into a global spectacle with a past that remains accessible through decades of coverage.
Liggett’s fifty Tours have become a symbol of endurance and change. The sport’s growth is clear in the crowds, the coverage, and the way the race is consumed by fans who follow from close by or from distant continents. Early triumphs, such as the victory of a pioneering Spaniard in Paris in 1959, shaped the path for future generations and reinforced the idea that cycling is a profession built over time with dedication and passion.