The Tour de France 2026 will experience its 27th Grand Départ abroad on July 4th. Exactly one hundred years ago, in 1926, the race witnessed a historic moment when the start was given from Evian, for the first time away from the Paris headquarters of the organizing newspaper L'Auto.

Among other anniversaries that stand out in Tour history, the editions marked by the number 6 offer pages worth revisiting: Roger Walkowiak's atypical victory in 1956, the heroic finale of Raymond Poulidor's fourteenth and final participation at the age of 40 in 1976, and the passing of the torch in 1986 between five-time French winner Bernard Hinault and the first American winner, his La Vie Claire teammate Greg LeMond. Thanks to our friends at ASO, we will retrace these events in a sort of countdown to the great Barcelona appointment.

LEMOND-HINAULT, A NEW WORLD
Edition: 73rd
Dates: July 4 - 27, 1986
Stages: 23
Distance: 4,094 kilometers between Boulogne-Billancourt and Paris
Countries crossed: France
Starters / Finishers: 210 / 132
Average speed: 37.020 km/h

Podium:
1. Greg LeMond (USA / La Vie Claire-Radar)
2. Bernard Hinault (FRA / La Vie Claire-Radar)
3. Urs Zimmermann (CHE / Carrera-Inoxpran)

Points classification: Eric Vanderaerden (BEL / Panasonic-Raleigh)

Mountains classification: Bernard Hinault (FRA / La Vie Claire-Radar)

Best young rider: Andrew Hampsten (USA / La Vie Claire-Radar)

Super-combativity award: Bernard Hinault (FRA / La Vie Claire-Radar)

Team classification: La Vie Claire-Radar

Yellow jersey wearers: Greg LeMond (7), Bernard Hinault (5), Jorgen Vagn Pedersen (5), Thierry Marie, Johan van der Velde (2), Alex Stieda, Dominique Gaigne (1)

Stage winners: Bernard Hinault, Guido Bontempi (3), Thierry Marie, Pol Verschuere, Système U, Davis Phinney, Pello Ruiz Cabestany, Johan van der Velde, Ludo Peeters, Eddy Planckaert, José Angel Sarrapio, Rudy Dhaenens, Pedro Delgado, Greg LeMond, Niki Ruttimann, Frank Hoste, Jean-François Bernard, Eduardo Chozas, Julian Gorospe, Erich Maechler (1).

The 1986 Tour began with the winners of the previous eight editions: Bernard Hinault (1978, 79, 81, 82, 85), Joop Zoetemelk (1980), and Laurent Fignon (1983, 84). The defending champion, "The Badger," is supported at La Vie Claire by Greg LeMond, who promises to support him in turn.

Winner of the prologue in Boulogne-Billancourt, Thierry Marie triumphed on a bike equipped with a back-support saddle. The next day, Alexis Stieda took the yellow jersey from him and became the first Canadian to wear it. It changed hands four more times until the finish in the Pyrenees (twelfth stage).

Already winner of the time trial in Nantes, Bernard Hinault dealt a heavy blow three days later between Bayonne and Pau. Pedro Delgado won the stage and took the yellow jersey with more than 5 minutes' advantage over Greg LeMond. The Frenchman is there to win.

Bernard Hinault seemed stronger and shone again the next day (thirteenth stage) on the Tourmalet and Aspin. Surprisingly recovering after the Peyresourde, he collapsed and watched helplessly as Greg LeMond succeeded in the Luchon-Superbagnères stage. The gap in the general classification dropped to 40 seconds; the race is wide open.

The entry into the Alps favored the American. While Eduardo Chozas wins the 17th stage (Gap - Serre Chevalier), Greg LeMond overtakes Bernard Hinault climbing the Col du Granon and wears his first yellow jersey. Urs Zimmermann (+2'24") jumps to second place, Hinault (+2'47") is only third.

The duel between teammates resumes the next day. Greg LeMond and Bernard Hinault experienced an epic day that concluded at Alpe d'Huez, overwhelming the competition (Urs Zimmermann finished 5 minutes back) and crossing the finish line hand in hand, with LeMond handing the victory to Hinault.

"The race isn't over," says Bernard Hinault. He won the time trial in Saint-Étienne (20th stage), the last of his 28 stage wins on the Grande Boucle. "The Badger" had come back to 2 minutes and 18 seconds behind Greg LeMond, who responded by proving to be the strongest at Puy de Dôme the next day.

Greg LeMond became the first American (and non-European) to win the Tour de France, which he won a total of three times (1986, 89, 90). Bernard Hinault, five-time winner, finished second (+3'10"), in his eighth and final participation. The torch had been passed: the Frenchman would retire at the end of the year.