In the 1903 Tour de France, in contrast to modern stage races, a cyclist who gave up during a stage was allowed to start again the next stage, although he would no longer be in contention for the general classification. Thus Hippolyte Aucouturier, who gave up during the first stage, was able to return, and won the second and third stages. Charles Laeser, winner of the fourth stage, had not completed the third stage.
60 cyclists, all professionals or semi-professionals, started the race, of whom 49 were French, 4 Belgian, 4 Swiss, 2 German, and one Italian; 21 of them were sponsored by bicycle manufacturers, while 39 entered without commercial support. 24 other cyclists took advantage of the opportunity to enter specific stages: one rode in both the second and fourth stages, and additionally three cyclists took part in the second stage, one in the third stage, fifteen in the fourth stage only, and a further four only competed in the fifth stage.
By starting number
| No. | Starting number worn by the rider during the Tour |
|---|---|
| Pos. | Position in the general classification |
| Time | Deficit to the winner of the general classification |
| DNF | Denotes a rider who did not finish |
| AB | Denotes a rider who abandoned |
| Age correct as of 19 July 1903, the date on which the Tour ended | |
By nationality
The number of stage wins and winners in the table below is incomplete.
| Country | No. of riders | Finishers | Stage wins |
|---|---|---|---|
 France |
49 | 16 (65.3%) | 2 (Hippolyte Aucouturier x2 |
 Belgium |
4 | 3 (75.0%%) | 0 |
 Switzerland |
4 | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (Charles Laeser) |
 Germany |
2 | 1 (50.0%) | 0 |
 Italy |
2 | 1 (50.0%) | 0 |
| TOTAL | 144 | 21 (14.6%%) | 3 |
References
- ^ "1er Tour de France 1903" (in French). Memoire du cyclisme. Archived from the original on 19 January 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
- "Réglement du Tour de France 1903". L'Auto (in French). Memoire du Cyclisme. Archived from the original on 8 December 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
- ^ "1er Tour de France 1903". Memoire du cyclisme. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011.
- Cossins, Peter (2017). Butcher, Blacksmith, Acrobat, Sweep: The Tale of the First Tour de France. London: Yellow Jersey Press. ISBN 9780224100656. OCLC 989807647.
| 1903 Tour de France « 0000 1904 » | |
|---|---|