1979 Tour de France, Prologue to Stage 12 explained

The 1979 Tour de France was the 66th edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The Tour began in Fleurance with a prologue individual time trial on 27 June, and Stage 12 occurred on 9 July with a flat stage to Metz. The race finished in Paris on 22 July.

Prologue

27 June 1979 – Fleurance to Fleurance, 5km (03miles) (ITT)^[1]

Prologue result and general classification after prologue

Rank	Team	Time
1	TI–Raleigh
2	Bianchi–Faema	+ 4"
3	Miko–Mercier	s.t.
4	Renault–Gitane	s.t.
5	Peugeot–Esso	+ 5"
6	IJsboerke–Warncke	s.t.
7	TI–Raleigh	+ 6"
8	Peugeot–Esso	+ 11"
9	Peugeot–Esso	+ 12"
10	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 13"

Stage 1

28 June 1979 – Fleurance to Luchon, 225km (140miles)

Stage 1 result

Rank	Team	Time
1	Flandria–Ça va seul
2	Renault–Gitane	+ 8"
3	Inoxpran	+ 32"
4	Fiat–La France	+ 45"
5	Renault–Gitane	+ 47"
6	Magniflex–Famcucine	s.t.
7	Peugeot–Esso	s.t.
8	Miko–Mercier	s.t.
9	Splendor	s.t.
10	Fiat–La France	s.t.

General classification after stage 1^[2]

Rank	Team	Time
1	Renault–Gitane
2	Flandria–Ça va seul	+ 4"
3	Renault–Gitane	+ 24"
4	Miko–Mercier	s.t.
5	Inoxpran	+ 28"
6	Peugeot–Esso	+ 31"
7	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 36"
8	Splendor	+ 41"
9	Miko–Mercier	s.t.
10	Magniflex–Famcucine	+ 42"

Stage 2

29 June 1979 – Luchon to Superbagnères, 24km (15miles) (ITT)

Stage 2 result

Rank	Team	Time
1	Renault–Gitane
2	Flandria–Ça va seul	+ 11"
3	Miko–Mercier	+ 53"
4	Peugeot–Esso	+ 1' 42"
5	Miko–Mercier	+ 1' 48"
6	TI–Raleigh	+ 2' 12"
7	Inoxpran	+ 2' 15"
8	La Redoute–Motobécane	+ 2' 28"
9	Magniflex–Famcucine	+ 2' 48"
10	TI–Raleigh	+ 2' 51"

General classification after stage 2^[3]

Rank	Team	Time
1	Renault–Gitane
2	Miko–Mercier	+ 53"
3	Flandria–Ça va seul	s.t.
4	Peugeot–Esso	+ 1' 49"
5	Miko–Mercier	+ 2' 15"
6	Inoxpran	+ 2' 19"
7	TI–Raleigh	+ 2' 51"
8	La Redoute–Motobécane	+ 3' 00"
9	Magniflex–Famcucine	+ 3' 06"
10	Splendor	+ 3' 09"

Stage 3

30 June 1979 – Luchon to Pau, 180km (110miles)

Stage 3 result

Rank	Team	Time
1	Renault–Gitane
2	IJsboerke–Warncke	s.t.
3	Magniflex–Famcucine	s.t.
4	Miko–Mercier	s.t.
5	Kas	s.t.
6	Daf Trucks	s.t.
7	IJsboerke–Warncke	s.t.
8	La Redoute–Motobécane	s.t.
9	Inoxpran	s.t.
10	Miko–Mercier	s.t.

General classification after stage 3^[4]

Rank	Team	Time
1	Renault–Gitane
2	Miko–Mercier	+ 53"
3	Flandria–Ça va seul	s.t.
4	Peugeot–Esso	+ 1' 49"
5	Miko–Mercier	+ 2' 15"
6	Inoxpran	+ 2' 19"
7	La Redoute–Motobécane	+ 3' 00"
8	Magniflex–Famcucine	+ 3' 06"
9	Splendor	+ 3' 09"
10	Renault–Gitane	+ 4' 17"

Stage 4

1 July 1979 – Captieux to Bordeaux, 87km (54miles) (TTT)

Stage 4 result^[5]

Rank	Team	Time
1	TI–Raleigh
2	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 22"
3	Peugeot–Esso	+ 1' 11"
4	Miko–Mercier	+ 1' 48"
5	Renault–Gitane	+ 2' 29"
6	Flandria–Ça va seul	+ 3' 00"
7	Kas	+ 4' 06"
8	Magniflex–Famcucine	+ 4' 15"
9	Daf Trucks	+ 5' 10"
10	Bianchi–Faema	+ 6' 17"

General classification after stage 4

Rank	Team	Time
1	Renault–Gitane
2	Miko–Mercier	+ 12"
3	Peugeot–Esso	+ 31"
4	Flandria–Ça va seul	+ 1' 24"
5	Miko–Mercier	+ 1' 34"
6	TI–Raleigh	+ 2' 28"
7	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 4' 16"
8	Renault–Gitane	+ 4' 17"
9	Magniflex–Famcucine	+ 4' 52"
10	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 6' 27"

Stage 5

2 July 1979 – Neuville-de-Poitou to Angers, 145km (90miles)

Stage 5 result

Rank	Team	Time
1	TI–Raleigh
2	Peugeot–Esso	s.t.
3	Splendor	s.t.
4	Flandria–Ça va seul	s.t.
5	Renault–Gitane	s.t.
6	Daf Trucks	s.t.
7	Daf Trucks	s.t.
8	IJsboerke–Warncke	s.t.
9	IJsboerke–Warncke	s.t.
10	IJsboerke–Warncke	s.t.

General classification after stage 5^[6]

Rank	Team	Time
1	Renault–Gitane
2	Miko–Mercier	+ 12"
3	Peugeot–Esso	+ 31"
4	Flandria–Ça va seul	+ 1' 24"
5	Miko–Mercier	+ 1' 34"
6	TI–Raleigh	+ 2' 28"
7	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 4' 16"
8	Renault–Gitane	+ 4' 17"
9	Magniflex–Famcucine	+ 4' 52"
10	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 6' 27"

Stage 6

3 July 1979 – Angers to Saint-Brieuc, 239km (149miles)

Stage 6 result

Rank	Team	Time
1	IJsboerke–Warncke
2	Renault–Gitane	+ 1"
3	TI–Raleigh	s.t.
4	Splendor	s.t.
5	Flandria–Ça va seul	s.t.
6	Peugeot–Esso	s.t.
7	Peugeot–Esso	s.t.
8	Daf Trucks	s.t.
9	La Redoute–Motobécane	s.t.
10	Bianchi–Faema	s.t.

General classification after stage 6^[7]

Rank	Team	Time
1	Renault–Gitane
2	Miko–Mercier	+ 24"
3	Peugeot–Esso	+ 43"
4	Miko–Mercier	+ 1' 46"
5	Flandria–Ça va seul	+ 2' 22"
6	TI–Raleigh	+ 2' 40"
7	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 4' 28"
8	Renault–Gitane	+ 4' 29"
9	Magniflex–Famcucine	+ 5' 04"
10	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 6' 39"

Stage 7

4 July 1979 – Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët to Deauville, 158km (98miles)

Stage 7 result

Rank	Team	Time
1	TI–Raleigh
2	Miko–Mercier	s.t.
3	La Redoute–Motobécane	s.t.
4	Daf Trucks	+ 29"
5	Kas	+ 1' 01"
6	Miko–Mercier	+ 1' 02"
7	Bianchi–Faema	+ 1' 31"
8	TI–Raleigh	+ 1' 32"
9	Renault–Gitane	s.t.
10	Renault–Gitane	s.t.

General classification after stage 7^[8]

Rank	Team	Time
1	Renault–Gitane
2	Miko–Mercier	+ 24"
3	Peugeot–Esso	+ 43"
4	Miko–Mercier	+ 1' 46"
5	Flandria–Ça va seul	+ 2' 22"
6	TI–Raleigh	+ 2' 40"
7	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 4' 28"
8	Renault–Gitane	+ 4' 29"
9	Magniflex–Famcucine	+ 5' 04"
10	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 6' 39"

Stage 8

5 July 1979 – Deauville to Le Havre, 90km (60miles) (TTT)

Stage 8 result^[9]

Rank	Team	Time
1	TI–Raleigh
2	Renault–Gitane	+ 6"
3	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 8"
4	Miko–Mercier	+ 1' 00"
5	Flandria–Ça va seul	+ 1' 49"
6	Peugeot–Esso	+ 3' 53"
7	Magniflex–Famcucine	+ 4' 13"
8	Daf Trucks	+ 5' 02"
9	Kas	+ 6' 31"
10	Splendor	+ 6' 32"

General classification after stage 8

Rank	Team	Time
1	Renault–Gitane
2	Miko–Mercier	+ 1' 18"
3	Miko–Mercier	+ 2' 40"
4	TI–Raleigh	+ 2' 41"
5	Flandria–Ça va seul	+ 4' 05"
6	Renault–Gitane	+ 4' 29"
7	Peugeot–Esso	+ 4' 30"
8	IJsboerke–Warncke	s.t.
9	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 6' 41"
10	Renault–Gitane	+ 6' 51"

Stage 9

6 July 1979 – Amiens to Roubaix, 201km (125miles)

Stage 9 result

Rank	Team	Time
1	IJsboerke–Warncke
2	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 19"
3	Splendor	s.t.
4	IJsboerke–Warncke	s.t.
5	Miko–Mercier	s.t.
6	La Redoute–Motobécane	+ 3' 40"
7	Kas	+ 3' 45"
8	Fiat–La France	s.t.
9	La Redoute–Motobécane	s.t.
10	La Redoute–Motobécane	s.t.

General classification after stage 9^[10]

Rank	Team	Time
1	Miko–Mercier
2	Renault–Gitane	+ 2' 08"
3	Miko–Mercier	+ 4' 48"
4	TI–Raleigh	+ 4' 49"
5	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 5' 23"
6	Peugeot–Esso	+ 6' 38"
7	Renault–Gitane	+ 9' 21"
8	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 9' 22"
9	Renault–Gitane	+ 11' 43"
10	Miko–Mercier	+ 13' 53"

Stage 10

7 July 1979 – Roubaix to Brussels, 124km (77miles)

Stage 10 result

Rank	Team	Time
1	Daf Trucks
2	Flandria–Ça va seul	+ 54"
3	IJsboerke–Warncke	s.t.
4	Peugeot–Esso	+ 2' 24"
5	La Redoute–Motobécane	s.t.
6	Fiat–La France	+ 9' 03"
7	Kas	s.t.
8	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 9' 06"
9	La Redoute–Motobécane	+ 9' 32"
10	Kas	+ 9' 33"

General classification after stage 10^[11]

Rank	Team	Time
1	Miko–Mercier
2	Renault–Gitane	+ 2' 08"
3	Miko–Mercier	+ 4' 48"
4	TI–Raleigh	+ 4' 49"
5	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 5' 23"
6	Peugeot–Esso	+ 6' 38"
7	Daf Trucks	+ 8' 19"
8	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 9' 10"
9	Renault–Gitane	+ 9' 21"
10	Renault–Gitane	+ 11' 43"

Stage 11

8 July 1979 – Brussels to Brussels, 33km (21miles) (ITT)

Stage 11 result

Rank	Team	Time
1	Renault–Gitane
2	Bianchi–Faema	+ 8"
3	TI–Raleigh	+ 26"
4	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 29"
5	Miko–Mercier	+ 36"
6	Splendor	+ 1' 20"
7	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 1' 24"
8	Peugeot–Esso	+ 1' 28"
9	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 1' 40"
10	Flandria–Ça va seul	+ 1' 48"

General classification after stage 11^[12]

Rank	Team	Time
1	Miko–Mercier
2	Renault–Gitane	+ 1' 32"
3	Miko–Mercier	+ 7' 16"
4	TI–Raleigh	+ 7' 37"
5	Peugeot–Esso	+ 8' 00"
6	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 8' 43"
7	Daf Trucks	+ 10' 38"
8	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 10' 44"
9	Renault–Gitane	+ 12' 56"
10	Renault–Gitane	+ 14' 22"

Stage 12

9 July 1979 – Rochefort to Metz, 193km (120miles)

Stage 12 result

Rank	Team	Time
1	Miko–Mercier
2	Kas	+ 1"
3	Bianchi–Faema	+ 23"
4	TI–Raleigh	s.t.
5	Renault–Gitane	s.t.
6	Peugeot–Esso	+ 30"
7	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 2' 15"
8	Flandria–Ça va seul	s.t.
9	Splendor	s.t.
10	Fiat–La France	s.t.

General classification after stage 12^[13]

Rank	Team	Time
1	Miko–Mercier
2	Renault–Gitane	+ 1' 32"
3	Peugeot–Esso	+ 6' 09"
4	Miko–Mercier	+ 7' 16"
5	TI–Raleigh	+ 7' 37"
6	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 8' 43"
7	IJsboerke–Warncke	+ 10' 44"
8	Renault–Gitane	+ 12' 56"
9	Miko–Mercier	+ 13' 13"
10	Renault–Gitane	+ 14' 22"

Notes and References

Web site: 66ème Tour de France 1979. Memoire du cyclisme. https://web.archive.org/web/20120819202404/http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1978_2005/tdf1979.php. 19 August 2012.
Web site: 66ème Tour de France 1979 - 1ère étape. Memoire du cyclisme. https://web.archive.org/web/20110918162034/http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1978_2005/tdf1979_1.php. 18 September 2011.
Web site: 66ème Tour de France 1979 - 2ème étape. Memoire du cyclisme. https://web.archive.org/web/20110918163049/http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1978_2005/tdf1979_2.php. 18 September 2011.
Web site: 66ème Tour de France 1979 - 3ème étape. Memoire du cyclisme. https://web.archive.org/web/20110918163653/http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1978_2005/tdf1979_3.php. 18 September 2011.
Web site: 66ème Tour de France 1979 - 4ème étape. Memoire du cyclisme. https://web.archive.org/web/20110918163716/http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1978_2005/tdf1979_4.php. 18 September 2011.
Web site: 66ème Tour de France 1979 - 5ème étape. Memoire du cyclisme. https://web.archive.org/web/20110918163743/http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1978_2005/tdf1979_5.php. 18 September 2011.
Web site: 66ème Tour de France 1979 - 6ème étape. Memoire du cyclisme. https://web.archive.org/web/20110918165811/http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1978_2005/tdf1979_6.php. 18 September 2011.
Web site: 66ème Tour de France 1979 - 7ème étape. Memoire du cyclisme. https://web.archive.org/web/20110918165816/http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1978_2005/tdf1979_7.php. 18 September 2011.
Web site: 66ème Tour de France 1979 - 8ème étape. Memoire du cyclisme. https://web.archive.org/web/20110918165859/http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1978_2005/tdf1979_8.php. 18 September 2011.
Web site: 66ème Tour de France 1979 - 9ème étape. Memoire du cyclisme. https://web.archive.org/web/20110914074153/http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1978_2005/tdf1979_9.php. 14 September 2011.
Web site: 66ème Tour de France 1979 - 10ème étape. Memoire du cyclisme. https://web.archive.org/web/20110918162037/http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1978_2005/tdf1979_10.php. 18 September 2011.
Web site: 66ème Tour de France 1979 - 11ème étape. Memoire du cyclisme. https://web.archive.org/web/20110918162042/http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1978_2005/tdf1979_11.php. 18 September 2011.
Web site: 66ème Tour de France 1979 - 12ème étape. Memoire du cyclisme. https://web.archive.org/web/20110918162047/http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1978_2005/tdf1979_12.php. 18 September 2011.