List of teams and cyclists in the 1973 Tour de France explained

For the 1973 Tour de France, the winner of the previous four editions, Eddy Merckx had changed sponsors to the Italian Molteni. His contract said that he had to start in the 1973 Vuelta a España and the 1973 Giro d'Italia, and Merckx thought it was impossible to start in three grand tours in one year, so he stayed away from the Tour. Ocana, who was in great shape, was now the main favourite, with Fuente, Poulidor and Thevenet as his biggest threats.^[1] However, Ocana was not the clear favorite; he had already crashed out of the Tour three times, and he was seen as fragile.^[2] Zoetemelk had changed teams, because he did not have the full support of his team leader.^[2]

The Italian teams did not join the 1973 Tour de France, because no top French cyclist joined the 1973 Giro d'Italia. This meant that world champion Marino Basso and former Tour winner Felice Gimondi were absent.^[3] The Tour started with the following 12 teams, each with 11 cyclists:^[1]

Gan–Mercier Sonolor Carpenter–Shimano–Flandria Peugeot–BP Bic Watney–Maes

Rokado Gitane–Frigécrème Canada Dry–Gazelle De Kova–Lejeune Kas La Casera–Bahamontes

Start list

By team

No. Rider Pos. 1 DNF 2 82 3 46 4 26 5 67 6 DNF 7 43 8 12 9 79 10 76 11 7	+Sonolor No. Rider Pos. 12 61 13 71 14 DNF 15 80 16 78 17 51 18 DNF 19 60 20 48 21 5 22 DNF	No. Rider Pos. 23 74 24 DNF 25 DNF 26 72 27 24 28 55 29 65 30 18 31 34 32 62 33 DNF
No. Rider Pos. 34 56 35 22 36 11 37 68 38 30 39 69 40 10 41 DNF 42 36 43 2 44 37	No. Rider Pos. 45 8 46 28 47 14 48 27 49 21 50 19 51 1 52 31 53 77 54 32 55 53	No. Rider Pos. 56 DNF 57 DNF 58 DNF 59 DNF 60 DNF 61 DNF 62 DNF 63 DNF 64 DNF 65 DNF 66 DNF
No. Rider Pos. 67 DNF 68 81 69 DNF 70 16 71 DNF 72 DNF 73 DNF 74 DNF 75 66 76 6 77 52	No. Rider Pos. 78 64 79 DNF 80 73 81 42 82 49 83 35 84 DNF 85 63 86 59 87 57 88 4	No. Rider Pos. 89 DNF 90 DNF 91 DNF 92 75 93 33 94 DNF 95 45 96 DNF 97 DNF 98 70 99 DNF
No. Rider Pos. 100 17 101 85 102 58 103 86 104 44 105 DNF 106 DNF 107 84 108 83 109 87 110 DNF	No. Rider Pos. 111 DNF 112 3 113 20 114 47 115 50 116 29 117 9 118 15 119 41 120 40 121 23	No. Rider Pos. 122 DNF 123 25 124 54 125 DNF 126 DNF 127 39 128 DNF 129 38 130 13 131 DNF 132 DNF

By rider

align=center

No.	Starting number worn by the rider during the Tour
Pos.	Position in the general classification
DNF	Denotes a rider who did not finish

No.	Name	Nationality	Team	Pos.
1				DNF	^[4]
2				82
3				46
4				26
5				67
6				DNF
7				43
8	Mariano Martínez			12
9				79
10				76
11				7
12				61
13				71
14				DNF
15				80
16				78
17				51
18				DNF
19				60
20				48
21				5
22				DNF
23				74
24				DNF
25				DNF
26				72
27				24
28				55
29				65
30				18
31				34
32				62
33				DNF
34				56
35				22
36				11
37				68
38				30
39				69
40				10
41				DNF
42				36
43				2
44				37
45				8
46				28
47				14
48				27
49				21
50				19
51				1
52				31
53				77
54				32
55				53
56				DNF
57				DNF
58				DNF
59				DNF
60				DNF
61				DNF
62				DNF
63				DNF
64				DNF
65				DNF
66				DNF
67				DNF
68				81
69				DNF
70				16
71				DNF
72				DNF
73				DNF
74				DNF
75				66
76				6
77				52
78				64
79				DNF
80				73
81				42
82				49
83				35
84				DNF
85				63
86				59
87				57
88				4
89				DNF
90				DNF
91				DNF
92				75
93				33
94				DNF
95				45
96				DNF
97				DNF
98				70
99				DNF
100				17
101				85
102				58
103				86
104				44
105				DNF
106				DNF
107				84
108				83
109				87
110				DNF
111				DNF
112				3
113				20
114				47
115				50
116				29
117				9
118				15
119				41
120				40
121				23
122				DNF
123				25
124				54
125				DNF
126				DNF
127				39
128				DNF
129				38
130				13
131				DNF
132				DNF

By nationality

Notes and References

1. Web site: 60ème Tour de France 1973. Memoire du cyclisme. fr. 22 January 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20120124102953/http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1947_1977/tdf1973.php. 24 January 2012.
2. Book: McGann, Bill. The Story of the Tour De France: 1965-2007. 73–81. McGann, Carol. Dog Ear Publishing. 2008. 1-59858-608-4. 22 January 2015.
3. News: Italianen mijden Tour de France. 4 June 1973. nl. De krant van toen. Nieuwsblad van het Noorden. 21. 22 January 2015.
4. Web site: 60ème Tour de France 1973. Memoire du cyclisme. https://web.archive.org/web/20111124033622/http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1947_1977/tdf1973.php. 24 November 2011.