User:Random89/HA

Hippolyte Aucouturier was a French bicyclist, who competed in several early runnings of the Tour de France, including the inaugural event in 1903. He became notable after being disqualified from the second Tour de France after being caught receiving a tow from a car.

Early instances of the Tour de France
The first ever Tour de France was held in 1903 and was sponsored and promoted by the French sporting newspaper L'Auto. The race featured 50 riders, from France, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland, amongst whom was Aucouturier. At this time, very few riders were professional cyclists. Most participants were amateurs, and had jobs beyond bicycling. However, those who had obtained sponsorship and were professional cyclists, such as Aucouturier, clearly dominated even the first few Tours de France. The race at this time was also far less monitored and regulated than it is today: In the early years, there were many instances of cheating ranging from drugging the drinks of other competitors, seeking tow from a car or other vehicle, or even getting a ride in a car when no one was around or under the cover of darkness, as