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1995 Tour de France
The 1995 Tour de France was the final chapter in Miguel Induráin’s extraordinary five-year reign over the race. The 82nd Tour covered 20 stages plus a prologue, beginning in Saint-Brieuc on July 1 and finishing in Paris on July 23. Induráin arrived as the four-time defending champion and once again built his victory around a devastating combination of time-trialing, strength in the mountains and an ability to capitalize on the moments when his rivals were most vulnerable. He finished the Tour 4 minutes 35 seconds ahead of Alex Zülle, with Bjarne Riis third at 6:47. Laurent Jalabert won the green jersey as points champion, Richard Virenque claimed the mountains classification for the second consecutive year, and Marco Pantani won the young rider classification. ONCE took the team classification. In winning the overall race, Induráin became the first rider in Tour history to win five consecutive editions.
One defining moment came even before the race reached the high mountains. On Stage 7 from Charleroi to Liège, Induráin launched an unusually aggressive attack on terrain more associated with the Ardennes Classics than Tour contenders. Only ONCE’s Johan Bruyneel was able to stay with him, Bruyneel taking the stage while Induráin gained significant time on most of his principal rivals. The following day Induráin drove the advantage home by winning the 54-kilometer individual time trial from Huy to Seraing, taking the yellow jersey and establishing himself firmly as the man to beat.
The Alps produced some of the Tour’s finest racing. Alex Zülle attacked to win alone at La Plagne on Stage 9, finishing 2:02 ahead of Induráin and moving into second overall. The next day belonged to Marco Pantani. The young Italian climber attacked on the road to L’Alpe d’Huez and won by 1:24 over Induráin, with Zülle just behind. Pantani struck again in the Pyrenees, winning the summit finish at Guzet-Neige on Stage 14. Although he had lost too much time elsewhere to threaten Induráin overall, his two mountain victories confirmed his place among the most exciting climbers of his generation.
Laurent Jalabert provided another memorable performance on Bastille Day. On the 223-kilometer Stage 12 to Mende, the ONCE rider won the stage and climbed to third overall, briefly raising French hopes of a podium challenge while reinforcing an exceptional Tour in which he would ultimately finish fourth overall and win the green points jersey. Richard Virenque again demonstrated his strength in the mountains, winning the difficult Stage 15 finish at Cauterets and ultimately taking the mountains classification. ONCE completed an outstanding race by winning the team classification, while Pantani took the young rider classification.
Tragically, the 1995 Tour is also remembered for the death of Olympic champion Fabio Casartelli. During Stage 15 on July 18, the 24-year-old Motorola rider crashed heavily on the descent of the Col de Portet-d’Aspet and died from his injuries. The following day’s stage from Tarbes to Pau was neutralized in his memory, with Casartelli’s Motorola teammates riding together at the front as the peloton reached the finish. Two days later, Motorola teammate Lance Armstrong won Stage 18 into Limoges, attacking to finish 33 seconds clear of Andrea Ferrigato.
Induráin put an emphatic finishing touch on his Tour by winning the 46-kilometer individual time trial around Lac de Vassivière on the penultimate day, beating Riis by 48 seconds and extending his advantage over Zülle to the final margin of 4:35. Djamolidine Abdoujaparov won the final sprint in Paris, while Induráin crossed the line as champion for the fifth consecutive year. His 1991–1995 run remains one of the defining periods of Tour de France history.
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