Grand Prix du Midi Libre

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Grand Prix du Midi Libre
Race details
Date Before Tour de France
Region South France
English name Grand Prix du Midi Libre
Local name(s) Grand Prix du Midi Libre (French)
Nickname(s) Midi Libre
Discipline Road race
Type Stage race
Organiser Midi libre
History
First edition 1949
Editions 55
Final edition 2004
First winner Flag of France Henri Massal
Most wins Flag of France Jean-René Bernaudeau (4 wins)
Most recent Flag of France Christophe Moreau (2004)

The Grand Prix du Midi Libre (referred to as just Midi Libre) was a multiple-stage cycling course in the south of France. The race, named after the newspaper that organized it, was first organized in 1949 and was an important preparation courses for the Tour de France. Because of the hills in southern France, a climber usually won but sometimes the decision was made in a flat stage.

In 2003 the course was not organized, due to financial problems. One year later it returned, named Tour du Languedoc-Roussillon, but this turned out to be a one-time comeback.

[edit] Winners

Rider Team
1949 Flag of France Henri Massal
1950 Flag of France Antonin Rolland
1951 Flag of France Raphaël Geminiani
1952 Flag of Italy Siro Bianchi
1953 Flag of France Pierre Nardi
1954 Flag of Spain Jesus Martinez
1955 Flag of Spain Miguel Poblet
1956 Flag of France Antonin Rolland
1957 Flag of Luxembourg Jempy Schmitz
1958 Flag of France Francis Pipelin
1959 Flag of Belgium Jean Brankart
1960 Flag of France Valentin Huot
1961 Flag of France Joseph Groussard
1962 Flag of the Netherlands Mies Stolker
1963 Flag of Spain Fernando Manzaneque
1964 Flag of France André Foucher
1965 Flag of France André Foucher
1966 Flag of France Jean-Claude Theilliere
1967 Flag of France Michel Grain
1969 Flag of Spain Luis Ocana
1970 Flag of Italy Walter Ricci
1971 Flag of Belgium Eddy Merckx
1972 Flag of France Cyrille Guimard
1973 Flag of France Raymond Poulidor
1974 Flag of France Jean-Pierre Danguillaume
1975 Flag of Italy Francesco Moser
1976 Flag of France Alain Meslet
1977 Flag of Italy Wladimiro Panizza
Rider Team
1978 Flag of Italy Claudio Bortolotto
1979 Flag of Italy Giuseppe Saronni
1980 Flag of France Jean-René Bernaudeau
1981 Flag of France Jean-René Bernaudeau
1982 Flag of France Jean-René Bernaudeau
1983 Flag of France Jean-René Bernaudeau
1984 Flag of France Dominique Garde
1985 Flag of Italy Silvano Contini
1986 Flag of Belgium Claude Criquielion
1987 Flag of France Patrice Esnault
1988 Flag of Belgium Claude Criquielion
1989 Flag of France Jerome Simon
1990 Flag of France Gérard Rué
1991 Flag of France Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle
1992 Flag of France Luc Leblanc
1993 Flag of Italy Maurizio Fondriest
1994 Flag of Slovakia Jan Svorada
1995 Flag of Spain Miguel Induráin
1996 Flag of France Laurent Jalabert
1997 Flag of Italy Alberto Elli
1998 Flag of Switzerland Laurent Dufaux
1999 Flag of France Benoît Salmon
2000 Flag of France Didier Rous
2001 Flag of Spain Iban Mayo
2002 Flag of the United States Lance Armstrong
2003 No race
2004 Flag of France Christophe Moreau