Before the start of the 1908 Tour de France, 162 cyclists had subscribed for the race, and received starting numbers. 48 cyclists did not start, so the first stage started with 114 cyclists.
Because the cyclists were not allowed to change bicycles, the separation in two different classes in the years before had disappeared, and all cyclists started in the same category. The favourite for the victory was Lucien Mazan "Petit-Breton", the winner of the previous edition. He was supported by his Peugeot-team, which included the best cyclists; in the five previous editions of the Tour de France, they had won 20 stages. In addition, Petit-Breton was a skilled bicycle mechanic, which was important because the rules said that cyclists had to repair their bicycle without help. The strongest opposition was expected from the Alcyon team, led by Georges Passerieu and Gustave Garrigou.
French athlete Marie Marvingt had tried to participate in the 1908 Tour de France, but was refused permission because the race was only open to men. She rode the route after the race, and managed to finish it.
By starting number + Legend 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 Pos. 1 Édouard Wattelier 28 2 Lucien Mazan 1 3 Gustave Garrigou 4 4 Émile Georget DNF 5 Georges Passerieu 3 6 Maurice Brocco DNF 7 Henri Cornet 8 8 Jean-Baptiste Dortignacq DNF 9 Georges Paulmier 6 10 Omer Beaugendre 13 11 Christophe Laurent DNF 12 Hippolyte Aucouturier DNF 13 Georges Fleury 7 16 Pierre Privat DNF 17 Marcel Berthet DNF 19 Constant Ménager DNF 20 Jean Novo DNF 21 René Fleury DNF 23 Hubert Baert DNF 24 Alzir Vivier DNF 25 Armand Roume DNF 26 Léon Winant DNF 27 Marcel Robert DNF 28 Marcel Dozol DNF 29 Albert Chartier DNF 30 Pierre Desvages DNF 31 Prosper Rau DNF 32 Armand Perin DNF 33 Louis Trousselier DNF 34 Cyrille van Hauwaert DNF 35 Augustin Ringeval DNF 36 Henri Lignon DNF 37 André Pottier 17 38 François Lafourcade DNF 39 Marcel Godivier 9 40 Paul Duboc 11 41 Antoine Lombret DNF 42 Martin Soulie 23 44 Eugène Platteau DNF 45 Aloïs Catteau 21 47 Jules Masselis DNF 49 Paul Boillat DNF 50 Eugène Forestier 15 52 Noël Combelles 25 54 Marceau Narcy 22 56 Georges Bamonde DNF 59 Alexandre Bodinier 27 61 Jules Chabas DNF 63 Fernand Huillier DNF 64 Ferdinand Payan 24 65 Marcel Lequatre DNF 66 Moïse Fugere DNF 67 Albert Lagarnier DNF 68 Léon Rabot 33 69 Paul Dunan DNF 70 René Salais DNF 72 Robert Lecointe 30 74 Giuseppe Bonfanti DNF 77 Achille Germain 16 78 Pierre Poinet DNF 81 Philippe Pautrat DNF 82 F. Gonzales 26 85 Giovanni Gerbi 20 86 François Faber 2 87 Georges Lorgeou DNF 88 Paul Chauvet 14 90 Louis Gardent DNF 92 Georges Woiron DNF 93 Ernest Woiron DNF 94 Louis Bertanza DNF 95 Aldo Bettini 19 96 Albert Dupont DNF 99 Ernest Paul 18 100 Raymond Lacot DNF 101 Carlo Galetti DNF 103 Louis Di Maria 35 104 Maurice Pardon DNF 105 Georges Bronchard 29 106 Léon Georget DNF 107 Julien Maitron DNF 108 André Carre DNF 110 André Sevestre DNF 111 Charles Cruchon DNF 113 Léon Girault DNF 114 Ernest Goujon DNF 115 Alexandre Gilles DNF 116 Firmin Court DNF 117 François Aucouturier DNF 118 Jean Darche 34 120 Gaston Dagorneau DNF 124 Edmond Masson DNF 125 Luigi Chiodi DNF 126 Ernest Haillote DNF 130 Jules Deloffre DNF 134 Alfred Quenon DNF 135 Luigi Ganna 5 136 Eberardo Pavesi DNF 137 Ange Varalde DNF 138 Henri Severin DNF 139 Hubert Serriere DNF 140 Eloi Guichard 32 142 Henri Anthoine 36 143 Jean Perreard DNF 144 Maurice Pellerin DNF 146 Giovanni Rossignoli 10 147 Angelo Ben DNF 148 Louis Bertrand DNF 149 Joseph Chanteperdrix DNF 150 Alphonse Charpiot DNF 152 Giovanni Cuniolo DNF 156 A. Landon DNF 157 Clemente Canepari 12 161 Franz Dülberg DNF 162 Antoine Wattelier 31
References