The 1971 Tour de France started with the following 13 teams, each with 10 cyclists:

Eddy Merckx, who had won the 1969 and 1970 Tours, was the big favourite. Pre-race predictions were certain that if he would not become ill or crash, Merckx would be the winner, and were speculating whether he would be able to lead the race from start to end.

With fewer flat stages, fewer time trials and more mountain stages, it was thought that climbers would have an advantage.

Teams

(riders) (riders) (riders) (riders) (riders) (riders) (riders) (riders) (riders) (riders) (riders) (riders) (riders)

Cyclists

+ Legend No. Starting number worn by the rider during the Tour Pos. Position in the general classification Time Deficit to the winner of the general classification * Denotes the winner of the general classification Denotes the winner of the points classification DNS Denotes a rider who did not start a stage, followed by the stage before which he withdrew DNF Denotes a rider who did not finish a stage, followed by the stage in which he withdrew HD Denotes a rider who finished outside the time limit, followed by the stage in which he did so Age correct as of 26 June 1971, the date on which the Tour began

By starting number

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

By team

+ No. Rider Pos. 1 1 2 60 3 27 4 57 5 44 6 90 7 35 8 21 9 14 10 16Directeur sportif: Guillaume Driessens+ No. Rider Pos. 11 62 12 DNF 13 75 14 91 15 DNF 16 93 17 55 18 DNF 19 70 20 2Directeur sportif: Briek Schotte+ No. Rider Pos. 21 DNF 22 92 23 DNF 24 DNF 25 64 26 DNF 27 DNF 28 85 29 19 30 29Directeur sportif: Alfredo Martini+ No. Rider Pos. 31 9 32 DNF 33 43 34 28 35 40 36 84 37 34 38 54 39 74 40 3Directeur sportif: Jean Stablinski+ No. Rider Pos. 41 94 42 56 43 DNF 44 26 45 81 46 7 47 88 48 23 49 DNF 50 71Directeur sportif: Louis Caput+ No. Rider Pos. 51 25 52 86 53 DNF 54 DNF 55 68 56 DNF 57 12 58 DNF 59 DNF 60 42Directeur sportif: Vittorio Adorni+ No. Rider Pos. 61 72 62 73 63 11 64 DNF 65 61 66 10 67 53 68 38 69 49 70 DNFDirecteur sportif: Dalmacio Langarica+ No. Rider Pos. 71 41 72 58 73 18 74 DNF 75 77 76 20 77 DNF 78 89 79 32 80 4Directeur sportif: Gaston Plaud+ No. Rider Pos. 81 5 82 DNF 83 46 84 DNF 85 79 86 31 87 69 88 DNF 89 47 90 51Directeur sportif: Raphaël Géminiani+ No. Rider Pos. 91 37 92 36 93 39 94 48 95 8 96 17 97 6 98 DNF 99 22 100 65Directeur sportif: Maurice De Muer+ No. Rider Pos. 101 66 102 DNF 103 DNF 104 DNF 105 DNF 106 DNF 107 DNF 108 78 109 83 110 DNFDirecteur sportif: Eraldo Giganti+ No. Rider Pos. 111 80 112 76 113 82 114 63 115 50 116 59 117 DNF 118 DNF 119 30 120 87Directeur sportif: Kees Pellenaars+ No. Rider Pos. 121 45 122 DNF 123 33 124 DNF 125 DNF 126 52 127 13 128 24 129 15 130 67Directeur sportif: José Antonio Momeñe

By nationality

Country No. of riders Finishers Stage wins 25 20 9 (Eric Leman ×3, Albert Van Vlierberghe, Eddy Merckx ×4, Herman Van Springel) 1 1 35 31 4 (Jean-Pierre Genet, Bernard Thévenet, Bernard Labourdette, Jean-Pierre Danguillaume) 2 1 1 1 25 11 3 (Pietro Guerra, Mauro Simonetti, Luciano Armani) 2 2 14 10 3 (Gerben Karstens, Rini Wagtmans, Jan Krekels) 1 1 21 15 4 (Luis Ocaña ×2, José Manuel Fuente ×2) 2 0 1 1 Total 130 94 24

Notes

References