The Lanterne Rouge is an unofficial classification in the Tour de France. It refers to the rider in the last place on the General Classification.
It’s not easy to be the Lanterne Rouge, as it requires a combination of smart timing calculation, tactics, grit, and determination to stay in the race. There is a cut-off time for the last rider to cross the finish line each day. Any rider who finishes after the cut-off time will be expelled.
In 2018, Lawson Craddock became the first rider to be the lanterne rouge for the entire Tour. He crashed hard on Stage 1, suffering facial lacerations and a fractured scapula. Instead of abandoning the race, he continued on, finishing within the cut-off time every day.
Tour de France Lanterne Rouge, 1903 to 2022
Only five riders in history finished last in the Tour de France on more than one occasion.
- Wim Vansevenant (2006, 2007, 2008)
- Jimmy Casper (2001, 2004)
- Mathieu Hermans (1987, 1989)
- Gerhard Schönbacher (1979, 1980)
- Daniel Masson (1922, 1923)
| Year | Rider | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Caleb Ewan | Australia |
| 2021 | Tim Declercq | Belgium |
| 2020 | Roger Kluge | Germany |
| 2019 | Sebastian Langeveld | Netherlands |
| 2018 | Lawson Craddock | United States |
| 2017 | Luke Rowe | Great Britain |
| 2016 | Sam Bennett | Ireland |
| 2015 | Sébastien Chavanel | France |
| 2014 | Ji Cheng | China |
| 2013 | Svein Tuft | Canada |
| 2012 | Jimmy Engoulvent | France |
| 2011 | Fabio Sabatini | Italy |
| 2010 | Adriano Malori | Italy |
| 2009 | Yauheni Hutarovich | Belarus |
| 2008 | Wim Vansevenant | Belgium |
| 2007 | Wim Vansevenant | Belgium |
| 2006 | Wim Vansevenant | Belgium |
| 2005 | Iker Flores | Spain |
| 2004 | Jimmy Casper | France |
| 2003 | Hans De Clercq | Belgium |
| 2002 | Igor Flores | Spain |
| 2001 | Jimmy Casper | France |
| 2000 | Olivier Perraudeau | France |
| 1999 | Jacky Durand | France |
| 1998 | Damien Nazon | France |
| 1997 | Philippe Gaumont | France |
| 1996 | Jean-Luc Masdupuy | France |
| 1995 | Bruno Cornillet | France |
| 1994 | John Talen | Netherlands |
| 1993 | Edwig Van Hooydonck | Belgium |
| 1992 | Fernando Quevedo | Spain |
| 1991 | Rob Harmeling | Netherlands |
| 1990 | Rodolfo Massi | Italy |
| 1989 | Mathieu Hermans | Netherlands |
| 1988 | Dirk Wayenberg | Belgium |
| 1987 | Mathieu Hermans | Netherlands |
| 1986 | Ennio Salvador | Italy |
| 1985 | Manrico Ronchiato | Italy |
| 1984 | Gilbert Glaus | Switzerland |
| 1983 | Marcel Laurens | Belgium |
| 1982 | Werner Devos | Belgium |
| 1981 | Faustino Cuelli | Spain |
| 1980 | Gerhard Schönbacher | Austria |
| 1979 | Gerhard Schönbacher | Austria |
| 1978 | Philippe Tesnière | France |
| 1977 | Roger Loysch | Belgium |
| 1976 | Aad van den Hoek | Netherlands |
| 1975 | Jacques Boulas | France |
| 1974 | Lorenzo Alaimo | Italy |
| 1973 | Jacques-André Hochart | France |
| 1972 | Alain Bellouis | France |
| 1971 | Georges Chappe | France |
| 1970 | Frits Hoogerheide | Netherlands |
| 1969 | André Wilhelm | France |
| 1968 | John Clarey | Great Britain |
| 1967 | Jean-Pierre Genet | France |
| 1966 | Paolo Mannucci | Italy |
| 1965 | Joseph Groussard | France |
| 1964 | Anatole Novak | France |
| 1963 | Willy Derboven | Belgium |
| 1962 | Augusto Marcaletti | Italy |
| 1961 | André Geneste | France |
| 1960 | José Herrero Berrendero | Spain |
| 1959 | Louis Bisilliat | France |
| 1958 | Walter Favre | Switzerland |
| 1957 | Guy Million | France |
| 1956 | Roger Chaussabel | France |
| 1955 | Tony Hoar | Great Britain |
| 1954 | Marcel Dierkens | Luxembourg |
| 1953 | Claude Rouer | France |
| 1952 | Henri Paret | France |
| 1951 | Abdel-Kader Zaaf | France |
| 1950 | Fritz Zbinden | Switzerland |
| 1949 | Guido De Santi | Italy |
| 1948 | Vittorio Seghezz | Italy |
| 1947 | Pietro Tarchini | Switzerland |
| 1939 | Armand Le Moal | France |
| 1938 | Janus Hellemons | Netherlands |
| 1937 | Aloyse Klensch | Luxembourg |
| 1936 | Aldo Bertocco | France |
| 1935 | Willy Kutschbach | Germany |
| 1934 | Antonio Folco | Italy |
| 1933 | Ernest Neuhard | France |
| 1932 | Rudolf Risch | Germany |
| 1931 | Richard Lamb | Australia |
| 1930 | Marcel Ilpide | France |
| 1929 | André Léger | France |
| 1928 | Edouard Persin | France |
| 1927 | Jacques Pfister | France |
| 1926 | André Drobecq | France |
| 1925 | Fernand Besnier | France |
| 1924 | Victor Lafosse | France |
| 1923 | Daniel Masson | France |
| 1922 | Daniel Masson | France |
| 1921 | Henri Catelan | France |
| 1920 | Charles Raboisson | France |
| 1919 | Jules Nempon | France |
| 1914 | Henri Leclerc | France |
| 1913 | Henri Alavoine | France |
| 1912 | Maurice Lartigue | France |
| 1911 | Lucien Roquebert | France |
| 1910 | Constant Collet | France |
| 1909 | Georges Devilly | France |
| 1908 | Henri Anthoine | France |
| 1907 | Albert Chartier | France |
| 1906 | Georges Bronchard | France |
| 1905 | Clovis Lacroix | France |
| 1904 | Antoine Deflotrière | France |
| 1903 | Arsène Millocheau | France |
Tour de France Past Winners
Alex Lee is the founder and editor-at-large of Mr. Mamil. Coming from a professional engineering background, he breaks down technical cycling nuances into an easy-to-understand and digestible format here.
He has been riding road bikes actively for the past 12 years and started racing competitively in the senior category during the summer recently.