1978 Tour de France

1978 Tour de France

Route of the 1978 Tour de France
Race details
Dates	29 June – 23 July 1978
Stages	22 + Prologue, including two split stages
Distance	3,908 km (2,428 mi)
Winning time	112h 03' 02"
Results
Winner  Bernard Hinault (FRA) (Renault–Gitane–Campagnolo)   Second  Joop Zoetemelk (NED) (Miko–Mercier–Vivagel)   Third  Joaquim Agostinho (POR) (Flandria–Velda–Lano) Points  Freddy Maertens (BEL) (Flandria–Velda–Lano) Mountains  Mariano Martínez (FRA) (Jobo–Spidel–La Roue d'Or) Youth  Henk Lubberding (NED) (TI–Raleigh–McGregor)   Sprints  Jacques Bossis (FRA) (Renault–Gitane–Campagnolo)   Combativity  Paul Wellens (BEL) (TI–Raleigh–McGregor)   Team Miko–Mercier–Vivagel   Team points TI–Raleigh–McGregor
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The 1978 Tour de France was the 65th edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It took place between 29 June and 23 July, with 22 stages covering a distance of 3,908 km (2,428 mi).

The 1978 Tour had a high-profile doping case when Michel Pollentier was caught in an attempt to cheat the doping test, after he had won the 16th stage to Alpe d'Huez, and had taken the lead in the general classification. Pollentier left the race, and the overall victory became a battle between Joop Zoetemelk and Bernard Hinault. In the end, it was won by debutant Bernard Hinault, for the first of his five victories. The points classification was won by Freddy Maertens, and the mountains classification by Mariano Martínez.