The surprising origin of the Tour de France

Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. Historically, newspapers have played a bigger role in cultural development than we may realize. Important literary works, such as short stories and poems, were often published in papers before becoming part of their own book or anthology. Newspaper reviews were essential for popularizing the works of artists and musicians. Even many contests and competitions we know today were started by newspapers. One such contest is the Tour de France. Given the race's prestigious and popular nature, it may be surprising to know that it all began with one humble newspaper—the L'Auto. L'Auto, originally titled L'Auto-Vélo, first hit the newsstands in 1900, und