This official history celebrates an incredible century of cycling, from the early flickering images of the 1903 winner, Maurice Garin, to the amazing scenes which greeted Lance Armstrong's fifth straight victory in 2003. As well as the triumphs we also explore the tragedies and controversies associated with the Tour, amongst them the death of two-time winner Octavia Bottachia, reputedly murdered by fascists, the death of Tommy Simpson on the Ventoux in 1967 and Fabio Casartelli's death in 1995.

In 2007 Alberto Contador recorded his first Tour victory in a year when drug scandals were rife. 2008 was all about Mark Cavendish, who emerged as one of the new stars of the Tour after recording four stage wins, while 2009 was a good year for another British rider, Bradley Wiggins, who finished 4th in the General Classification. Cavendish enhanced his reputation as a world-class sprinter as he recorded six stage wins, before sealing his status as one of the great sprinters in world cycling in the 2010 Tour by winning a further five stages.