Who is credited as the founder of the Tour de France?

Henri Desgrange is credited as the founder of the Tour de France.

Desgrange was a French cyclist, sports journalist, and editor of the newspaper L'Auto. In 1903, he approved and promoted the idea of a race around France, and the first Tour began that July. He served as the event's director-general and later shaped its demanding rules, routes, and identity for more than three decades.

The origin story has an important nuance. Journalist Géo Lefèvre proposed the basic concept after discussing ways to boost L'Auto's circulation, while Desgrange backed the plan and secured the newspaper's support. Victor Goddet, L'Auto's financial controller, also approved the project. Thus, Desgrange is the standard one-name answer, but he was not the only person involved in creating the race.

The inaugural 1903 Tour covered six stages and was won by Maurice Garin. Desgrange later introduced or encouraged major features of the race, including mountain routes and severe individual-racing regulations. His name remains attached to the Souvenir Henri Desgrange prize, awarded during the Tour at the race's highest significant climb.