Participants
Late 1980, there were plans to make the tour "open", which meant that amateur teams would also be allowed to join. This would make it possible for teams from Eastern Europe to join. The plan did not materialize, so only professional teams were invited. The organisation invited 15 teams, who each selected 10 cyclists, for a total of 150 participants. The teams were:
- Ti Raleigh-Creda
- Peugeot-Esso-Michelin
- Miko-Mercier-Vivagel
- Wickes-Splendor-Europ decor
- Sem-France Loire-Campagnolo
- La Redoute-Motobecane
- Capri Sonne-Koga Miyata
- Puch-Wolber-Campagnolo
- Boston-Mavic
- Teka
- DAF Trucks-Côte d'Or-Gazelle
- Kelme
- Sunair-Sport 80-Colnago
- Renault-Elf-Gitane
- Vermeer-Thijs-Gios
Bernard Hinault, the winner of the 1978 and 1979 Tour de France and reigning world champion, was the main favourite. His knee problems, that caused him to leave the 1980 Tour de France, were solved, and he was in form: Hinault had won important races in the spring, and he had skipped the 1981 Giro d'Italia to focus on the Tour. His main rivals were 1980 Tour de France winner Joop Zoetemelk, 1976 Tour de France winner Lucien Van Impe and Joaquim Agostinho, although they had never been able to beat Hinault when he was in form.
Freddy Maertens, the winner of the points classification in the Tour de France in 1976 and 1978, had won only three minor races in 1979 and 1980, but in 1981 he was selected again for the Tour.
Read more about this topic: 1981 Tour De France
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“A civilization which leaves so large a number of its participants unsatisfied and drives them into revolt neither has nor deserves the prospect of a lasting existence.”
—Sigmund Freud (1856–1939)