Australians in Tour de France

Here are major milestones and achievements of Australians in the Tour de France.

1914: the first cyclists from Australia participated in the Tour de France, Don Kirkham and Iddo Munro. They finished in 17th place and 20th place.
1928: A team from Australia/New Zealand participated in the Tour de France, comprised of Australians Hubert Opperman, Percy Osborn, Ernest Bainbridge and Harry Watson of New Zealand. They were the first non-English speaking team to complete in the Tour de France.
1931: Hubert Opperman rode in the 1931 Tour de France in a combined Australia/Switzerland team, which also included the Australians Fatty Lamb, Ossie Nicholson and Frankie Thomas.
1981: Australian cyclist Phil Anderson became the first Australian to wear the yellow jersey. He only held it for one day, but in 1982 he held it for nine days before finishing fifth.
1982: Phil Anderson finished 5th in the general classification, the best result to that point ever for an Australian cyclist. He finished first in the young rider classification.
1985: Phil Anderson again finished 5th in the general classification, his equal best result.
2001: Stuart O'Grady wore the yellow jersey for six stages, and finished second in the points classification.
2003: Brad McGee won the prologue of the 2003 Tour de France, and led the race for three days.
2002: Robbie McEwen won the points (sprint) classification. He also won the same award in 2004 and 2006.

2011: Cadel Evans made history by becoming the first Australian to win the Tour de France. His victory was celebrated as a major milestone for Australian cycling.

2011: The Australian cycling team Orica-GreenEDGE (now known as Jayco-AlUla) was founded. This team has had a significant presence in the Tour de France, contributing to the visibility and success of Australian cyclists in the race.
2017: Michael Matthews, known for his sprinting ability, won the points classification in the 2017 Tour de France.
2020: Richie Porte achieved a notable finish by placing 3rd in the general classification, showcasing the strength of Australian riders in the modern era.

2021: Ben O'Connor achieved a strong performance by finishing 4th overall in the Tour de France, continuing the trend of successful Australian riders in recent years.

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