View source for Tour DuPont

{{Short description|Former American cycling stage race}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2016}}
{{Infobox cycling race
| name          = Tour de Trump (1989–1990)<br />Tour DuPont (1991–1996)
| image         = Tour de Trump 1989.jpg
| image_caption = 1989 Tour de Trump stage finish in Richmond, Virginia
| date          = April–May
| region        = [[Mid-Atlantic states]], United States
| english       =
| localnames    =
| nickname      =
| discipline    = Road race
| competition   =
| type          = Stage race
| organiser     =
| director      =
| first         = {{start date|1989}}
| number        = 8
| last          = 1996
| firstwinner   = {{Flagicon|NOR}} [[Dag Otto Lauritzen]]
| mostwins      = {{Flagicon|MEX}} [[Raúl Alcalá]] (2 wins) <br />{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Lance Armstrong]] (2 wins)
| mostrecent    = {{Flagicon|USA}} Lance Armstrong
}}
The '''Tour DuPont''' was a [[Stage (bicycle race)|cycling stage race]] in the United States held annually between 1989 and 1996, initially called the '''Tour de Trump''' in the first two years. It was intended to become a North American cycling event similar in format and prestige to the [[Tour de France]]. The tour's names came from its sponsors, first the businessman (and future [[U.S. President]]) [[Donald Trump]] and then later [[DuPont (1802–2017)|DuPont]].

The race was held in the [[mid-Atlantic states]], including areas near DuPont's [[Wilmington, Delaware]], headquarters. DuPont withdrew their sponsorship of the race after the 1996 edition, and the event has not been run since. During the eight-year history of the race as both the Tour de Trump and the Tour DuPont, it was won twice by Mexican rider [[Raúl Alcalá]] and twice by American [[Lance Armstrong]]. The race was cited as evidence of [[Richmond, Virginia]]'s ability to host international cycle racing when the city successfully bid for the [[2015 UCI Road World Championships]].

==Origins as the Tour de Trump==
The race was originally sponsored by [[Donald Trump]] and known as the "Tour de Trump" in 1989 and 1990.<ref name=Hogan>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/04/donald-trump-2016-tour-de-trump-bike-race-213801/|title=The Strange Tale of Donald Trump's 1989 Biking Extravaganza|first=Kevin|last=Hogan|publisher=Politico|date=April 10, 2016|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411165959/http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/04/donald-trump-2016-tour-de-trump-bike-race-213801|url-status=live}}</ref> The idea for the race was conceived by [[CBS Sports]] reporter [[John Tesh]], who had covered the 1987 Tour de France and on his return suggested holding a race in the United States to the basketball commentator and entrepreneur [[Billy Packer]]. Packer originally planned to call the race the Tour de Jersey. He approached representatives of casinos in [[Atlantic City]] for sponsorship, and Trump offered to be the race's primary sponsor and Packer's business partner in the venture. It was Packer who suggested the Tour de Trump name.<ref name=Hogan/> Speaking at the time of the start of the first Tour de Trump in May 1989, Trump himself stated that "When [the name] was initially stated, I practically fell out of my seat. I said, 'Are you kidding? I will get killed in the media if I use that name. You absolutely have to be kidding'". However, Trump reportedly changed his mind within 20 seconds, and was convinced by the commercial value of the name.<ref name=Moran>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/05/sports/what-s-in-a-name-it-s-tour-de-trump.html|title=What's in a Name? It's Tour de Trump|first=Malcolm|last=Moran|work=The New York Times|date=May 5, 1989|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419161542/http://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/05/sports/what-s-in-a-name-it-s-tour-de-trump.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Trump's lawyers subsequently sent a "[[cease and desist]]" letter to the organizers of a bike race held in [[Aspen, Colorado]] called the Tour de Rump. The letter stated: "You are using the name and mark Tour de Rump in connection with an 'inaugural' cycling event. Your use of that name and mark is likely to cause confusion and constitutes trademark infringement, unfair competition and false designation of origin, all in violation of applicable federal and state laws".<ref name=Carroll>{{cite news|last=Carroll |first=Rick |date=August 6, 2015 |title=Donald Trump and Aspen |url=http://www.aspentimes.com/news/donald-trump-and-aspen/ |work=The Aspen Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151217190415/http://www.summitdaily.com/news/breaking/17597193-113/story.html |archive-date=December 17, 2015 |access-date=16 April 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> The organizer Ron Krajian's lawyer responded by arguing that his race was a local and non-commercial event, and predated the Tour de Trump. No response was received from Trump's lawyers, and the Tour de Rump went ahead.<ref name=Hogan/><ref name=Carroll/>

The total prize money on offer for the first event in 1989 was US$250,000, including $50,000 for the winner of the general classification.<ref name=Moran/> This, together with the race's place in the international calendar between the [[Giro d'Italia]] and the Tour de France, made it attractive to high-profile riders and teams, but the event did not attract large crowds.<ref name=Redford>{{cite news|url=http://deadspin.com/remembering-the-tour-de-trump-donald-trumps-failed-bik-1735454622|title=Remembering The Tour De Trump, Donald Trump's Failed Bike Race|first=Patrick|last=Redford|publisher=Deadspin|date=October 8, 2015|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420173042/http://deadspin.com/remembering-the-tour-de-trump-donald-trumps-failed-bik-1735454622|url-status=live}}</ref> Interviewed on [[NBC]] prior to the start of the 1989 race, Trump stated that "I would like to make this the equivalent of the Tour de France".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-criticizes-john-kerry-for-cycling-2015-6?r=US&IR=T|title=Donald Trump, who once sponsored the biggest bike race in America, took a shot at John Kerry for cycling|first=Daniel|last=McMahon|work=Business Insider|date=June 16, 2015|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422222401/http://uk.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-criticizes-john-kerry-for-cycling-2015-6?r=US&IR=T|url-status=live}}</ref> The race filled a gap left by the demise of the [[Coors Classic|Coors International Bicycle Classic]], which had been North America's major stage race but which folded following its 1988 edition.<ref name=Newill>{{cite web |url=https://pages.rapha.cc/retrospect/echoes-of-greatness |title=Echoes of Greatness |first=Ryan |last=Newill |publisher=Rapha |date=18 September 2015 |access-date=14 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327212713/https://pages.rapha.cc/retrospect/echoes-of-greatness |archive-date=27 March 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Some European teams reportedly missed the [[Vuelta a España]] in order to race the Tour de Trump.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://cyclingmagazine.ca/sections/news/tour-de-trump-donald-trumps-venture-world-competitive-bike-racing/|title=The Tour de Trump, Donald Trump's venture into the world of competitive bike racing|first=Philippe|last=Tremblay|work=Canadian Cycling|date=12 April 2016|access-date=14 April 2016|archive-date=April 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424052543/http://cyclingmagazine.ca/sections/news/tour-de-trump-donald-trumps-venture-world-competitive-bike-racing/|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Greg LeMond 1989 Tour de Trump.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Greg LeMond at the 1989 Tour de Trump]]

The inaugural Tour de Trump started in [[Albany, New York]], and consisted of 10 stages, totalling {{convert|837|mi|km}}, taking in five [[Eastern United States|Eastern states]].<ref name=Margolis/> The route took the race south from Albany to [[Richmond, Virginia]], and then across to Atlantic City, where it finished in front of Trump's casino.<ref name=Newill/> Some 114 riders from eight professional and 11 amateur teams competed. Riders competing included [[Greg LeMond]],<ref name=Margolis>{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1989/05/15/the-1st-tour-de-trump-is-over-as-we-all-know/|title=The 1st Tour De Trump Is Over, As We All Know|first=Jon|last=Margolis|work=Chicago Tribune|date=May 15, 1989|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422212929/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1989-05-15/sports/8902010907_1_dag-otto-lauritzen-red-zinger-bicycle-race|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Andrew Hampsten]], and the teams represented included [[Lotto (cycling team)|Lotto]], [[Panasonic (cycling team)|Panasonic]], [[PDM (cycling team)|PDM]], and the Soviet national squad.<ref name=Redford/>

The race was met by anti-Trump protests in the first-stage finishing town of [[New Paltz, New York]], where demonstrators held placards reading "Fight Trumpism", "Die Yuppie $cum", "The Art of the Deal = The Rich Get Richer" and "Trump = Lord of the Flies". The 1989 race was won by the Norwegian rider Dag Otto Lauritzen of the American team [[7-Eleven (cycling team)|7-Eleven]], although there was some controversy about the result as Belgian rider [[Eric Vanderaerden]], who had won four stages and was expected to take the lead in the general classification in the final stage time trial in Atlantic City but took a wrong turn following a race motorbike.<ref name=Hogan/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/15/sports/dispute-mars-end-of-the-tour-de-trump.html|title=Dispute Mars End of the Tour de Trump|first=Frank|last=Litsky|work=The New York Times|date=May 15, 1989|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423135042/http://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/15/sports/dispute-mars-end-of-the-tour-de-trump.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The Soviet rider [[Viatcheslav Ekimov]], who took part as an amateur, won the first stage of the race (following a prologue time trial).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XzpRAAAAIBAJ&pg=3399%2C540152|title=Ekimov takes first leg of Tour de Trump|work=The Evening News|date=May 7, 1989|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=March 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210330181049/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XzpRAAAAIBAJ&pg=3399%2C540152|url-status=live}}</ref> Articles published the following year reported that Ekimov "had had the nerve to win a stage as an amateur&nbsp;... and some pros reportedly rewarded him by jamming a feed bag into his wheel",<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/vault/1990/05/21/122029/lesson-from-a-pro-an-amateur-led-the-tour-de-whozit-until-raul-alcala-played-his-trump|title=Lessons From a Pro|first=Alexander|last=Wolff|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=May 21, 1990|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=May 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508004031/http://www.si.com/vault/1990/05/21/122029/lesson-from-a-pro-an-amateur-led-the-tour-de-whozit-until-raul-alcala-played-his-trump|url-status=live}}</ref> and that he "threatened to win the Tour de Trump last year as an amateur before the pros banded together to eliminate any chance he had of winning".<ref name=Shifts/> Nonetheless, the first edition of the race was described as "a smashing success" in ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'', which noted: "If you could get past the name, the Tour de Trump, without losing your lunch, and if you could somehow divorce the sporting event from the excess baggage that went with it&nbsp;... what you had was a pretty nice bicycle race".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/vault/1989/05/22/119927/the-wheels-of-fortune-the-tour-de-trump-billionaire-donald-trumps-bike-race-through-the-american-countryside-was-a-smashing-success|title=The Wheels of Fortune|first=E.M.|last=Swift|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=May 22, 1989|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=March 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160325104609/http://www.si.com/vault/1989/05/22/119927/the-wheels-of-fortune-the-tour-de-trump-billionaire-donald-trumps-bike-race-through-the-american-countryside-was-a-smashing-success|url-status=live}}</ref>

Following the first event, Packer wanted to expand the race to take in more states. The 1990 race started on May 4 in [[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]] in [[Delaware]], a state which Trump considered important for his three casinos in Atlantic City, and also visited [[Baltimore]], after Trump agreed to local racecourse owner Joe De Francis's condition that he moor his yacht the ''[[Trump Princess]]'' in Baltimore Harbor during the race.<ref name=Hogan/> It finished in [[Boston]] on May 13.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/02/13/Tour-de-Trump-bike-race-to-begin-in-Wilmington/8485634885200/|title=Tour de Trump bike race to begin in Wilmington|first=Kristine|last=Morrill|work=United Press International|date=February 13, 1990|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421001307/http://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/02/13/Tour-de-Trump-bike-race-to-begin-in-Wilmington/8485634885200/|url-status=live}}</ref> Entrants in 1990 included 1989 winner Dag Otto Lauritzen, Greg LeMond, [[Steve Bauer]], who had finished second in [[Paris–Roubaix]] that year, Andrew Hampsten, [[Davis Phinney]], Ekimov, in his first year as a professional, and East German rider [[Olaf Ludwig]].<ref name=Shifts>{{cite news|title=Tour de Trump shifts into gear|first=Debbie|last=Becker |work=USA Today|date=May 3, 1990|page=2C}}</ref> The race was won by Mexican rider Raúl Alcalá of the [[PDM–Concorde]] team.<ref name=LATimes>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-05-14-sp-98-story.html|title=Tour De Trump: Once Along for Ride, Alcalá Goes On to Win|work=Los Angeles Times|date=May 14, 1990|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 26, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426060614/http://articles.latimes.com/1990-05-14/sports/sp-98_1_cycling-race|url-status=live}}</ref>

After two editions, Trump withdrew his sponsorship of the race due to his business's financial problems.<ref name=Hogan/><ref name=Jackson>{{cite news|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1990-11-16-1990320048-story.html|title=Tour de Trump becomes Tour DuPont|first=James H.|last=Jackson|work=The Baltimore Sun|date=November 16, 1990|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427220523/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1990-11-16/sports/1990320048_1_tour-du-pont-tour-de-trump-medalist-sports|url-status=live}}</ref> According to Packer, reflecting on the event in 2016, he and Trump "parted as good business friends", although he also explained that Trump's personality and celebrity, as well as the scandals surrounding Trump's marriage and business affairs, distracted from the event and annoyed European riders in the race.<ref name=Hogan/>

==DuPont sponsorship era==
After Trump withdrew from sponsoring the event, DuPont became the primary sponsor.<ref name=Jackson/> Between 1991 and 1995, national amateur teams took part alongside professional teams. The event attracted well-known competitors, including [[Lance Armstrong]] and Greg LeMond, and was attended by high-profile European-based professional cycling teams. In 1996, the [[Union Cycliste Internationale]] upgraded it to a [[UCI race classifications|2.1 ranked race]], meaning that amateurs could no longer compete.<ref>{{cite news|title=Race 'great conditioning' for trials|first=Debbie|last=Becker|work=USA Today|date=April 29, 1996|page=9C}}</ref> This made the race the highest ranked outside of Europe and the first North American stage race to be ranked 2.1.<ref>{{cite news|title='95 Champion Armstrong announces defense of Tour title|publisher=Business Wire|date=January 22, 1996}}</ref> The 1996 race was the subject of a number of legal issues, including a dispute over rights to its profits between the race owners, Billy Packer and president of the [[United States Cycling Federation]] Mike Plant, which resulted in them suing each other. DuPont itself was involved in a dispute about the anti-homosexual employment policies of the local government in [[Greenville, South Carolina]], with the company insisting that the race organizers exclude the city from the route. After 1996, DuPont dropped its sponsorship and the race has not been run since.<ref name=Reed>{{cite book|title=Selling the Yellow Jersey: The Tour de France in the Global Era|first=Eric|last=Reed|year=2015|publisher=Chicago University Press|page=159|isbn=978-0-226-20653-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EjIpBgAAQBAJ&q=Tour%20DuPont&pg=PA159|access-date=December 5, 2020|archive-date=February 26, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230226203341/https://books.google.com/books?id=EjIpBgAAQBAJ&q=Tour%20DuPont&pg=PA159|url-status=live}}</ref>

During its six years as the Tour DuPont, the race was won by Dutch rider [[Erik Breukink]], Greg LeMond, Raúl Alcalá, Russian [[Viatcheslav Ekimov]], and twice by Lance Armstrong.<ref name=Results>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingarchives.com/wedstrijdfiche.php?wedstrijdid=516|title=Tour DuPont|publisher=Cycling Archives|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160406021853/http://cyclingarchives.com/wedstrijdfiche.php?wedstrijdid=516|url-status=live}}</ref> Over this time, a prologue time trial held in Wilmington, Delaware, became the traditional start to the race. Between 1992 and 1994, the race included a stage from [[Port Deposit, Maryland|Port Deposit]] and [[Hagerstown, Maryland|Hagerstown]] in [[Maryland]], but in 1995, South Carolina was included on the route for the first time in its place.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1994/08/17/tour-duponts-95-map-wont-include-maryland/|title=Tour DuPont's '95 map won't include Maryland|first=Edward|last=Lee|work=The Baltimore Sun|date=August 17, 1994|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428045057/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1994-08-17/sports/1994229009_1_tour-dupont-hagerstown-piedmont-triad|url-status=live}}</ref> Every edition of the Tour DuPont visited Richmond, Virginia.<ref name=Newill/>

Breukink won in 1991 by overcoming a 50-second deficit going into the final stage, a {{convert|16.1|mi|km|adj=on}} [[individual time trial]], despite puncturing 15 minutes into the stage, to win by 12 seconds from Norwegian [[Atle Kvålsvoll]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-05-20-sp-1518-story.html|title=Breukink Isn't Flat at Finish to Win Tour|work=Los Angeles Times|date=May 20, 1991|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 26, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426050750/http://articles.latimes.com/1991-05-20/sports/sp-1518_1_flat-tire|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1992, American Greg LeMond won the overall classification. It was the last major win of his career,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/12/03/sports/03iht-bike.html|title=Greg LeMond Ending Career|first=Samuel|last=Abt|work=The New York Times|date=December 3, 1994|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423140458/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/12/03/sports/03iht-bike.html|url-status=live}}</ref> although he competed in the race again in 1994.<ref name=Tasker/> Alcalá's victory in the race in 1993 was his second, having won the Tour de Trump in 1990. In 1993, he beat Lance Armstrong, who had held the leader's jersey going into the final stage.<ref name=United/> Armstrong's first participation in the race had been in 1991, when he finished midway down the overall classification. According to ''[[The Guardian]]'' in 2008, his performance in the 1991 Tour DuPont "marked the arrival of a promising newcomer to the sport".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2008/sep/09/tourdefrance.cycling|title=Lance Armstrong: the highs and lows|first=Matt|last=Thomas|work=The Guardian|date=September 9, 2008|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421191252/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2008/sep/09/tourdefrance.cycling|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1994, Alcalá and Armstrong returned to the race as teammates, both riding for [[Motorola (cycling team)|Motorola]].<ref name=Tasker>{{cite news|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1994/05/04/lemond-motorola-pair-head-field-tour-du-pont/|title=LeMond, Motorola pair head field|first=Greg|last=Tasker|work=The Baltimore Sun|date=May 4, 1994|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428063457/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1994-05-04/sports/1994124050_1_tour-du-pont-tour-de-france-mile|url-status=live}}</ref> The race took place over 11 stages, covering {{convert|1050|mi|km}}.<ref name=United>{{cite news|url=http://articles.philly.com/1994-05-04/sports/25830684_1_tour-dupont-time-trial-armstrong-last-year|title=This Time, It's United They Stand|first=Ron|last=Reid|work=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=May 4, 1994|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422221735/http://articles.philly.com/1994-05-04/sports/25830684_1_tour-dupont-time-trial-armstrong-last-year|url-status=dead}}</ref> That year, Ekimov won the overall title, with Armstrong finishing second again. Armstrong finally won the overall classification of the Tour DuPont in 1995, when the race was held over {{convert|1130|mi|km}}, despite losing more than two minutes to Ekimov on the final-stage time trial.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.philly.com/1995-05-08/sports/25673865_1_tour-dupont-mountain-rider-time-trial|title=Armstrong Wins The Tour Dupont|first=Ron|last=Reid|work=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=May 8, 1995|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422215216/http://articles.philly.com/1995-05-08/sports/25673865_1_tour-dupont-mountain-rider-time-trial|url-status=dead}}</ref> The final edition of the race, held in 1996, was also won by Armstrong, who became the first and only rider to win two editions of the event back-to-back. The French rider [[Pascal Hervé]], of the [[Festina cycling team]], was second.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.philly.com/1996-05-13/sports/25626732_1_time-trial-head-wind-crosswind|title=Armstrong Wins 2nd Tour Dupont|first=Ron|last=Reid|work=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=May 13, 1996|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422203205/http://articles.philly.com/1996-05-13/sports/25626732_1_time-trial-head-wind-crosswind|url-status=dead}}</ref> The total prize money for the 1996 race was in excess of US$260,000.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/05/01/sports/cycling-riders-take-marks-for-dupont.html|title=Riders Take Marks for DuPont|first=Frank|last=Litsky|work=The New York Times|date=May 1, 1996|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423181117/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/05/01/sports/cycling-riders-take-marks-for-dupont.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In July 1996, DuPont announced that it was ending its sponsorship of the race. According to a brand manager for the company, "Over the past six years, the Tour DuPont has been an excellent vehicle for promoting our products. However, we need to focus more on strategic markets in other parts of the world, where a sustained annual program versus a two-week event can better leverage the DuPont brand equity for profitable growth". Race organizer Mike Plant explained that "I talked to them a couple of months ago, and they had to make a hard decision. They don't have hundreds of millions of dollars to put into worldwide advertising. They put a ton of money into this event and they built up a valuable franchise, but, like Motorola, corporations change the way they do business". Plant reported that polling had shown that public recognition of the event had grown significantly, but also that awareness of who sponsored it had declined.<ref name=Funding>{{cite news|url=http://articles.philly.com/1996-07-12/sports/25622020_1_tour-dupont-medalist-sports-michael-plant|title=Dupont Cuts Funding For Cycling Race|first=Ron|last=Reid|work=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=July 12, 1996|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422215503/http://articles.philly.com/1996-07-12/sports/25622020_1_tour-dupont-medalist-sports-michael-plant|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Historian Eric Reed notes that a DuPont marketing executive characterized the initial sponsorship as "a bargain", and that the company claimed that the American press clippings generated by the event weighed {{convert|29|lb|kg}}. DuPont executives also reported that they valued the global media exposure as worth close to US$70 million. Reed quotes a DuPont marketing executive as stating: "In 40 years in [media relations], I have never seen such concentrated, sustained and positive media coverage". However, Reed argues that despite this initial enthusiasm, "the Tour DuPont's chronic weaknesses hamstrung the event's growth", citing its "[[pro-am]]" status, which prevented professional riders from being able to win world ranking points in the event. He also states that despite having an estimated worldwide television audience of 200 million, "American fan enthusiasm and roadside spectator interest in the event failed to spike significantly".<ref name=Reed/>

DuPont's withdrawal also came months after [[John DuPont]], heir to the [[Du Pont family]] fortune, had been arrested for the murder of Olympic wrestler [[Dave Schultz (amateur wrestler)|Dave Schultz]].<ref name=Hogan/><ref name=Redford/> At the time of the announcement of DuPont's discontinuation of sponsorship, Mike Plant reported that a 1997 event was tentatively scheduled for May 1–11, and that he had been in discussions with ten companies about potential title sponsorship of the race.<ref name=Funding/>

==Past winners==
{{Cycling past winner start}}
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=1989|nat=NOR|name={{Sortname|Dag Otto|Lauritzen}}|team={{UCI team code|MOT|1989}}}}<ref name=Margolis/>
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=1990|nat=MEX|name={{Sortname|Raúl|Alcalá}}|team={{UCI team code|PDM|1990}}}}<ref name=LATimes/>
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=1991|nat=NED|name={{Sortname|Erik|Breukink}}|team={{UCI team code|PDM|1991}}}}<ref name=Results/>
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=1992|nat=USA|name={{Sortname|Greg|LeMond||Lemond, Greg}}|team={{UCI team code|C.A|1992}}}}<ref name=Results/>
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=1993|nat=MEX|name={{Sortname|Raúl|Alcalá||Alcala, Raul}}|team={{UCI team code|RAB|1993}}}}<ref name=Results/>
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=1994|nat=RUS|name={{Sortname|Viatcheslav|Ekimov}}|team={{UCI team code|RAB|1994}}}}<ref name=Results/>
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=1995|nat=USA|name={{Sortname|Lance|Armstrong}}|team={{UCI team code|MOT|1995}}}}<ref name=Results/>
{{Cycling past winner rider|year=1996|nat=USA|name={{Sortname|Lance|Armstrong}}|team={{UCI team code|MOT|1996}}}}<ref name=Results/>
{{Cycling past winner end}}

==Legacy==
Organizers Packer and Plant arranged another race, in China, though it was short-lived. Before their falling out, Packer reports that his "idea was to have a Triple Crown of cycling–one in Asia, one in America and have the Tour de France to be the third leg".<ref name=Hogan/> When the [[Tour de Georgia]] was first run in 2003, Tim Maloney of [[Cyclingnews.com]] referred to it as "the prodigal son of Tour DuPont".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2003/apr03/georgia03/?id=default|title=Wide open Tour de Georgia ready to roll|first=Tim|last=Maloney|publisher=Cyclingnews.com|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=March 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313051240/http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2003/apr03/georgia03/?id=default|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2015, the [[2015 UCI Road World Championships|UCI Road World Championships]] were held in Richmond, Virginia, which had previously hosted stages of the Tour de Trump and the Tour DuPont.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.uci.ch/cyclingforall/richmond-2015-lasting-legacy-for-everybody-who-cycles/|title=Richmond 2015: a lasting legacy for everybody who cycles|publisher=Union Cycliste Internationale|date=August 15, 2014|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422200853/http://www.uci.ch/cyclingforall/richmond-2015-lasting-legacy-for-everybody-who-cycles/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/04/news/is-richmond-right-for-the-worlds_168589|title=Is Richmond ready for the worlds?|first=Bruce|last=Buckley|work=Velonews|date=April 11, 2011|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=March 31, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160331125952/http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/04/news/is-richmond-right-for-the-worlds_168589|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1994, the Tour DuPont included a stage that concluded with several laps of a circuit incorporating the cobbled climb of [[Libby Hill, Richmond|Libby Hill Park]]. This hill was included in the circuit of the 2015 World Championship road races.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://pelotonmagazine.com/wilcockson/2015-richmond-worlds-acrobatic-more-than-classic/|title=2015 Richmond Worlds: Acrobatic More Than Classic|first=John|last=Wilcockson|work=Peloton|date=February 27, 2014|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=June 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160603233256/http://pelotonmagazine.com/wilcockson/2015-richmond-worlds-acrobatic-more-than-classic/|url-status=live}}</ref> Tour de Trump and Tour DuPont organizer Mike Plant was, according to USA Cycling, instrumental in Richmond's bid to hold the World Championships. As a member of the UCI Management Committee, when Richmond was announced as winning the bidding for the 2015 event, Plant commented that "Richmond stepped up and proved they could support world class cycling when we brought the Tour de Trump and Tour DuPont to the city in the late '80s and early '90s".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usacycling.org/richmond-wins-bid-to-host-2015-road-cycling-world-championships.htm|title=Richmond wins bid to host 2015 Road Cycling World Championships|publisher=USA Cycling|access-date=April 12, 2016|archive-date=April 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419144412/https://www.usacycling.org/richmond-wins-bid-to-host-2015-road-cycling-world-championships.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{DuPont}}
{{Trump businesses}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tour Dupont}}
[[Category:1989 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:1996 disestablishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Assets owned by the Trump Organization]]
[[Category:Defunct cycling races in the United States]]
[[Category:DuPont]]
[[Category:Men's road bicycle races]]
[[Category:Recurring sporting events disestablished in 1996]]
[[Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1989]]