Origins & Early Life

Maurice-François Garin (pronounced [mɔʁis fʁɑ̃swa ɡaʁɛ̃, moʁ-]; 3 March 1871 – 19 February 1957) was an Italian-French road bicycle racer best known for winning the inaugural Tour de France in 1903, and for being stripped of his title in the second Tour in 1904 along with eight others, for cheating. He was of Italian origin but adopted French nationality on 21 December 1901. Garin was born the son of Maurice-Clément Garin and Maria Teresa Ozello in Arvier, in the French-speaking Aosta Valley in north-west Italy, close to the French border. The Garin last name was the most common in the native frazione of Maurice, called "Chez-les-Garin", belonging to five of the seven families there.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

They had four daughters and five sons, of whom Maurice was the first son. In 1885 the family left Arvier to work on the other side of the Alps, almost to the Belgian border. Garin worked as a chimney sweep. He later moved to France. By the age of 15, he was living in Reims as a chimney sweep.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

He moved to Charleroi in Belgium but by 1889 he was back in France, at Maubeuge. Garin's younger brother, Joseph-Isidore, died in 1889. The father died shortly afterwards in Arvier. Garin's brothers...

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