France additionally sent five regional teams from 10 cyclists each, divided into North-East/Centre, West, South-East, Île-de-France and South-West.

In Italy, new "extra-sportives" sponsors had entered the market, non-cycling combinations promoted by Fiorenzo Magni with his "Nivea-Fuchs".

The novelty provoked a protest from French cyclists, who therefore did not take part in the Giro.

[2] In response to the rudeness, the Italian Cycling Federation decided not to send a team to the Tour.

[6] The highest point of elevation in the race was 2,556 m (8,386 ft) at the summit tunnel of the Col du Galibier mountain pass on stage 19.

[13] In the second part of the fourth stage, former winner Jean Robic hit a photographer during the sprint, fell down and had to give up.

[4] In the twelfth stage in the Pyrenees, three important riders attacked: Bauvin, Bahamontes and Malléjac.

[15] In that twelfth stage, Hugo Koblet had fallen down, and lost 27 minutes, and his chances to win the Tour de France a second time.

Bauvin also could not keep up with that group, partly because he had a flat tire, and finished 8 minutes behind, losing the leading position.

Bobet however could keep up with the Swiss pace,[3] and took over the yellow jersey as leader of the general classification.

The cyclist with the least accumulated time was the race leader, identified by the yellow jersey.

At the end of the Tour de France, Lucien Lazaridès and François Mahé were leading this classification with equal points and shared the overall super-combativity award.

[22] After he won the Tour de France, Bobet would later win the 1954 UCI Road World Championships.