List of teams and cyclists in the 1962 Tour de France

[2][a] From the late-1950s to 1962, the Tour had seen the absence of top riders who had bowed to pressure from their teams' extra-sportif (non-cycling industry) sponsors to ride other races that better suited their brands.

[4][5] This, and a demand for wider advertising from a declining bicycle industry, led to the reintroduction of the trade team format.

[6][7] In early February 1962, 22 teams submitted applications for the race,[8] with the final list of 15 announced at the end of the month.

[23] Rudi Altig of Saint-Raphaël–Helyett–Hutchinson was the first rider to wear the general classification's yellow jersey after winning the first stage.

[24] Jacques Anquetil of Saint-Raphaël won the individual time trial of stage twenty to put himself into the yellow jersey, which he held until the conclusion of the race;[24] he defended his title, winning his third Tour de France.

[29] Planckaert finished second in the general classification, 4 min and 59 s in arrears, with Mercier–BP–Hutchinson rider Raymond Poulidor third, over ten minutes behind Anquetil.

A black and white photograph of a large group of cyclists riding under a starting banner.
The peloton (main group) at the start of the 1962 Tour de France in Nancy
A black and white photograph of four cyclists wearing jerseys with Gitane–Leroux insignia.
Gitane–Leroux–Dunlop–R. Geminiani riders Gérard Thiélin , Anatole Novak , Bas Maliepaard and Jean Forestier , before the first stage
Black and white photograph of Jacques Anquetil.
Saint-Raphaël–Helyett–Hutchinson rider Jacques Anquetil (pictured on stage one) won the general classification .
Black and white photograph of Rudi Altig.
Saint-Raphaël–Helyett–Hutchinson rider Rudi Altig (pictured at the 1962 Tour) won the points classification .
Black and white photograph of Federico Bahamontes.
Margnat–Paloma–D'Alessandro rider Federico Bahamontes (pictured at the 1962 Tour) won the mountains classification .
Black and white photograph of Eddy Pauwels.
Wiel's–Groene Leeuw rider Eddy Pauwels (pictured at the 1964 Tour ) won the super- combativity award .
Black and white photograph of Rik Van Looy.
Flandria–Faema–Clément rider Rik Van Looy (pictured on stage one) won the super-bad luck award.