# List of teams and cyclists in the 1972 Tour de France

The 1972 Tour de France started with the following 12 teams, each with 11 cyclists:
| Molteni Beaulieu–Flandria Sonolor Peugeot–BP–Michelin De Gribaldy–Magniflex–Van Cauter Bic | Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson Rokado Salvarani Goudsmit–Hoff Gitane Watney–Avia |
In the previous year, Ocana was on his way to beat Merckx, when he fell as leader and had to give up. Everybody expected Merckx and Ocana to battle for the victory in 1972. Ocana felt that he could have won the 1971 Tour, and Merckx did not like the comments that he did not deserve the 1971 victory, and both wanted to show their strengths. Merckx had won important races before the Tour started, including the 1972 Giro d'Italia, and was also the reigning world champion. Ocana had won less races, but won the Criterium du Dauphiné Libéré.
The most important other participants were considered Raymond Poulidor, Felice Gimondi, Joop Zoetemelk and Bernard Thévenet.
José Manuel Fuente, who had won the 1972 Vuelta a España and finished second in the 1972 Giro d'Italia, did not compete, as his team decided they had already been in too many hard races.
Herman Van Springel had announced four days prior to the Tour that he would leave his team after his contract would end at the end of 1972. His team then removed him from the Tour squad.

## Start list
### By team

Molteni :
| Molteni No.RiderPos. 1  Eddy Merckx (BEL) 1 2  Joseph Bruyère (BEL) 26 3  Jos Deschoenmaecker (BEL) 22 4  Jos Huysmans (BEL) 28 5  Willy In 't Ven (BEL) 51 6  Marc Lievens (BEL) 43 7  Frans Mintjens (BEL) 37 8  Jozef Spruyt (BEL) DNF 9  Roger Swerts (BEL) 14 10  Martin Van Den Bossche (BEL) 15 11  Victor Van Schil (BEL) DNF | Beaulieu–Flandria No.RiderPos. 12  Joaquim Andrade (POR) DNF 13  Gérard David (BEL) 59 14  Johan De Muynck (BEL) DNF 15  André Dierickx (BEL) DNF 16  Evert Dolman (NED) 83 17  Fernando Mendes (POR) DNF 18  Jan Van De Wiele (BEL) DNF 19  Herman Van Der Slagmolen (BEL) DNF 20  Ronny Van Marcke (BEL) 62 21  Willy Van Neste (BEL) 33 22  Joop Zoetemelk (NED) 5 | Sonolor No.RiderPos. 23  José Catieau (FRA) DNF 24  Bernard Guyot (FRA) 81 25  Yves Hézard (FRA) 7 26  Robert Mintkiewicz (FRA) 87 27  Mathieu Pustjens (NED) 25 28  Walter Ricci (FRA) 27 29  Raymond Riotte (FRA) 48 30  Jean-Jacques Sanquer (FRA) DNF 31  Willy Teirlinck (BEL) 66 32  Lucien Van Impe (BEL) 4 33  Daniel Van Ryckeghem (BEL) DNF |
| Peugeot–BP–Michelin No.RiderPos. 34  Robert Bouloux (FRA) DNF 35  Jean-Pierre Danguillaume (FRA) 21 36  Wilfried David (BEL) 41 37  Raymond Delisle (FRA) 11 38  Ronald De Witte (BEL) 31 39  Walter Godefroot (BEL) 44 40  Jean-Pierre Paranteau (FRA) 38 41  Roger Pingeon (FRA) DNF 42  Christian Raymond (FRA) 47 43  Bernard Thévenet (FRA) 9 44  Jürgen Tschan (FRG) 45 | De Gribaldy–Magniflex–Van Cauter No.RiderPos. 45  Willy Abbeloos (BEL) 65 46  Joaquim Agostinho (POR) 8 47  Herman Beysens (BEL) 23 48  Edward Janssens (BEL) 10 49  Roger Kindt (BEL) DNF 50  Mariano Martínez (FRA) 6 51  Joël Millard (FRA) 32 52  Jean-Claude Largeau (FRA) 46 53  André Poppe (BEL) DNF 54  Rik Van Linden (BEL) 80 55  Ludo Van Staeyen (BEL) 49 | Bic No.RiderPos. 56  Jesús Aranzabal (ESP) 56 57  Roland Berland (FRA) 40 58  Jean-Claude Genty (FRA) 64 59  Bernard Labourdette (FRA) DNF 60  Désiré Letort (FRA) DNF 61  Leif Mortensen (DEN) 12 62  Luis Ocaña (ESP) DNF 63  Alain Santy (FRA) DNF 64  Guy Santy (FRA) 29 65  Johny Schleck (LUX) 30 66  Sylvain Vasseur (FRA) 35 |
| Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson No.RiderPos. 67  Jacques Cadiou (FRA) DNF 68  Régis Delépine (FRA) 76 69  Jean-Pierre Genet (FRA) DNF 70  René Grelin (FRA) DNF 71  Cyrille Guimard (FRA) DNF 72  Barry Hoban (GBR) 70 73  Gérard Moneyron (FRA) 36 74  Jack Mourioux (FRA) 58 75  Michel Périn (FRA) 19 76  Raymond Poulidor (FRA) 3 77  Yves Ravaleu (FRA) DNF | Rokado No.RiderPos. 78  Lucien Aimar (FRA) 17 79  Gilbert Bellone (FRA) 34 80  Hans Junkermann (FRG) DNF 81  Gerben Karstens (NED) 60 82  Karl-Heinz Kunde (FRG) 20 83  Karl-Heinz Muddemann (FRG) 52 84  Wilfried Peffgen (FRG) 63 85  Dieter Puschel (FRG) 42 86  Bernd Rasing (FRG) DNF 87  Wim Schepers (NED) DNF 88  Rolf Wolfshohl (FRG) 24 | Salvarani No.RiderPos. 89  Marino Basso (ITA) 82 90  Pietro Campagnari (ITA) 74 91  Luigi Castelletti (ITA) 85 92  Felice Gimondi (ITA) 2 93  Ercole Gualazzini (ITA) DNF 94  Pietro Guerra (ITA) 86 95  Antoon Houbrechts (BEL) 13 96  Primo Mori (ITA) 39 97  Guido Reybrouck (BEL) DNF 98  Giacinto Santambrogio (ITA) 53 99  Italo Zilioli (ITA) DNF |
| Goudsmit–Hoff No.RiderPos. 100  Leo Duyndam (NED) DNF 101  Ger Harings (NED) DNF 102  Cees Koeken (NED) DNF 103  Jan Krekels (NED) 78 104  Wim Prinsen (NED) 61 105  Tino Tabak (NED) 18 106  Jos van der Vleuten (NED) 73 107  Jan van Katwijk (NED) DNF 108  Harry van Leeuwen (NED) DNF 109  Gerard Vianen (NED) 71 110  Marinus Wagtmans (NED) 54 | Gitane No.RiderPos. 111  Alain Bellouis (FRA) 88 112  Serge Bolley (FRA) DNF 113  Gérard Briend (FRA) DNF 114  Georges Chappe (FRA) 50 115  Jean-Claude Daunat (FRA) 72 116  René Grenier (FRA) 57 117  Loïc Le Bourhis (FRA) DNF 118  Pierre Matignon (FRA) 75 119  Léon-Paul Ménard (FRA) 84 120  Jean Vidament (FRA) DNF 121  Michael Wright (GBR) 55 | Watney–Avia No.RiderPos. 122  Paul Aerts (BEL) 69 123  Etienne Antheunis (BEL) DNF 124  Michel Coulon (BEL) DNF 125  Pieter Nassen (BEL) 79 126  Englebert Opdebeeck (BEL) DNF 127  Walter Planckaert (BEL) DNF 128  Marc Sohet (BEL) 68 129  Noël Van Clooster (BEL) 77 130  Willy Van Malderghem (BEL) DNF 131  Frans Verbeeck (BEL) 16 132  Eddy Verstraeten (BEL) 67 |

### By rider

Legend :
| No. | Starting number worn by the rider during the Tour |
| Pos. | Position in the general classification |
| DNF | Denotes a rider who did not finish |
| No. | Name | Nationality | Team | Pos. |
| 1 | Eddy Merckx | Belgium | Molteni | 1 |
| 2 | Joseph Bruyère | Belgium | Molteni | 26 |
| 3 | Jos Deschoenmaecker | Belgium | Molteni | 22 |
| 4 | Jos Huysmans | Belgium | Molteni | 28 |
| 5 | Willy In 't Ven | Belgium | Molteni | 51 |
| 6 | Marc Lievens | Belgium | Molteni | 43 |
| 7 | Frans Mintjens | Belgium | Molteni | 37 |
| 8 | Jozef Spruyt | Belgium | Molteni | DNF |
| 9 | Roger Swerts | Belgium | Molteni | 14 |
| 10 | Martin Van Den Bossche | Belgium | Molteni | 15 |
| 11 | Victor Van Schil | Belgium | Molteni | DNF |
| 12 | Joaquim Andrade | Portugal | Beaulieu–Flandria | DNF |
| 13 | Gérard David | Belgium | Beaulieu–Flandria | 59 |
| 14 | Johan De Muynck | Belgium | Beaulieu–Flandria | DNF |
| 15 | André Dierickx | Belgium | Beaulieu–Flandria | DNF |
| 16 | Evert Dolman | Netherlands | Beaulieu–Flandria | 83 |
| 17 | Fernando Mendes | Portugal | Beaulieu–Flandria | DNF |
| 18 | Jan Van De Wiele | Belgium | Beaulieu–Flandria | DNF |
| 19 | Herman Van Der Slagmolen | Belgium | Beaulieu–Flandria | DNF |
| 20 | Ronny Van Marcke | Belgium | Beaulieu–Flandria | 62 |
| 21 | Willy Van Neste | Belgium | Beaulieu–Flandria | 33 |
| 22 | Joop Zoetemelk | Netherlands | Beaulieu–Flandria | 5 |
| 23 | José Catieau | France | Sonolor | DNF |
| 24 | Bernard Guyot | France | Sonolor | 81 |
| 25 | Yves Hézard | France | Sonolor | 7 |
| 26 | Robert Mintkiewicz | France | Sonolor | 87 |
| 27 | Mathieu Pustjens | Netherlands | Sonolor | 25 |
| 28 | Walter Ricci | France | Sonolor | 27 |
| 29 | Raymond Riotte | France | Sonolor | 48 |
| 30 | Jean-Jacques Sanquer | France | Sonolor | DNF |
| 31 | Willy Teirlinck | Belgium | Sonolor | 66 |
| 32 | Lucien Van Impe | Belgium | Sonolor | 4 |
| 33 | Daniel Van Ryckeghem | Belgium | Sonolor | DNF |
| 34 | Robert Bouloux | France | Peugeot–BP–Michelin | DNF |
| 35 | Jean-Pierre Danguillaume | France | Peugeot–BP–Michelin | 21 |
| 36 | Wilfried David | Belgium | Peugeot–BP–Michelin | 41 |
| 37 | Raymond Delisle | France | Peugeot–BP–Michelin | 11 |
| 38 | Ronald De Witte | Belgium | Peugeot–BP–Michelin | 31 |
| 39 | Walter Godefroot | Belgium | Peugeot–BP–Michelin | 44 |
| 40 | Jean-Pierre Paranteau | France | Peugeot–BP–Michelin | 38 |
| 41 | Roger Pingeon | France | Peugeot–BP–Michelin | DNF |
| 42 | Christian Raymond | France | Peugeot–BP–Michelin | 47 |
| 43 | Bernard Thévenet | France | Peugeot–BP–Michelin | 9 |
| 44 | Jürgen Tschan | West Germany | Peugeot–BP–Michelin | 45 |
| 45 | Willy Abbeloos | Belgium | De Gribaldy–Magniflex–Van Cauter | 65 |
| 46 | Joaquim Agostinho | Portugal | De Gribaldy–Magniflex–Van Cauter | 8 |
| 47 | Herman Beysens | Belgium | De Gribaldy–Magniflex–Van Cauter | 23 |
| 48 | Edward Janssens | Belgium | De Gribaldy–Magniflex–Van Cauter | 10 |
| 49 | Roger Kindt | Belgium | De Gribaldy–Magniflex–Van Cauter | DNF |
| 50 | Mariano Martínez | France | De Gribaldy–Magniflex–Van Cauter | 6 |
| 51 | Joël Millard | France | De Gribaldy–Magniflex–Van Cauter | 32 |
| 52 | Jean-Claude Largeau | France | De Gribaldy–Magniflex–Van Cauter | 46 |
| 53 | André Poppe | Belgium | De Gribaldy–Magniflex–Van Cauter | DNF |
| 54 | Rik Van Linden | Belgium | De Gribaldy–Magniflex–Van Cauter | 80 |
| 55 | Ludo Van Staeyen | Belgium | De Gribaldy–Magniflex–Van Cauter | 49 |
| 56 | Jesús Aranzabal | Spain | Bic | 56 |
| 57 | Roland Berland | France | Bic | 40 |
| 58 | Jean-Claude Genty | France | Bic | 64 |
| 59 | Bernard Labourdette | France | Bic | DNF |
| 60 | Désiré Letort | France | Bic | DNF |
| 61 | Leif Mortensen | Denmark | Bic | 12 |
| 62 | Luis Ocaña | Spain | Bic | DNF |
| 63 | Alain Santy | France | Bic | DNF |
| 64 | Guy Santy | France | Bic | 29 |
| 65 | Johny Schleck | Luxembourg | Bic | 30 |
| 66 | Sylvain Vasseur | France | Bic | 35 |
| 67 | Jacques Cadiou | France | Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson | DNF |
| 68 | Régis Delépine | France | Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson | 76 |
| 69 | Jean-Pierre Genet | France | Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson | DNF |
| 70 | René Grelin | France | Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson | DNF |
| 71 | Cyrille Guimard | France | Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson | DNF |
| 72 | Barry Hoban | Great Britain | Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson | 70 |
| 73 | Gérard Moneyron | France | Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson | 36 |
| 74 | Jack Mourioux | France | Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson | 58 |
| 75 | Michel Périn | France | Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson | 19 |
| 76 | Raymond Poulidor | France | Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson | 3 |
| 77 | Yves Ravaleu | France | Gan–Mercier–Hutchinson | DNF |
| 78 | Lucien Aimar | France | Rokado | 17 |
| 79 | Gilbert Bellone | France | Rokado | 34 |
| 80 | Hans Junkermann | West Germany | Rokado | DNF |
| 81 | Gerben Karstens | Netherlands | Rokado | 60 |
| 82 | Karl-Heinz Kunde | West Germany | Rokado | 20 |
| 83 | Karl-Heinz Muddemann | West Germany | Rokado | 52 |
| 84 | Wilfried Peffgen | West Germany | Rokado | 63 |
| 85 | Dieter Puschel | West Germany | Rokado | 42 |
| 86 | Bernd Rasing | West Germany | Rokado | DNF |
| 87 | Wim Schepers | Netherlands | Rokado | DNF |
| 88 | Rolf Wolfshohl | West Germany | Rokado | 24 |
| 89 | Marino Basso | Italy | Salvarani | 82 |
| 90 | Pietro Campagnari | Italy | Salvarani | 74 |
| 91 | Luigi Castelletti | Italy | Salvarani | 85 |
| 92 | Felice Gimondi | Italy | Salvarani | 2 |
| 93 | Ercole Gualazzini | Italy | Salvarani | DNF |
| 94 | Pietro Guerra | Italy | Salvarani | 86 |
| 95 | Antoon Houbrechts | Belgium | Salvarani | 13 |
| 96 | Primo Mori | Italy | Salvarani | 39 |
| 97 | Guido Reybrouck | Belgium | Salvarani | DNF |
| 98 | Giacinto Santambrogio | Italy | Salvarani | 53 |
| 99 | Italo Zilioli | Italy | Salvarani | DNF |
| 100 | Leo Duyndam | Netherlands | Goudsmit–Hoff | DNF |
| 101 | Ger Harings | Netherlands | Goudsmit–Hoff | DNF |
| 102 | Cees Koeken | Netherlands | Goudsmit–Hoff | DNF |
| 103 | Jan Krekels | Netherlands | Goudsmit–Hoff | 78 |
| 104 | Wim Prinsen | Netherlands | Goudsmit–Hoff | 61 |
| 105 | Tino Tabak | Netherlands | Goudsmit–Hoff | 18 |
| 106 | Jos van der Vleuten | Netherlands | Goudsmit–Hoff | 73 |
| 107 | Jan van Katwijk | Netherlands | Goudsmit–Hoff | DNF |
| 108 | Harrie Van Leeuwen | Netherlands | Goudsmit–Hoff | DNF |
| 109 | Gerard Vianen | Netherlands | Goudsmit–Hoff | 71 |
| 110 | Marinus Wagtmans | Netherlands | Goudsmit–Hoff | 54 |
| 111 | Alain Bellouis | France | Gitane | 88 |
| 112 | Serge Bolley | France | Gitane | DNF |
| 113 | Gérard Briend | France | Gitane | DNF |
| 114 | Georges Chappe | France | Gitane | 50 |
| 115 | Jean-Claude Daunat | France | Gitane | 72 |
| 116 | René Grenier | France | Gitane | 57 |
| 117 | Loïc Le Bourhis | France | Gitane | DNF |
| 118 | Pierre Matignon | France | Gitane | 75 |
| 119 | Léon-Paul Ménard | France | Gitane | 84 |
| 120 | Jean Vidament | France | Gitane | DNF |
| 121 | Michael Wright | Great Britain | Gitane | 55 |
| 122 | Paul Aerts | Belgium | Watney–Avia | 69 |
| 123 | Etienne Antheunis | Belgium | Watney–Avia | DNF |
| 124 | Michel Coulon | Belgium | Watney–Avia | DNF |
| 125 | Pieter Nassen | Belgium | Watney–Avia | 79 |
| 126 | Englebert Opdebeeck | Belgium | Watney–Avia | DNF |
| 127 | Walter Planckaert | Belgium | Watney–Avia | DNF |
| 128 | Marc Sohet | Belgium | Watney–Avia | 68 |
| 129 | Noël Van Clooster | Belgium | Watney–Avia | 77 |
| 130 | Willy Van Malderghem | Belgium | Watney–Avia | DNF |
| 131 | Frans Verbeeck | Belgium | Watney–Avia | 16 |
| 132 | Eddy Verstraeten | Belgium | Watney–Avia | 67 |