While attending the Army's Command and General Staff school at Ft Leavenworth KS in the 80s, I met a U.S. Army officer who claimed to have ridden for a German team in the TdF in the mid-to-late 70s, while he was stationed there. He said he had to ride under a German name as he wanted to maintain his USCF credentials (so much for my military don't lie, cheat or steal heritage). He didn't finish, but acquitted himself well in the mountains. I don't think this was a German military team, but he said many of the riders were in the military. When I knew him, he rode a ? Fiorelli?. I was in as good shape as I've ever been and I couldn't hold his wheel for more than a few hundred yards at best. If he did in fact ride the Tour, then he would have predated Jacques Boyer's feat by a few years. I suspect other Americans may also have ridden before the 80s, but the records just don't show it. Anybody have good records that might show the rosters of teams from the late 70s? Lou Deeter, "riding my red/white/blue Spectrum today--only ridden on Federal holidays" Orlando FL