<P> While the global awareness and popularity of the Tour grew during this time, its finances became stretched . Goddet and Lévitan continued to clash over the running of the race . Lévitan launched the Tour of America, as a precursor to his plans to take the Tour de France to the US . The Tour of America lost a lot of money, and it appeared to have been cross-financed by the Tour de France . In the years before 1987, Lévitan's position had always been protected by Émilien Amaury, the then owner of ASO, but recently, Émilien Amaury had retired and his son Philippe Amaury was now responsible . When Lévitan arrived at his office on 17 March 1987, he found that his doors were locked and he was fired . The organisation of the 1987 Tour de France was taken over by Jean - François Naquet - Radiguet . He was not successful in acquiring more funds, and was fired within one year . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This section needs expansion . You can help by adding to it . (July 2015) </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This section needs expansion . You can help by adding to it . (July 2015) </Td> </Tr> <P> Months before the start of the 1988 Tour, director Jean - François Naquet - Radiguet was replaced by Xavier Louy . In 1988 the Tour was organised by Jean - Pierre Courcol, the director of L'Équipe, then in 1989 by Jean - Pierre Carenso and then by Jean - Marie Leblanc, who in 1989 had been race director . The former television presenter Christian Prudhomme--he commentated on the Tour among other events--replaced Leblanc in 2007, having been assistant director for three years . In 1993 ownership of L'Équipe moved to the Amaury Group, which formed Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) to oversee its sports operations, although the Tour itself is operated by its subsidiary the Société du Tour de France . ASO employs around 70 people full - time, in an office facing but not connected to L'Équipe in the Issy - les - Moulineaux area of outer western Paris . That number expands to about 220 during the race itself, not including 500 contractors employed to move barriers, erect stages, signpost the route and other work . ASO now also operate several other major bike races throughout the year . </P>

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