Greg LeMond - The Last Rider

[Sunny Portrush]

Said documentary is on Sky at the minute so you should be able to catch it if you have Sky (obviously lol)

Now, I hope it’s not a plot spoiler but Greg’s win in the 1989 TdF is probably in my top three sporting moments, I can vividly remember the coverage on Channel 4 and can recall Phil Liggett’s commentary as I type this.

I actually saw LeMond race the 1994 TdF when it visited England. The peloton whizzed by and I was about the pack up stuff when I looked down the road to see a lone cyclist. I wondered who it could be and was astounded to see it was LeMond.

He abandoned a few stages later, saying he just couldn’t keep up and didn’t understand why but that soon became very apparent.

Still the only American to win the Tour…..

 

[Slick]

I'm on documentaries now but can't see it.

 

[Slick]

Ah, found it.

 

[Sunny Portrush]

Enjoy it but be careful of that dust that flew into my eyes on a couple of occasions

 

[tinywheels]

awesome documentary, wonderful insights.

 

[fossyant]

Might need to look at a dodgy download for this. Great rider.

 

[ColinJ]

Might need to look at a dodgy download for this. Great rider.

Or pay £2.99 (SD) / £3.99 (HD) to rent it HERE on YouTube?

 

[ColinJ]

Also available on Amazon Prime...

 

[Sunny Portrush]

That win in 1989 and the way it was done is my favourite cycling moment. The only way it will be topped is if Cav wins a stage this year

 

[Domus]

Saw it at HOME in Manchester in the summer. Enjoyed it.

 

[ColinJ]

That win in 1989 and the way it was done is my favourite cycling moment.

It probably saved my life!!!

By 1989, I'd become extremely fat and unhealthy, barely able to walk up even a single flight of stairs. In the 3 years since graduating, I'd gone from being a skinny student (6'1", 10 st 10 lbs) to an obese (16 st 5 lbs) , stressed-out office worker. I was heading for an early grave. And then, Greg Lemond got me back into cycling...!

I came back from work one evening in early July, 1989 and stuck the TV on. The Tour de France coverage was on Channel 4. I was smitten.

I was inspired by Lemond's titanic struggle with Fignon and thrilled by the final time trial. I went out and put a bike a few weeks later. I thank Greg Lemond for that.

I've just watched that tour again on a DVD passed to me through the CycleChat 'library' and it struck me how hard the efforts made by the riders on the climbs were. They looked like they were being tortured, grimacing and pouring sweat. None of the kind of crap we've come to know through Ricco et al who charge up steep climbs as though they were flat, and hop off their bikes at the top as if they've just been for a ride in the park with their kids.

I'm sure that Lemond was riding clean, and damn sure that most of the Tour winners since him weren't.

Lemond struggled with the 1990 tour and then his career went into a nosedive. I remember it being blamed on ill health due to the lead pellets still in his body after his near-fatal hunting accident, but the same thing was happening to other great riders like Andy Hampsten. In hindsight, you can see the rise of EPO abuse in the peloton - just watch the old TDF coverage and watch the riders on the tough climbs, and observe how things changed in the early 90s.

Sure, Lemond is angry about what happened in the sport, but with good reason. I think that he genuinely wants a clean sport and I don't think that what he says is just 'sour grapes'.

There is so much money at stake, and doping is so much part of the sport that I despair at the problem ever going away but perhaps the scale of it can be reduced. I think people like Lemond who are not willing to just keep quiet are part of the solution.

 

[Dogtrousers]

It probably saved my life!!!

That thread, and associated links, is quite an interesting reminder of life before Armstrong's downfall and the vast denial machine that existed then. LeMond, Landis? Bitter, jealous troublemakers following their own personal agendas - all would be well if they just shut up

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I've seen it before, but it was on a couple of nights ago, not sure what channel, as I watched it (again) via Virgin cable

 

[cyberknight]

Fignon was robbed a bit imho , in an TT in another race later in the year he was banned from using the aero bars , plus he had a saddle sore on the day of the last stage .
Doesnt take anything away from Lemonds achievement to come back from near death plus overcome lots of other stuff though

 

[Sunny Portrush]

Fignon was robbed a bit imho , in an TT in another race later in the year he was banned from using the aero bars , plus he had a saddle sore on the day of the last stage .
Doesnt take anything away from Lemonds achievement to come back from near death plus overcome lots of other stuff though

The UCI banned the aero bars not long after LeMond won, I think they were rather annoyed that he did.

And as for that last stage, Fignon could barely sit on the bike.

LeMond was probably the last clean rider to win the Tour, I believe him when he says what would be the point of going through what he went through and then risk losing everything but being caught cheating.

And I applaud him on calling out Armstong