The 1989 TDF ?

[ayceejay]

If my memory serves ddn't Fignon miss cue a bend as well, losing him time?

 

[Milkfloat]

IIRC the team had made a point of using them in another minor race prior to the Tour to ensure that there was a precedent for the UCI allowing them.

But I'm not 100% my memory is accurate - I may be thinking of some other bit of controversial equipment.

It has been a couple of years since I read his book, but I remember this as well. I am fairly sure it was the bars.

 

[HF2300]

That is just not true. There is no "Rule", unwritten or otherwise, that you concede the race on the penultimate day.

It'd be overstating it to say it's a rule (unwritten or otherwise) - but I'm going to stick with saying it's become something of a tradition, and one acknowledged by far better people than I; though I'd agree it's a tradition that's evolved for practical reasons. Nor am I saying it's never done, either - remember Zoetemelk (unsuccessfully) in '79, with a several minute gap, not just seconds? If the last day were just another stage, without tradition and with attacks withheld for purely practical reasons, we'd see very different behaviour - no glasses of champagne, for example!

 

[Aravis]

@Aravis I hope the little old lady didn't make any rash bets on the basis of your advice.

It looks as though the conversation took place on July 19th, the day after Lemond increased his lead at Briancon. I don't recall if the lady was little or not.

I imagine Lemond was clear favourite at the time, with Fignon all but written off. When Lemond got hammered on Alpe D'Huez that day my advice would have looked pretty remarkable.

http://bikeraceinfo.com/tdf/tdf1989.html

They don't make tours like this any more. Everyone remembers the 8 seconds, but before that we had the major contenders taking it in turns to land massive blows on each other. And the biggest blow of all was self-inflicted when Delgado threw away three minutes in the prologue.

 

[oldroadman]

It looks as though the conversation took place on July 19th, the day after Lemond increased his lead at Briancon. I don't recall if the lady was little or not.

I imagine Lemond was clear favourite at the time, with Fignon all but written off. When Lemond got hammered on Alpe D'Huez that day my advice would have looked pretty remarkable.

http://bikeraceinfo.com/tdf/tdf1989.html

They don't make tours like this any more. Everyone remembers the 8 seconds, but before that we had the major contenders taking it in turns to land massive blows on each other. And the biggest blow of all was self-inflicted when Delgado threw away three minutes in the prologue.

Yes, amazing how people climbed so fast and recovered so well, day after day in the mountains. The peloton is a bit steadier today, and the better for that.
The Delgado thing I remember, what a mistake! All kinds of theories were thrown about, but generally it boiled down to "Spanish foul-up" - or words to that effect.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Our lass always tells me that this was her favourite TDF.

 

[HF2300]

That is just not true. There is no "Rule", unwritten or otherwise, that you concede the race on the penultimate day.

The internal rule in the peloton is that the GC don't attack each other on the last day...

 

[RedRider]

If my memory serves ddn't Fignon miss cue a bend as well, losing him time?

I'm sure I've read speculation Fignon lost seconds due to difficulty controlling his bike down to the disc wheel up front, it might be something he said himself.
I remember rooting for Lemond at the time, an English speaking winner (so soon after Roche) seemed revolutionary. In hindsight I'm a little sad Fignon didn't hang on.