Steve Kish
Senior Retro Guru
How old is Contador?
Lemond versus Fignon 1989 Tour de France finale
- Thread starter Old Ned
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So many memories from this era of the Tour de France but that final showdown in 1989 is iconic. Forgive me if I ramble for a bit...
I remember sitting at my aunt's watching the UK coverage and Joey McLaughlin saying in the studio, quite reasonably, that Lemond had no chance. Then watching the unfolding drama in split screen with Lemond looking sleek and focused on his tribars, upper body almost motionless and legs supple on a big gear, looking up at the road then down as he powered onwards. Fignon was a contrast, more for the fact that he looked less fluid with his shoulders rolling, never a good sign. Then the contrasting despair and elation at the finish (plus Kathy Lemond's glasses) - no matter how we look at it Fignon did a very good ride but was Lemond's focus (and tri bars) the main difference?
Fignon has always been a complex, even downright difficult character and it is awfully sad to know of his serious illness. Lemond had an heroic career but recently seems to have lost some of his sheen with his public utterances.
But what a period the mid to late 80s was:
- 1986 was the Lemond-Hinault infighting in the super dominant La Vie Clare.
- 1987 was Roche-Delgado and the legendary finish in the mist at La Plagne (and Roche's equally famous response on being revived and asked if he was okay "Oui, mais pas de femme toute de suite").
- 1988 was Delagdo's Tour although he tested positive for probenecid which although dodgy wasn't banned for cyclists at the time.
1989 was the Lemond-Fignon Tour but what about Delgado turning up over 2 and a half minutes late for the Prologue and losing yet more time in the team time trial? Without that, would we even have had the last stage showdown? If memory serves Delgado was only three and a half minutes behind the winner.
Have there been four greater consecutive Tours since the Tour was televised in the UK?
I remember sitting at my aunt's watching the UK coverage and Joey McLaughlin saying in the studio, quite reasonably, that Lemond had no chance. Then watching the unfolding drama in split screen with Lemond looking sleek and focused on his tribars, upper body almost motionless and legs supple on a big gear, looking up at the road then down as he powered onwards. Fignon was a contrast, more for the fact that he looked less fluid with his shoulders rolling, never a good sign. Then the contrasting despair and elation at the finish (plus Kathy Lemond's glasses) - no matter how we look at it Fignon did a very good ride but was Lemond's focus (and tri bars) the main difference?
Fignon has always been a complex, even downright difficult character and it is awfully sad to know of his serious illness. Lemond had an heroic career but recently seems to have lost some of his sheen with his public utterances.
But what a period the mid to late 80s was:
- 1986 was the Lemond-Hinault infighting in the super dominant La Vie Clare.
- 1987 was Roche-Delgado and the legendary finish in the mist at La Plagne (and Roche's equally famous response on being revived and asked if he was okay "Oui, mais pas de femme toute de suite").
- 1988 was Delagdo's Tour although he tested positive for probenecid which although dodgy wasn't banned for cyclists at the time.
1989 was the Lemond-Fignon Tour but what about Delgado turning up over 2 and a half minutes late for the Prologue and losing yet more time in the team time trial? Without that, would we even have had the last stage showdown? If memory serves Delgado was only three and a half minutes behind the winner.
Have there been four greater consecutive Tours since the Tour was televised in the UK?
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Old Ned":2owm6rnc said:
in a recent interview , he said that doctors told him there was no proof that his doping was responsible for the cancer .
I was really really disappointed that Fignon lost the race. As far as I'm concerned, Lemond "cheated". He used a piece of equipment that enabled him to ride significantly faster. Aerobars should been banned* after the race and Lemond's ride in the TT not counted. My view is that all bikes in a race should be same in performance, and special one-off and not generally available parts are not allowed.
Fignon had a saddle sore, that's why he was moving around on the the saddle and could not ride properly.
Perhaps Lemond knew he had a "secret weapon" that he knew would give him a clear advantage, and knew he could make up at least several minutes in the TT and saved himself for it.
*Before anyone says what about progress, the rules of a sport are basically arbitrary. The only basis that can be used is history, ie there should be continuity with a sport's past. Aerobars are a fundamental change from a rider holding the bars with their hand to resting the their upper body on the elbows. Why not just extend the top tube upwards and let the rider rest their chest on it?
Fignon had a saddle sore, that's why he was moving around on the the saddle and could not ride properly.
Perhaps Lemond knew he had a "secret weapon" that he knew would give him a clear advantage, and knew he could make up at least several minutes in the TT and saved himself for it.
*Before anyone says what about progress, the rules of a sport are basically arbitrary. The only basis that can be used is history, ie there should be continuity with a sport's past. Aerobars are a fundamental change from a rider holding the bars with their hand to resting the their upper body on the elbows. Why not just extend the top tube upwards and let the rider rest their chest on it?
Sorry to drag this old thread up. I found some interesting photos from before the last TT stage with riders warming up. I can remember seeing almost no other rider in coverage that day other than Lemond, Fignon & Delgado, and Delgado only because Lemond almost caught him! I thought others might like to take a look:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bw94/sets/72157607855475310/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bw94/sets/72157607855475310/
Steve Kish
Senior Retro Guru
I've the whole 1989 final TT stage live on VHS and when it finished, I well remember Richard 'Gorilla Arms' Keys saying exactly what I was thinking:-
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