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Greg Lemond)
Greg LeMond (born June 26, 1961 in Lakewood, California) became the first non-European cyclist to win the Tour de France in 1986. He won the Tour again in 1989 and 1990.
Racing career
LeMond, whose name should be pronounced like the fruit rather than in French, began racing professionally in 1982. He gave up a likely Tour de France win in 1985 because the managers of his team had picked Bernard Hinault as team captain. After his first Tour de France win in 1986, LeMond nearly died from shotgun wounds suffered in a grouse hunting accident in the fall of 1986, he was forced to miss the following two Tours while he recovered and also had surgery for tendinitis in his leg and appendicitis. Three years later, with 37 shotgun pellets remaining in his body (including some in the lining of his heart), LeMond was hoping only to finish in the top 20, yet he took a second yellow jersey in 1989 and went on to a third win in 1990. In his 1989 win, he defeated French rival Laurent Fignon in the final stage, an individual time trial, by 58 seconds to give him a final victory margin of 8 seconds—the closest in the Tour's history. For his 1989 performance, he was named Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman of the Year".
LeMond is one of the few cyclists to win the Tour de France without winning a single stage. In 1992 Greg LeMond became the first American to win the short lived American answer to the Tour de France that took place 1989-1990 Tour de Trump and 1991-1996 Tour DuPont. Greg Lemond won the Prologue in record time and it was his first American win since the mid 1980's. The 1992 Tour DuPont victory was Greg LeMonds last major win of his career. LeMond developed mitochondrial myopathy and retired from professional cycling in December 1994.
Post-racing career
Continuing to apply his cycling and fitness expertise, LeMond has started several companies since his racing retirement, including LeMond Bicycles (now a division of Trek) and LeMond Fitness.
He currently lives in Medina, Minnesota, USA, and has been pursuing auto racing.
Controversy
In 2001, LeMond stirred up controversy, alleging that multiple-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong may be doping to improve his performance.[1] In July 2004, after additional Tour de France wins by Armstrong, LeMond commented again, "If Armstrong's clean, it's the greatest comeback. And if he's not, then it's the greatest fraud."[2] He also declared "Lance is ready to do anything to keep his secret. I don't know how he can continue to convince everybody of his innocence." to newspaper Le Monde [3].
External links
Last updated: 05-15-2005 05:46:04
