I watched the “Fearless” show on OLN last night that featured Greg Lemond. Considering where we are with LA winning the tour 6 times, what is people’e view of Greg Lemond as a tour winner and American cyclist?
Do people see him as the breakthrough American cyclist who was able to go to Euro and win the biggest race 3x’s. If things had gone well and he hadn’t been shot it’s possible he could have won 5-6x’s (again, if things had gone well).
Or, is Lemond greatly overshadowded by LA because he’s brought so much more focus on cycling and has won 6x’s, even though he didn’t have to go through the great stigma of being an American in the peloton.
Some think Lemond feels bitter and has a sour grapes attitude about the tour now because of all the attention LA is getting. I see it as more disappointment than bitterness of what could have been. Things were very different then and he was fighting history and a French legend, in France, during his first couple of years.
That’s just my take but I’d be curious to hear others?
thanks
Barry
Greg is open and honest about his feeling. He is a candid, simple man. I don’t mean to suggest that he is naive.
Greg believes in what is right. He believes it very strongly. He is not a liar, not malingerer.
Greg is a bike racer above most other things, a simple, powerful bike racer. He enjoys things like airplanes and stereos and his family. His wife is a precious thing too. She is a perfect match for Greg, always tucking in his shirt and fusing over him.
I have liked Greg since the very first time I met him. He has never been conceited or arrogant. He has never been bitter or angry. He is honest. 100%, so much so it is his undoing. He simply knows no other way.
He’s certainly a breakthrough cyclist, shot or no shot, Lance or no Lance.
As to his behavior relative to LA, whether it’s bitterness or disappointment, it doesn’t fly with me. If Lance is a doper, I hope he gets caught. If he ever gets caught, then Lemond can talk trash. Until that point he should shut is mouth because he’s making himself into an ass.
Lemond rightfully earned his place in cycling history, IMO every time he starts making accusations he tarnishes himself.
the modern cycling era is DEFINED by lemond. it was he who dragged cycling from its mythic blue collar euro history to today’s color, image, hyperbole, and . . . . . . . . money.
LA has certainly stood upon that framework, and bridged cycling outside itself to the mainstream, but he has not redefined the sport itself anymore than did indurain.
Lemond is like Columbus. He pushed the envelope and explored uncharted waters for American cyclists. He achieved what he did with limited resources in America. He went and faught in savage territory and won cycling’s ultimate prize 3 times. He showed cyclists that followed him what “could be done”. He was also one of the first cyclists that really put his eggs in the Tour de France.
Amstrong is like the guys we settled the new world after Columbus first got across the pond. I don’t think you can compare the two. Without Lemond, Hampsten, Steve Bauer, Davis Phinney, Ron Keifel, the 7 eleven team and then team Motorola, there would be no Lance Armstrong. Lance attacked the Euro cycling establishment from an American team (Motorola) in his youth. Lemond beat the Euro establishment from within the Euro establishment and in 89 essentially won the TDF with NO TEAM.
They are both great in differnt ways. For Lemond though, it was sad to see his career end the way it did as a shadow of his former self. The guy was an incredible warrior.
This is exactly right. Every time he says bad things about Lance, he tarnishes his own legacy. Even if the things he is saying turn out to be true, he is not doing himself any favors saying bad things that he cannot prove.
I’ve never met LeMond. I only know what I’ve read about him and seen on tv but MHO is that he feels cheated by fate, by his hunting accident, by the way he had to finish his career and now by having his “record,” as it were, as the “greatest American cyclist” taken by someone he believes is cheating.
I think he’s wrong about all of this. His bad showing in his last tour was nobody’s fault but his own, his hunting accident was certainly bad luck but he was fortunate enough to live through it and come back and his comeback elevated his status even more. The last part is worse though, IMO. The only one who thinks Lance has taken anything away from LeMond is LeMond. He got to retire widely regarded as the best American cyclist ever. He could have been graceful and congratulated the next American champion for “carrying on his legacy” and kept his place as a pathfinder and a champion forever. Instead, he has chosen the title of “dethroned-champion/whiny bitch.”
When we rode to the Blue Ox (post shooting accident) he would salt his food, not just a little, but alot. Is that common when you have one kindney, I never asked.
Greg feels like American cycling has betrayed him. Greg was the first American to take on the European cycling establishment. Not only do the current crop of successful US pros like Lance, George, Bobby Jullich etc, have him to thank for paving the way to Europe for US cyclist - every Euro pro who makes over $250,000 should thank Greg for pushing the envelope and demanding to be paid the way US professionals were starting to be paid in other sports. His work with equipment was even more revolutionary. Everything we look at today to make us better cyclists (& triathletes) we can thank Greg for pushing - clipless pedals, aerobars, aero bike fitting.
It’s too bad that Greg feels betrayed by the American cycling community but he’s brought some of that on himself by not accepting when his time was done. He could have spent years sitting above it all as the grand father of US cycling - but that’s not his style. it wasn’t his style to race according to the European “rules” and it’s not his style to stay silent now.
His comments last summer were ill timed and he should have know better then to grant an interview to a French paper during the Tour to talk about Lance. But I don’t think he cares.
When LA Confidential comes out in English this issue is going to be huge - his comments in the book are very damming. The only reason there isn’t more drama on his comments in LA Confidential now is that not enough average American cycling enthusiasts can read French.
For me growing up LeMond was cycling. He got me interested in the sport to begin with, and I am sure I am not alone. I have since heard things about him which caused me to lose respect for him. In addition, his comments about Lance are ill timed but my opinion of hime was already trashed. So I could care less what he says at this point. Maybe Lance is a doper, maybe not. Maybe LeMond was a doper, maybe not, there was less testing in his hey day. Doesn’t he still have the fastest recorded timetrial? Either way like most have mentioned he could have stay above it all as the father of american (maybe modern) cycling but chose not to.
We stand on the shoulders of giants… I would think that Greg’s accomplishments helped inspire LA.
Similarly, when I see the amazing performances that pro triathletes are putting in today, I think plenty of credit goes to the legends of our sport like Dave Scott who turned IM from a simple test of endurance to full-throttle race.
Both Lemond and Dave Scott were trailblazers that changed the sport.
For a North American to win Le Tour, is it mandatory to have a near-death experience??? If it is, I think Tyler and a few others would stand in front of a bus to do so.
… when I see the amazing performances that pro triathletes are putting in today , I think plenty of credit goes to the legends of our sport like Dave Scott who turned IM from a simple test of endurance to full-throttle race.
Both Lemond and Dave Scott were trailblazers that changed the sport.
What would they say about the pros who DNFed this year ‘cuz they "just weren’t feelin’ it???"
For a North American to win Le Tour, is it mandatory to have a near-death experience??? If it is, I think Tyler and a few others would stand in front of a bus to do so.
… when I see the amazing performances that pro triathletes are putting in today , I think plenty of credit goes to the legends of our sport like Dave Scott who turned IM from a simple test of endurance to full-throttle race.
Both Lemond and Dave Scott were trailblazers that changed the sport.
What would they say about the pros who DNFed this year ‘cuz they "just weren’t feelin’ it???"
Since Dave Scott DNFed on the bike in Kona 2(?) years ago, he might understand.
“Greg feels like American cycling has betrayed him.”
That’s a really good way of putting it and I totally agree. I think he’s wrong but he definitely seems to genuinely feel that way. I also agree that it’s too bad he feels that way. I used to like LeMond (though I guess I don’t anymore) and I still like Lance but I think its unfortunate the way each of them has acted toward the other. I think LeMond has been worse with less reason but Lance has certainly said some things as well. I guess neither of them owes American cycling anything but it would be a lot better for the sport if they would get along and play nice instead of making each other look bad.
yes I agree. he could be one of the greatest guys on earth, like Tom D points out. But when someone talks bad about someone else, it just reflects poorly on the person doing the talking/accusing.
i had a boss one time that said, if you want your house to look good, praise the other houses around you.
in general, it’s hard to do this, but no matter how good of a guy he is, all of the bad mouthing he’s done has not reflected well on him, it’s hurt his image signifigantly. instead of remembering all of the great feats he faced and how much of a champion he is, people are now thinking that he’s a sore looser. it’s too bad.
Kittycat…HELLO…Lemond and Loser do not go in the same sentence. I think Lance is great, and while I might not agree with the timing or content of Lemond’s statements with respect to Lance, it does not make Lemond a loser. Most of us just have a difference of opinion with Lemond.
His statements still does not make him a loser. Last time I checked, 3xTdF Winner and World Champion typically equates with winning. He might be a sour old guy, but that is about it.
I’m yet to see a cyclist win “despite his own time” or “with no team”. This was the case for two of Lemond’s three wins. As a cyclist, the man is a winner and last time I checked, he is also still married to the fine woman who stood with him through his early wins, near death, more victories and then a decline in performance. Perhaps he is married to a Saint, but it takes two to make things work.
I agree with his wife being a saint, at least from what I could discern from the special on OLN. I thought it was rather amusing when she told her father she was going to marry a bike racer to which he replied, “So what everyone can ride a bike.”
I said SORE looser, or like sour grapes. upset, or sour attitude. that’s what I meant. I like the guy, but don’t think it’s healthy for his image to tout off the way he has/does. my point was that people (general public) remember that more than his accomplishments and it makes him look bad.
