LeMond vs. Fignon, 1989. The beginning of the arms race. Aerobars. Aero helmet. Disk rear, bladed spoke front. It contributed to a culture of people measuring grams of drag, counting watts and worrying about the very little things that can make a man and bike faster:
Yeah, that was probably only the greatest TT in the history of ever!
But your title doesn’t really make sense…
Hmmm. True. I’ll change it. Good point.
I remember that like it was yesterday, Tom. We still have seen nothing like that since. Great moments, yes…but that was transcendant.
watching this always makes me want to grab a bike and ride hard!
When I saw it happen I couldn’t believe it. I remember thinking, “Well, this changes everything.”
Speaking of this TT, it was the last stage correct of the TdF?
So what made them change the format, to where the TT is the 2nd to last and the last stage is more of a “celebration ride” where they free ride into Paris and then its basically a field sprint on the Champs Eslyee (spelling).
Was it just the fact that they wanted a full stage race to finish the TdF instead of a TT?
That not only is one of my top TDF moments, it’s one of my top sporting moments. Ridiculous!! I remember showing up at a small sprint triathlon not too long after that and being the only person with Scott Clip-ons. The next race, less than a month later, half the field had some form of aerobar. The rest is history…
Damn that was epic, I’ve never seen that video. Watching LeMond, I felt myself wanting to pedal in my chair!
Damn that was epic, I’ve never seen that video. Watching LeMond, I felt myself wanting to pedal in my chair!
ditto. that was pretty sick (before my time)
I still want to know, how did LeMond average 35 mph? I have trouble GOING 35 mph without a decent downhill.
Lots of downhill from Versailles to Paris and a tailwind…regardless, that was the best Tour de France ending in History.
I believe it was the only time in the past 30 years when the final stage was an ITT. This was the single TT that made tri bars “real”. Up till then they were just a stupid gizmo used by triathletes and RAAM riders.
“When I saw it happen I couldn’t believe it. I remember thinking, “Well, this changes everything.””
I remember that bike shops barely knew what aero bars were before that. Within a year most of the shops I knew had Scott DH as well as the profile full and clip on styles on their floor. It was literally an explosion…much like the clipless pedal explosion in '85-86. At that time even roadies would regularly leave the clip ons on their bikes.
Of course you also see the full bloom of the flourescent color schemes in that video too.
“So what made them change the format, to where the TT is the 2nd to last and the last stage is more of a “celebration ride””
Most TdFs DON’T end with the TT on the last day. In fact there were many complaints about that year’s format. For one thing, the TT format doesn’t make for the best spectator event. Today’s format generates much more spectator involvement.
that happened 3 years after i was born, dont really remember that, but that was a great clip and i can see how it changed everything… i loved the music in the beginning… so funny.
I always wondered how that tour would of went if Delagado did not miss a couple of minutes by showing up late to the TT. He would of finished 3rd with only a minute and a half down. It would of changed the tactics of the whole race.
Incredible stage but Fignon’s position is not bad and I’m intrigued how much of Lemond’s aero advantage was countered by Fignon’s FRONT disc - as I understand it that’s a huge benefit
.
Where is Kenny Souza with his Nishiki Altron…the king of Neon. I don’t care what you said, we trigeeks loved our Neon and it was the real start of the true Roadie trigeek rift 
Aerobars and aero helmet had nothing to do with it, it was the aero penalty of his ponytail that tipped it.
I remember watching this ‘live’ on ABC when it was broadcast. This single event was the moment I point to when
I became a cyclist and I remember bolting on a pair of my own Scott clip-ons and wobbling down the road soon afterwards.
I entered my first tri in Spring of 90 (The Tenley Tinman - a swim/run/bike 1/2IM in Maryland) and have been
pedaling around ever since.
Thanks for posting the link - I don’t think I have seen it since the original airing and it brought back a lot of memories.