Had LeMond not been directed to hold back (in support of team leader Bernard Hinault) during the '85 TDF and then missed two tours during what would have been his prime ('87 and '88) due to his hunting accident, it is entirely conceivable that he could have won SIX TDF's. I'll add that his TDF victory in '89 is especially impressive given that he had very little support from a subpar team.
I raced in Alaska in the early 80s, and our club invited Eddie B, the national team coach, to give a seminar for us in Anchorage. He mentioned this diamond-in-the-rough junior he had in the lower-48, without putting a name to him. Time sure did prove him right! And I remember him mentioning how this junior had put such a hurt on John Howard in some race in Nevada! (LOL! My good memory sure comes in handy!)
I saw Lemond win the TDF in 1990. A used 'Bridgestone 450' was purchased shortly after his win. I've owned many bikes since then, and even won some races. Cycling has been good to me. Thanks Greg; you are still my inspiration.
LeMond was amazing, captivated a generation of US cyclists. Unfortunate to be sidelined in ‘87 and ‘88 and to have his career cut short. Greg is a true inspiration and generational talent.
John Howard also won Hawaii Ironman in 1891. I think he still holds the record of the most number of places gained on the bike. Came out of the water pretty well last and was first onto the run. I had the pleasure of meeting him many years ago. Great bike rider and great guy.
I met John at a presentation he gave in Orlando FL many years ago, after he won Ironman. He was to talk about triathlon training, but all anyone wanted to hear was about bike racing.
Howard, with Stan Swaim and John Allis, used to bring the Dorset training camp down to our club races. He'd play coach, patrolling up and down the peloton at will.
LeMond. Major Taylor. No one else has the records or wins to be compared to them (at least, no one else has not been stripped of their titles) from the USA. I don't think anyone else is even in the conversation. If you want to compare him to anyone else you will have to look to Europe.
@@PoliticusRex632 I think there are more knowledgeable people in the world than I, but here is how I look at it. Major Taylor set 7 world records and won 1 world championship. LeMond won three TdF. So to me, they are the top tier. From there, you have 10 other Americans who have won at least one stage at the TdF. Among those 10 over half did not do it cleanly. Of the remainder are people who had very good careers and those who won a stage at the TdF but didn't (or haven't yet) built a strong resume. For Phinney his big wins were Coors, others won different events. Assuming Farrar was clean, you could debate Farrar v. Davis Phinney. I think Davis Phinney probably won some head-to-heads over Andrew Hampsten, but Hampsten has some more impressive wins. Call it a draw or favor Davis-Phinney for the head-to-head. I think those three are in the second tier down, with Davis-Phinney arguably being the top of the second tier. I won't talk about the doping-era guys. But I don't think you can put Davis-Phinney on the same plane as LeMond and Taylor.
He was Muther Fugging fast!! I was a junior in the mid-late 70's. I qualified for the junior world trials in 77. Got to race against all the guys that ended up on the 7/11 team. And they were incredible fast! Greg was heads above them. I think Bradley beat him in a sprint a few times. But in a hilly race or a TT, Greg was almost unbeatable. He put the hurt on the Wayne Stetina at a race out west while Greg was still a junior and Wayne was a Cat1 Olympic team member. And I had to deal with the Stetina family at just about every race I went to back then. They were formidable...
Greg LeMond is like Bo Jackson. Superior raw talent, always consistently brilliant. Natural talent and gifted athletes. Both the last before drugs took over the sports.
Y’all are delusional if you think he was clean. Talented yes, clean… Beat others that were doping. And fyi doping in cycle was prominent since the tours inception. But really got ramped up in the 60s and 70s. He comes back for being shot with a shotgun to win the worlds toughest sport where the most of the field was doping. FYI doping just isn’t epo and blood bags. Painkillers, speed, and other “less” forms of doping.
Had LeMond not been directed to hold back (in support of team leader Bernard Hinault) during the '85 TDF and then missed two tours during what would have been his prime ('87 and '88) due to his hunting accident, it is entirely conceivable that he could have won SIX TDF's. I'll add that his TDF victory in '89 is especially impressive given that he had very little support from a subpar team.
I raced in Alaska in the early 80s, and our club invited Eddie B, the national team coach, to give a seminar for us in Anchorage. He mentioned this diamond-in-the-rough junior he had in the lower-48, without putting a name to him. Time sure did prove him right! And I remember him mentioning how this junior had put such a hurt on John Howard in some race in Nevada! (LOL! My good memory sure comes in handy!)
I saw Lemond win the TDF in 1990. A used 'Bridgestone 450' was purchased shortly after his win. I've owned many bikes since then, and even won some races. Cycling has been good to me. Thanks Greg; you are still my inspiration.
LeMond was amazing, captivated a generation of US cyclists. Unfortunate to be sidelined in ‘87 and ‘88 and to have his career cut short. Greg is a true inspiration and generational talent.
Greatest American cyclist of all time. Hands down
John Howard also won Hawaii Ironman in 1891. I think he still holds the record of the most number of places gained on the bike. Came out of the water pretty well last and was first onto the run. I had the pleasure of meeting him many years ago. Great bike rider and great guy.
I met John at a presentation he gave in Orlando FL many years ago, after he won Ironman. He was to talk about triathlon training, but all anyone wanted to hear was about bike racing.
Howard, with Stan Swaim and John Allis, used to bring the Dorset training camp down to our club races. He'd play coach, patrolling up and down the peloton at will.
Greg was the GOAT
Lance Armstrong is the REAL GOAT
he's the reason I loved professional cycling in the 80's; Lance is the reason i stopped following professional cycling
That back drop really is perfectly placed, haha 👍
LeMond. Major Taylor. No one else has the records or wins to be compared to them (at least, no one else has not been stripped of their titles) from the USA. I don't think anyone else is even in the conversation. If you want to compare him to anyone else you will have to look to Europe.
Where would you put Davis Phinney?
@@PoliticusRex632 I think there are more knowledgeable people in the world than I, but here is how I look at it. Major Taylor set 7 world records and won 1 world championship. LeMond won three TdF. So to me, they are the top tier. From there, you have 10 other Americans who have won at least one stage at the TdF. Among those 10 over half did not do it cleanly. Of the remainder are people who had very good careers and those who won a stage at the TdF but didn't (or haven't yet) built a strong resume. For Phinney his big wins were Coors, others won different events. Assuming Farrar was clean, you could debate Farrar v. Davis Phinney. I think Davis Phinney probably won some head-to-heads over Andrew Hampsten, but Hampsten has some more impressive wins. Call it a draw or favor Davis-Phinney for the head-to-head. I think those three are in the second tier down, with Davis-Phinney arguably being the top of the second tier. I won't talk about the doping-era guys. But I don't think you can put Davis-Phinney on the same plane as LeMond and Taylor.
@@Mark-oq9fl Davis Phinney tops all Americans and is 3rd all time in professional victories 328. He is behind only Merckx 525 and Van Looy 379.
So you would put him ahead of LeMond? Wins are wins?@@PoliticusRex632
He was Muther Fugging fast!! I was a junior in the mid-late 70's. I qualified for the junior world trials in 77. Got to race against all the guys that ended up on the 7/11 team. And they were incredible fast! Greg was heads above them. I think Bradley beat him in a sprint a few times. But in a hilly race or a TT, Greg was almost unbeatable. He put the hurt on the Wayne Stetina at a race out west while Greg was still a junior and Wayne was a Cat1 Olympic team member. And I had to deal with the Stetina family at just about every race I went to back then. They were formidable...
Was my inspiration for racing 1989
Greg was 2nd overall to Kingsbury in Houston at a Stage Race weekend, I think his Grandfather drove him !??!
Greg was always Greg
Greg LeMond is like Bo Jackson. Superior raw talent, always consistently brilliant. Natural talent and gifted athletes. Both the last before drugs took over the sports.
He was plenty good. Good enough to beat Hinault and Fignon, among others. Oh, and his World Championship.
I subscribed
Love listening to Greg tell these stories (and others) ...
Pure comedy
Y’all are delusional if you think he was clean. Talented yes, clean… Beat others that were doping. And fyi doping in cycle was prominent since the tours inception. But really got ramped up in the 60s and 70s. He comes back for being shot with a shotgun to win the worlds toughest sport where the most of the field was doping. FYI doping just isn’t epo and blood bags. Painkillers, speed, and other “less” forms of doping.
The sad thing is most of your family are doped up and yet still manage to lose at everything - go figure 😂
LeMond was as good as his doping let him be. He didn't win clean against doped rivals. Don't believe that for a second.