Laurent Fignon, 50, dies of cancer.
2 time winner of the Tour of France 1983-84, 1989, 2nd place to Greg LeMond in the closest finish ever, 8 seconds.
Old school clashed with new school as Fignon rode with traditional handlebars and no helmet and ponytail while LeMond wore an aerodynamic helmet and used triathlon bars.
That final stage of the 1989 race ranks as one of the most dramatic sporting events ever televised. Greg LeMond and Fignon had traded the MJ a couple of times, but Fignon had owed it for four days, and going into the final-day 25-km time trial LeMond trailed by 50 seconds. Essentially every expert said, in effect “Making up 20 or at a serious stretch 30 seconds might be possible with a superhuman effort, but you can just forget about 50. Hey, nice try and second place is nothing to sneeze at.”
He turned in that superhuman effort, made up 58 seconds, and won the closest TDF ever.
RIP Laurent.
Goodbye, Professor. Only 50 - what a waste. One of the greats in modern cycling.
RIP.