Greg LeMond had an incredible career, winning the Tour de France three times and the elite World Championships twice. He claimed the junior world title in 1979 and turned pro in 1981 with Renault-Elf-Gitane. It was the start of an era when English-speaking riders were about to come to the fore in a way pro cycling had never seen.
His career was one of drama, initially because of his rivalry with his legendary French team mate, Bernard Hinault. LeMond was then shot and almost killed in a hunting accident in April, 1987, after first winning the Tour de France the previous July.
Relived of his place in the Toshiba-La Vie Claire team after making his comeback at the end of 1987 - riding the Nissan Classic in Ireland in September of that year - LeMond went on to win the Tour again in 1989 with ADR-Agrigel-Bottecchia.
Advertisement
Related News
He beat yellow jersey, Laurent Fignon, in the final stage TT into Paris to take overall victory by just eight seconds. He then went on to claim the world title a few months later in Chambéry, where Ireland's Sean Kelly was 3rd. LeMond returned to the Tour the following year, 1990, and again won.
Much of the new movie - which is being released in US cinemas but will hopefully soon be available in Europe - focusses on his hunting accident and his comeback to win the 1989 Tour, though his full career is covered.
“When I started cycling, Americans could never compete against the Europeans,” LeMond says in the movie of his 1986 Tour win. “For me, it was like ‘Oh my gosh, that was my dream. Being the first American ever to put on a winner the yellow jersey'. That was the most magical thing I’ve ever experienced.”
