kadel wrote:
that was truly a great tour, Laurent Fignon was such a classy gentleman! Do you have the 1989 TDF dvd narrated by Phil Liggett?
I wish. I have a couple, but I'd love to have them all. one day I'll buy them all, that's for sure. also the Giro ones, which are those that interest me the most (since I've seen less about them). sadly there aren't any Vuelta ones
kadel wrote:
I think Fignon could have won the TDF in 89 with the same equipment as LeMond.
there was a study done about that a little while ago. I can't remember the exact time, but the helmet gave LeMond a big advantage, and the TT bars an even bigger one. Fignon's front disk wheel gave Fignon a small advantage.
Ironically, if Fignon had cut off his ponytail, he'd have won the Tour by fractions of a second.
And with equal equipment, Fignon would've beaten LeMond on the stage. not to mention Fignon had saddle sores.
The thing that makes that tour so great is that both guys were making their comebacks after years of difficulty. Two of the finest riders who ever lived.
Edited by issoisso on 04-06-2008 15:29
I think Greg Lemond was the last clean winner of the Tour De France when he won in 1990. Suddenly in 1991 Lemond couldn't pick up the pace, something had happened, and a new EPOch was ushered in with Indurain (doped), Riis (doped), Ullrich (doped) and Armstrong (doped).
Indurain's team was systematically doping its riders, it strange that the first year they lost their famous doctor, Padilla, Indurain dropped like a stone in the mountains.
kadel wrote:
I think Greg Lemond was the last clean winner of the Tour De France when he won in 1990. Suddenly in 1991 Lemond couldn't pick up the pace, something had happened, and a new EPOch was ushered in with Indurain (doped), Riis (doped), Ullrich (doped) and Armstrong (doped).
Indurain's team was systematically doping its riders, it strange that the first year they lost their famous doctor, Padilla, Indurain dropped like a stone in the mountains.
well, It was a different time. things are different now. I can give LeMond the benefit of the doubt on being clean, but his "nothing's ever my fault, I have excuses for everything" mentality makes me sick. plus he was beating guys who admitted doping (Fignon) and others who despite not admitting, tested positive (Delgado). So I'm 50/50 on that.
and you know what? I don't really care. I love all ages of cycling
EPO and blooddoping wasn't used in the 80s, Delgado was doping for sure but I've never seen Fignon admitting to doping, neither Hinault... EPO and blooddoping takes the rider to a whole new level and is much more effective than any other type of doping, making it virtually impossible for a clean rider to win. So if this had been in the EPOch and LeMond was winning, I wouldn't be so sure he was dope-free.
However Fignon and LeMond is at least fighting doping today.
Thomas wrote:
This is a must see cycling video - especially the end is great!
I was getting ready to post that.
Macquet wrote:
"We all know that wasn't the real footage of the Worlds anyway. That was just the staged footage to perpetuate the coverup that it was actually Vinokourov that won the race."
kadel wrote:
EPO and blooddoping wasn't used in the 80s, Delgado was doping for sure but I've never seen Fignon admitting to doping, neither Hinault... EPO and blooddoping takes the rider to a whole new level and is much more effective than any other type of doping, making it virtually impossible for a clean rider to win. So if this had been in the EPOch and LeMond was winning, I wouldn't be so sure he was dope-free.
However Fignon and LeMond is at least fighting doping today.
I don't want to pollute this thread with a doping discussion, so: PM
"We all know that wasn't the real footage of the Worlds anyway. That was just the staged footage to perpetuate the coverup that it was actually Vinokourov that won the race."
ops:. Thanks for clearing that up
