Special Greg LeMond issue of Procycling

The January 2008 issue of the magazine Procycling will be a special issue about Greg LeMond, with him as a guest editor: "70 pages of sensational stories direct from his Minnesota home".

"Three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond has taken a step in a new direction by stepping into the editor's chair at Procycling.

In the January 2008 issue, which goes on sale in the UK on December 20 and across the rest of the world in the new year, LeMond focuses on some of the incidents and issues that are close to his heart, including his radical thoughts on training and how cycling has helped his family through some difficult times.

During a frantic few days at home in Minneapolis, LeMond sets out his vision for the sport, analyzing conventional training methods and explaining why he believes less can be more - in short, why training in a very specific way can make any cyclist faster. He also explains what he would do if he was running the sport, and has some particularly strong views on what should be done to tackle the issue of doping.

On the personal side, LeMond gives his insight into some of the great sporting moments he enjoyed on the bike, including his thoughts on that 1986 Tour feud with team-mate Bernard Hinault and why he thinks he got the edge of Laurent Fignon in the incredible 1989 Tour. He also talks frankly and candidly about some of the personal problems he and his family have faced, and reveals how therapy and cycling has helped them get back on the right track."

Interview on Minnesota Public Radio in 2002

I recently re-listened to an audio interview I had for quite a time, and I re-discovered this was a very very interesting and pleasant one. If you don't know it yet, it's really worth the hour it lasts!

Diana Nyad interviewed Greg LeMond on Minnesota Public Radio at Macalester College in St Paul in 2002, and this interview (almost one hour long) can be listened to through that link. You need RealPlayer to listen to it.

The swimmer Diana Nyad was on the World T.E.A.M. Sports project with Vietnam War veterans that Greg participated to in 1997, and they became friends while riding in Vietnam.

They talked about many many things: doping, Greg's popularity in France, simple pleasures while riding, like spotting rivers for fly-fishing while on races and getting emotional about the smell of eucalyptus reminding him of Northern California, the kindness of Minnesota people, his love for French landscapes... and much more.

A few priceless quotes during this interview:

"Athletes are really idiots most of the time."

"I love sports, but I do recognize in sports there is a mentality that's almost -I don't want to say mental illness-, but there's a point where they take it so far beyond what it should, and that's the only thing I find wrong with sports today, it's gone so far to one extreme."

"I want to know that everybody is clean [...] but it's a total naive notion."

It's pure Greg: he is straightforward, well-spoken, passionate, outspoken and with a tendency to wander on topics... I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did!

El Tour de Tucson: LeMond and Rideclean

Greg LeMond was at El Tour de Tucson last November 16th and 17th, with his son Geoffrey. They rode the 109-miles event. I didn't find out whether they finished... I just saw on cyclingnews.com that Greg got a flat.

He also spoke about doping before the event in an interview to Tucson Citizen:

While Greg LeMond rides the 109-mile El Tour de Tucson on Saturday, his mind will play on different themes.

One, the prestige he knows he brings to the 25th anniversary, which could have a record 10,000 participants.

Two, one of the most important things in life, health - his own, his family's and even that of the American public in general.

And three, the issue that is rocking his sport to its heels - doping.

"I've known for many years it was a time bomb that would eventually go off," said LeMond, who travels the country to speak about clean riding and health. "And I'm quite happy it has gone off. Now the sport can start over again, go free."

LeMond was the first American to win the World Series of cycling - the Tour de France. He won the event three times - 1986, 1989 and 1990 - the last two being sheer-guts attempts after he recovered from a serious hunting accident that prevented him from reaching the form he had in '86.

Saturday is LeMond's third Tour de Tucson. The first was the 33-miler in 2000, and the second was the full 111 miles, which defied his glory days.

"I blew up when I hit the (Sabino Creek) crossing," he said. "I knew where my hotel was, and I went straight back and had lunch."

He wants to go the full 109 Saturday but knows he'll be far off the pace.

"I'm 50 pounds heavier than at my riding weight," the 205-pound LeMond said.

Greg also wore a Rideclean jersey, and Rideclean.net is indicating that they would like to work with him as a spokesperson.

1in6.org

1 in 6, it's the horrible statistics of men having suffered forms of sexual abuse in their childhood.

I just found out that Greg LeMond got involved with the nonprofit 1in6.org.

Go visit their website for more information.
This organization has for mission to help men start recovery from sexual abuse in young adulthood, and not in the more observed late 30's or 40's.

Greg became a board member in September. The newsletter from 1in6 indicates:

Most recently Greg's courage and personal fortitude was made obvious when he spoke publicly for the first time about his own abusive sexual experiences in childhood. His recovery and desire to reach out and help others has brought him to a place of wanting to be involved with 1in6 as we launch our outreach and program efforts. We applaud Greg's candor and forthrightness in speaking about the issue and welcome him with great excitement to the 1in6 founding board.

Anti-Doping panel

Greg LeMond was participating in a panel discussion about doping last Tuesday in Chicago, hosted by the Chicago Bar Association.

A report on that panel can be found in Cyclingnews, along with a few pictures.

Here are a few quotes from Greg:

Greg Lemond began his speech by talking about how he entered the sport and then the basics of cycling's history of doping, paying particular attention to the final years of his career. "One of our team-mates left our team to an Italian team, saying 'This [doping] is what they are doing - you either provide the same thing or I am leaving.' The coach we had at the time refused and I still respect him to this day," explained Lemond. "That rider saw us before the Tour that year and just laughed at us, saying we had no chance. He said he had ridden the Tour of Spain and didn't feel his legs, not because he was in great shape, but because he had been doping."

"I lasted six days in that Tour de France that year, and that guy died of a heart attack seven months later," added Lemond. "That is when I retired from cycling."

"Most Americans think I am outspoken about this because of Lance Armstrong's success, or Floyd Landis," continued Lemond. "Unfortunately the only time most people have read what I have said about anti-doping in the sport has only been during those years."

Lemond said he is beginning to see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel for cycling, in regards to the doping scandals. "Finally we have a sport that wants to change, now that there has been an economic impact. So I am more optimistic than I have been in many years. I spoke with the Tour de France director this year and I think for they first time the organizers want this to change - they need this to change, because it is crumbling underneath their feet. But it is going to be a slow process."

In regards to what Thompson said about the lack of fairness inherent in the current system, Lemond disagreed. "I want fairness - I don't want a an athlete to be falsely accused," he outlined. "But within the sport of cycling I don't know of one false positive that was not, years later, that it was positive. Unlike the defense attorneys, I think the process is skewed [in favor of] the athletes. The governing bodies have to live to a higher standard than even our criminal justice system. The criminal lab's standards are so low relative to scientific labs. And circumstantial evidence still does matter."

In short, Lemond reiterated his stance on anti-doping to an audience not made-up of cycling enthusiasts, putting it this way. "I see these athletes like Floyd Landis and Tyler Hamilton - they're not bad people, but they get in a situation where the tests aren't reliable or not testing and they feel that they have to keep up and compete."

It's not the first time that Greg LeMond is mentioning Philippe Casado dying a few months after leaving Gan. This experience seems to be quite at the heart of his anti-doping fight. I hope that Roger Legeay, the coach he is mentioning, has stayed 'incorruptible' all along.

I'm kinda glad to see Greg pointing out himself that it's a pity that so many people think he started speaking up against doping only since Armstrong won more than 3 Tours. I wrote a letter to Cyclingnews a bit ago about that, and I was mentioning in that letter an interview he did to "Le cyclisme international" in 1993 or 1994. He was already talking about Ferrari there. I tried to get back my hands on that issue, but didn't find it yet (too many movings in my life... ). It had Greg on the cover, in a Gan team jersey crossing his arms. If anyone has a scan of that, don't hesitate to share it somewhere!

I'm quite fed up with reading so often that he should have spoken out before, that it shows he is just jealous, while he did speak up! I'd like that there exists somewhere on the internet a real physical proof to refer to, showing that he did...

A must-see youtube video

A young Greg LeMond interviewed in 1983, one month after his victory in the World Championship, in a still slightly hesitating French.

This interview is conducted just after le Grand Prix des Nations, in which Greg LeMond finished 2nd and put himself in the first position of the Super Prestige Pernod.

He talks about being totally unknown in US even as a world champion, and about how he sees the future of his career: making a comfortable living thanks to cycling, and not having a career "à la Merckx" with wanting to win all, but focus on the big races and enjoy other things in life, and finish his career healthy...
A must-see!

Mr Clean

For any fan of Greg LeMond, I highly recommend reading this piece by Benjamin Strong: Mr CLEAN: Greg LeMond and Pro Cycling's doping problems.
(And for non-fans, maybe a few things to learn... )

It relates in very well put words the atypical position of Greg against doping throughout his career and recently.

It includes some quite rare pictures, including this one, of Greg at age 16, winning one of his first European races in Belgium. That's one wonderful picture in my opinion, so vintage, looking like it could come directly from the 40's... so contrasting with later pictures in Greg's career.

The piece finishes with:

In more ways than one, Greg LeMond has courageously defied the social convention of keeping quiet about anything shameful. Although the record books tell a different story, the Tour de France has had no worthier champion than him.

Great blog ! and a german interview

Greg LeMond was interviewed by the german Tour Magazin. If anyone got a hand on this interview, don't hesitate to share ! I'm trying to find that magazine, not so easy in France... But I keep hope ;-).

On another note, Thierry has a great blog about Greg's victories and defeats, with some very rare pictures ! Go visit: The Best of Greg LeMond.

LeMonds, father and son...

Recently, when talking about father and son in the LeMond family, one refers to Greg and Geoffrey... But this time I just found a recent picture of Greg with his dad. Though I didn't see any picture of Greg's father since the beginning of the 1990's, I'm pretty sure it's him. They were in Las Vegas at the end of September for Interbike. I'll post more pictures of Greg at the Interbike, where he was for LeMond Fitness and signing autographs, in a couple of days. If you were at the event, took pictures yourself, have anything you'd like to share, let me know ;-)...

The blog wasn't started yet when Mrs Bertha LeMond passed away at the beginning of last June, so I'll use the opportunity here to send all my thoughts to the LeMond family after their loss.

Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival

Greg LeMond was with his son Geoffrey at the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival on September 15th. He finished the Chequamegon 40 at the 291st position (time 2:41, with a flat...) and Geoffrey finished at an impressing 58th position (2:23).

I found a few pictures (seems like they were both riding Trek):

Greg on the starting line. He had bib #1.

A bit muddy after the race... but obviously happy

And bib #159: Geoffrey