The World Championships and Olympics, with their unusual national teams, have never exhibited much in the way of team discipline. There is the famous feud between Merckx and Freddy Maertens over events at the Worlds, of which, after seeing the video of the race several times, I must say I find Maerten's version of events more believable. The Italian squad has usually been a collection of feuding egos, and the French often aren't much better, except maybe for a couple of years when Hinault was the unchallenged "patron". And I believe it was the Olympic road race a couple of years ago when Ulrich claimed his divine right to take the win from a three man break composed not of German teammates but teammates from his commercial team. So for Lemond to chase down Boyer was perhaps bad form, but certainly not unprecedented in the World Championships. Also, while I don't know who else was in the Boyer break, Boyer didn't, to my knowledge, have a stellar record of taking sprint finishes, even from a small breakaway, so it was probably a matter of settling for a 3rd place at best from Boyer, while LeMonde had a legitimate chance for the victory. Presented with the same situation on the French team, you can bet Hinault would have made the same choice.
Regards,
Jerry Moos Big Spring, TX
Norris Lockley <norris.lockley@talktalk.net> wrote:
It's very odd the spectrum of emotions that the mention of Lemond inspir es in people.
There can be little doubt that he was a very talented and able road raci ng cyclist as his successes testify., and his ability seemed to live up to his incredible ambitions. I first came across him in person at the World Ch ampionships, held at Goodwood UK in 1982. As the race developed it became v ery evident that Lemond could not put any form of brake on his ambition, so much so that when team-mate, Jonathan Boyer, broke away in the closing lap s, and appeared to have excellent possibilities of a place on the podium, i t was Lemond who led the chase, rather than blocking at the front of the pe loton. Not only did Lemond chase down his team mate but he went on, no t to lead Boyer out in the sprint, but to sprint for and take the seco nd place behind Saronni
Towards the end of the decade and into the 90s I was the importer into t he UK of TVT carbon frames, the brand of frames used by all the top riders including Hinault, Lemond, Roche, Delgado, Indurain, Kelly etc e tc. During that time I did not come into any real contact with Lemond himse lf, but crossed swords with his father on a couple of occasions when Lemond Snr made some unsubstantiated and defamatory claims against the TVT company and its products. it appears to me that ambition and arrogance..and a disregard for the truth, are endemic in the male side of the Lemond fami ly.
On the other hand a close friend of mine, a very able veteran racing cyc list who happened to be cycling around the lanes of Tasmania, chanced across a solo cyclist who wanted a bit of two-up company. Although Le mond had by this time, about six years ago, put on a lot of weight, it was impossible for my friend not to recognise him. He, my friend, relates the s tory of a very pleasant ride with an incredibly affable Lemond, who preferr ed not to talk about his succesful cycling career, but to discuss the finer points of fly-fishing, of which sport he is an enthusiast. Apparently his presence in Tasmania was connected with this hobby.
Norris Lockley , Settle UK...thinking that much as I sometimes despise Lemo nd...I still prefer him to this Armstrong guy..
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