Greg Lemond Minnesota Update

[paulh]

--

[velomonkey]

I have my issues with LeMond - I am sure we all do. I recall a few years ago, when the noose was tightening around LA but still had a way to go, that Greg's Facebook page - which really wasn't anything - was under attack by LA's army. His son had said something, nothing big, more just asking why his dad was under attack.

The stuff people said wad beyond the palel. The poor kid. There was ZERO reason for people to be so rude and staying stuff about this kid's dad. I am sure it was really hard for him to read and reconcile.

Glad to see Greg getting some back.

[rwsaunders]

Thanks for posting. I watched fhe Slaying of the Badger the other night and this article touches on some of the content of that documentary.

[oldpotatoe]

FYI

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/280231442.html

Good for him..always liked him, have no issues with him, now or previously. Met him in a bike shop in Thousand Oaks in 1988 or so..he was there, little shop, cuz he knew the owner. Very Friendly, liked to yak bikes.

[velomonkey]

Good for him..always liked him, have no issues with him, now or previously. Met him in a bike shop in Thousand Oaks in 1988 or so..he was there, little shop, cuz he knew the owner. Very Friendly, liked to yak bikes.

I met him and Armstrong at the same time - 1995 it was this ride in DC for people that were handicapped and rode around the world!!! Met both at the same event - Lance was silent, said nothing and just signed his sig. I had made this page of various photos for each of them - got the pics off the net, which was somewhat new in 95, and designed it in Quark (not the crank!!!). Lance said nothing, just stared and signed and gave it back to me like he had given me a million bucks.

LeMond went to sign and said "Whoa, this is cool." "How did you do it?" Guy was just awesome and so nice.

A buddy of mine who had cancer in 2003 got to stay a weekend with LeMond - his dad purchased it at a fund raiser event. He said LeMond was so genuinely nice and just an incredible host - it was Lance mania and Lance did send him a hand writing note and my buddy came back and said "F$%K Lance, LeMond is awesome."

[tiretrax]

"Greg LeMond is once again the only American ever to have won the Tour de France."

This is the bottom line for me and my problem with GL. If he had gone after the champions between him and LA, most of whom we know doped, one five time winner is highly suspect, then I'd still have full respect for him. I do ride and love my LeMond ti bike made for Team Saturn Viatelle (Victoire?).

I'm glad he's doing well business-wise, and I hope he'll be comfortable sharing the limelight with another American champion someday, whether it's Armstrong getting his titles back or a new rider emerging.

[velomonkey]

I'm glad he's doing well business-wise, and I hope he'll be comfortable sharing the limelight with another American champion someday, whether it's Armstrong getting his titles back or a new rider emerging.

I recall seeing Bobby J getting 3rd in the tour and he saw LeMond and gave him huge hug. LeMon was there supporting him the whole time. I don't think Greg has any issue sharing the limelight. Lance, well, we know he has issues (Hamilton and Landis being two prime examples)

[cash05458]

"Greg LeMond is once again the only American ever to have won the Tour de France."

This is the bottom line for me and my problem with GL."

not to piss you off...but that is the truth...not sure why that would bother you so much...he IS the only american to win the thing...period...I always dug Lemond and have no idea why folks have problems with the guy...every story I have ever heard from folks pretty much swear by him being a pretty decent human being...you can't ask too much more...oh, and him being the only american to win the tour de france I guess...

[Chris]

"Greg LeMond is once again the only American ever to have won the Tour de France."

This is the bottom line for me and my problem with GL. If he had gone after the champions between him and LA, most of whom we know doped, one five time winner is highly suspect, then I'd still have full respect for him. I do ride and love my LeMond ti bike made for Team Saturn Viatelle (Victoire?).

I'm glad he's doing well business-wise, and I hope he'll be comfortable sharing the limelight with another American champion someday, whether it's Armstrong getting his titles back or a new rider emerging.

All those other "winners" of the Tour didn't try to destroy Greg's business and life.

[numbskull]

This article on the same page strikes me as more meaningful than more tripe about GL and his tribulations.

http://www.startribune.com/local/blogs/280085462.html

Sounds like he did a lot for his biking community.

[gomango]

This article on the same page strikes me as more meaningful than more tripe about GL and his tribulations.

http://www.startribune.com/local/blogs/280085462.html

Sounds like he did a lot for his biking community.

We are bike crazy in the Twin Cities and Greg fits in quite well here.

I have had the opportunity to chat with him several times over the years and he was a prince.

He gave me more time than I deserved and for that, I appreciate him even more.

Great to have him here and I hope for the best in a tough market. So many choices for high end equipment nowadays. Especially here with all of the top shelf builders and the various brands QBP has to offer, not mention every other brand under the sun in our extensive local shops.

[bcroslin]

"Greg LeMond is once again the only American ever to have won the Tour de France."

This is the bottom line for me and my problem with GL. If he had gone after the champions between him and LA, most of whom we know doped, one five time winner is highly suspect, then I'd still have full respect for him. I do ride and love my LeMond ti bike made for Team Saturn Viatelle (Victoire?).

But Lemond wasn't asked repeatedly about the other cyclists winning the tour - only Lance. If you got a phone call once every few weeks (or several a day) asking what you thought of someone you knew was cheating and the journalist was comparing them to you what would you do? And then when you spoke your mind the cheater did everything he could to destroy you. How many battles on how many fronts was Lemond expected to fight when Lance was crushing him.

Bottom line is that Lance made it personal with Lemond and he fought back and he nearly lost everything in the process. Lemond deserves a few easy years in the spotlight before drifting off into retirement once and for all.

[CunegoFan]

But Lemond wasn't asked repeatedly about the other cyclists winning the tour - only Lance. If you got a phone call once every few weeks (or several a day) asking what you thought of someone you knew was cheating and the journalist was comparing them to you what would you do? And then when you spoke your mind the cheater did everything he could to destroy you.

Let's do away with this cheating canard. Pretty much every one of LeMond's TdF rivals was doping. Testing was joke back then. Doping was endemic. LeMond knew it. More importantly, the riders who sent LeMond into retirement were all using blood vector doping. Yet he never talked about the massive amounts of EPO that was used by Indurain or Bugno or Pantani. In fact these days he is hobnobbing with Big Mig and praising The Pirate.

He did not go after Armstrong until Armstrong's palmares challenged his own. This was not done innocently as in, "Gosh, I sure hope he is not doping. That would be a giant fraud." LeMond knew what he was doing when he cast suspicion on Armstrong. He knew that everyone competing for the win in France was doping. He made a decision to go after Armstrong and only Armstrong. Now he is promoting himself as "America's only TdF winner." It says a lot about his motivations for his tiff with Armstrong.

[velomonkey]

It says a lot about his motivations for his tiff with Armstrong.

You are really gonna compare the motivations of LeMond to Armstrong.

Puh-lease.

[Steve in SLO]

What caught my eye in the pictures was a prototype mountain bike with a Lefty...hmmm.

[bcroslin]

Let's do away with this cheating canard. Pretty much every one of LeMond's TdF rivals was doping. Testing was joke back then. Doping was endemic. LeMond knew it. More importantly, the riders who sent LeMond into retirement were all using blood vector doping. Yet he never talked about the massive amounts of EPO that was used by Indurain or Bugno or Pantani. In fact these days he is hobnobbing with Big Mig and praising The Pirate.

He did not go after Armstrong until Armstrong's palmares challenged his own. This was not done innocently as in, "Gosh, I sure hope he is not doping. That would be a giant fraud." LeMond knew what he was doing when he cast suspicion on Armstrong. He knew that everyone competing for the win in France was doping. He made a decision to go after Armstrong and only Armstrong. Now he is promoting himself as "America's only TdF winner." It says a lot about his motivations for his tiff with Armstrong.

predictable.

[Mr. Pink]

Nicest celebrity I have ever met. Good for him.

[paulh]

___

[wc1934]

Nicest celebrity I have ever met. Good for him.

Same here - seemed so genuine - just sat around talking about bikes and races while drinking a few beers. He probably got paid for being there, but he seemed to enjoy it - spent time to make sure everyone got his autograph (tailwinds.....). I hope his company does well.

[rpm]

I still have a shirt that Greg autographed for me in 1999. After I had my liver transplant, I was going off to France to race my bike in the World Transplant Games. We talked for some time about medical stuff which we both knew too well, and he asked for some advice about a friend who had liver disease. He was very pleasant and genuine. I wish him well in both his business and personal life.

[abalone]

The really sad thing is that we can't celebrate a true gentleman and champion like Lemond, without an Armstrong fan chiming in crapping on the discussion.

[veloduffer]

I've read many kind things about what Lemond - even doing things where people (non-cyclists) did not know who he was. To me, that strikes as being a real, human being who wasn't self promoting. I know, and I thought too, that maybe Greg was off of his rocker regarding Lance. But I guess it really takes someone who's been there and done that to know who has real talent and who does not to win a TdF..

I wish Greg the best- he deserves it. Nothing is worse than having you integrity questioned. He was right, and all us Monday morning quarterbacks were wrong. I don't think Lance was any worse for doping to win the TdFs., but his attacks against Lemond and others (Andreu) were vicious. Lance deserves no sympathy and has a long road to redemption.

[fogrider]

Many years ago, Greg was in town with Graham Watson and did a talk...GW would show a photo and Greg would give us the low down on the photo. as others have said GL was down to earth and easy going. I went to a book signing and LA was there, we were told not to talk to him and just take your book after he signed it and keep the line moving.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . but have heard stories from many sources, both in print AND in person, of times when he treated people like dirt beneath his shoes. This included one I remember well, a person from within the bike industry I was riding with at an event who related the Hamilton's-wife story to me several years before it came out in the press. He also told me that was just one example and there was more--far more--about Armstrong that would eventually come out. He was right.

On the other hand I have had personal interactions with Lemond. Not only was he a perfect gentleman with everybody, but that word "genuine" also comes to mind. He was that totally. It's a word that seems to be mentioned in once account after another from people who have known him.

I remember one story in particular from a cycling journalist, written in first person, who's request for an interview was met with an invitation to join Greg and Kathy for dinner at a restaurant in Minneapolis. No preamble. No conditions. No "handlers." Hey, let's have dinner.

I've never heard one bad story from ANYONE who has met him in person in real life. Never read a bad word in print from anyone who has actually met and spent any time with him. Sure I've read accounts from public events where he was pretty strident, showing up at LA's press conference and asking some very uncomfortable questions. But I consider that different from real situation out of the limelight meeting real people.

Greg gets a mile of slack from me for what he's been through, and I agree with FlashUNC . . . there's a whole special level of Hell reserved for people like Armstrong who have treated others the way they have. I think anybody who continues at this point to mindlessly defend Armstrong is telling more about themselves through their behavior than they are about LA.

BBD

[velomonkey]

^^^^^ Very well worded and it's how I feel, too.

Aside from my personal experience of meeting both at the same time (I wrote above) I will give you stories that I know.

1996 2 friends I knew from college were riding cross country. They stop at a store in Minnesota. Greg comes out with a case of beer. Greg came up and chatted with them for like half and hour and said "wow, I wish I could ride cross country." They were like "uhh, you won the tour." It was the highlight of their trip.

2001 - I went to a wedding and some friends from college were at my table - not at all into biking, but they knew I was. They were from Austin and donated their time for, at that time it was called, the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Lance was going to make an appearence at the big fundraiser. They were told that when he walked through not to make eye contact with him.


2011 - Take this for what it's worth: my buddy is good friends with someone on Sheryl Crow's crew. This dude has got nothing good to say about L.A. well before USADA was public this guy said Lance would pull Sheryl into stuff she didn't really want to be around - in hindsight I suspect he was so pissed because she had to testify. Consider Lance left her after she got cancer I doubt she was really all that troubled spilling the beans, but I digress.

My only other story w/ LeMond was getting into the bicycling hall of fame - back then it was in NJ. They had a ride and then governor Christie Todd Whitman did it, too. There a speech and all that. LeMond talked with everyone for as long as there was someone who wanted to chat with him. Not many people there, maybe 75, but he chatted with them all - for hours.

[fuzzalow]

I think anybody who continues at this point to mindlessly defend Armstrong is telling more about themselves through their behavior than they are about LA.

Hell hath no fury like a fan-boi's scorn. Compounded by the humiliation of being cultivated, manipulated and taken for a fool. The level of hurt and ire is reciprocal to the level of emotional investment and belief bestowed to their incandescent hero. A middling Classics rider turned mythical Grand Tour conquerer and peloton patron right before their very eyes.

The embodiment of exceptional American virtues of working harder and smarter that were the templates for world superpower dominance. American ingenuity now applied to dominate a backwards sport with teamwork and technology the Yankee way. All led by a man with big heart and big soul as witnessed everyday in gracious, generous, heart rendering and selfless acts to cancer patients the world over. Big Tex. Land of the free and the home of the brave.

I am kidding of course and I've belabored a bad derision for already one paragraph too many. The jingoism was always part of the myth/fraud as it was the clearest way to tap into the largest audience/consumer market with the least interest heretofore in the sport of cycling. But 'Muricans don't really need to like the sport as long as they walk away happy at the end of the day because they have won.

Greg LeMond is a genuine cycling legend and a very decent and real human being. A guy like that can live at peace and without exercising total control over all that touches his life because there isn't a lie waiting in everything he encounters that can & will collapse a house of cards. It is nice to see Greg come back to a life not embroiled in constant state of DEFCON 1. A hero that is glad to meet people and have a chat rather than a hero who tells you what to do.

[Saint Vitus]

My 13 year old always talks about wanting to meet persons of fame, but often they're pretty much inaccessible (even though I'm may be one or two degrees separated lol). Mr LeMond would be a great person for him to meet sometime and a likely possibility as well. Vive LeMond!

[TBDSeattle]

It says a lot about his motivations for his tiff with Armstrong.

:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[tiretrax]

predictable.

I'm no Armstrong fanboy, and if I remember posts correctly, I am certain Cunuego Fan isn't either. But, it's the hypocrisy of LeMond that I don't like. People defend him that he only went after Armstrong because LA tried to ruin his life. LeMond opened the door with his comments about how it was the greatest comeback or the greatest fraud. He made it a point to travel to press conferences and make an issue of Armstrong's numbers. If he was so against dopers, he should have been doing the same for everyone who won in the 90's and stop praising Pantani (who's sanctification I don't understand).

I am glad he's back on track with his business, but LeMond needs to stop trying to delude himself and the public that his beef with Armstrong wasn't due in part to jealousy. As far as him hugging Julich - Julich was third, not victorious. Now that we know Julich was a juicer, is the reaction still the same?

[TBDSeattle]

If he was so against dopers, he should have been doing the same for everyone who won in the 90's....

I don't understand this logic. If you identify that someone is doing something wrong, and you call them out, are you then obligated to track down everyone that is doing something wrong and call them out in every context? What is his obligation? How much do you demand of this man to meet your standards?


LeMond needs to stop trying to delude himself and the public that his beef with Armstrong wasn't due in part to jealousy.

Please provide a time series of LeMond's motivation from 1995 to today so I have some context for your assertions of his feelings. :rolleyes::rolleyes: While you are at it, please share your insights on LA's state of mind and motivations for the past two decades, month by month, as well.

Overall... is this what is means to be a person in the spotlight? People hold you to impossible standards, second guess your every move, assume they understand your feelings, motivations, loves and losses? Good gawd, no wonder LeMond moved to MN. As discussed in the article linked by the OP, at least there people were not telling his wife what to buy for him at the grocery store.

[bobswire]

Lemond was a great cyclist but terrible business "partner", it's not like TREK was his only failure or LA's fault that he failed in more than a few business ventures. Latest example is the recent Time partnership. Having said that most of those frames baring his name were all well made.

[Hindmost]

Many years ago, Greg was in town with Graham Watson and did a talk...GW would show a photo and Greg would give us the low down on the photo.

Was that the Stanford presentation? Because, that was so cool. Spontaneous, humorous, the chat flowed, the audience was rapt.

I think Greg's reputation suffered in the media and in his approach to the Trek/LA thing.

[velomonkey]

Lemond was a great cyclist but terrible business "partner", it's not like TREK was his only failure or LA's fault that he failed in more than a few business ventures. Latest example is the recent Time partnership. Having said that most of those frames baring his name were all well made.

Time "partnership?" He owns Time USA. I think you are jumping the gun. I'm not saying LeMond is a great business person, but let's be clear, LA completely sabotaged the Trek business deal.

[bobswire]

Time "partnership?" He owns Time USA. I think you are jumping the gun. I'm not saying LeMond is a great business person, but let's be clear, LA completely sabotaged the Trek business deal.

No, Lemond was committing "business suicide" by continuing to go after LA and in effect TREK, not the other way around. Lemond gets points for
integrity and standing his ground but it hurt his bottom line is all I'm suggesting.

[paulh]

Mods, please delete this whole clusterf&**^ thread. Sorry for trying to contribute an FYI.

[gasman]

We'll lock it up. The original article on Greg was good but it's run it's course.