Fignon cool

[merckx]

Fignon was certainly iconoclastic if not the epitome of enigmatic. His 1993 Raleigh has always been on my pedestal of cool. Love the cantis.

He should still be with us.

[merckx]

The boy-man.

[drewski]

Great pics!!!! He seemed like a class act compared to Hinault.

[RonW87]

Castorama: Worst. Kit. Ever.

[BdaGhisallo]

Castorama: Worst. Kit. Ever.

The kit was designed by Fignon himself, as was the System/Super U kit that preceded it.

[velofinds]

https://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697964152&stc=1&d=1533128233

Andy Warhol, is that you?

[Veloo]

Have to disagree. A bit. I hated the kit as well. Cheesy.
Didn't even like the change from Systeme to Super. Systeme was edgy and cool sounding.

There have been way, waay, waaaay worse kits than the Castorama.

Castorama: Worst. Kit. Ever.

[BdaGhisallo]

That top pic of Fignon sitting on the ground next to his crank is a funny one. In the early fall of 1982 Campy was trialing a titanium B.B. axle. They sent a few to the Renault team who, after using them for a short time, realized they were unsafe and changed them back to the standard steel. Fignon, however, had taken his bike with the ti B.B. axle off on a training camp and, team management not being as sophisticated as it is now, his was never changed out.

His first race back after his training camp was Paris-Tours. Fignon attacked near the end of the race in a likely fruitless attempt to break the stranglehold the sprinters always had at the race due to its very flat course. His attack didn’t last long before he got out of the saddle to push the pace and cartwheeled on the road when his bad B.B. axle snapped!

I am sure he was pleased.

[paredown]

50 is way to young to leave----

From the Times obit:

he told the magazine Paris Match: “I do not want to die at 50 years. I love life, love to laugh, travel, read, eat well like a good Frenchman. I’m not afraid of death. I just do not want it.”

[merckx]

A few more pics.

The photo of Hinault suppressing tears is profoundly poignant.

If only Fignon had that pursuit machine in '89!

[tlarwa]

At first glance I would've swore this was Phil Collins...

[jtbadge]

https://scontent-lax3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/c1f0a19df5eeca90cf4fb750b8fec1e6/5C0BCEC2/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/s640x640/27576061_529224414137345_9215018806500392960_n.jpg ?_nc_eui2=AeFa0oohTskneBrpVfLyEFT6w4vfIa6gRDkL3g2l p-3KJ9HOrwSrsF0ughlQKNRb5VAoyD-G09nmaAsYysCZvhiMY33MGid8cR0JOkYYrSZSXA

One of my favorite t-shirts.

[tv_vt]

I thought the ti bb spindle broke at a spring race, like Liege. (well, actually it was at Blois Chavelle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeNU2HM6iOY not sure when that was held)

The canti-equipped bike - was that his Paris-Roubaix bike one year? Don't think he rode it for any other races, did he?

[johnmdesigner]

Too bad Prendas doesn't make a copy of that Systeme U sweater. I'd whip out my chargaplate.

[merckx]

Too bad Prendas doesn't make a copy of that Systeme U sweater. I'd whip out my chargaplate.

Me too!

[velofinds]

Too bad Prendas doesn't make a copy of that Systeme U sweater. I'd whip out my chargaplate.

I imagine it wouldn't be difficult for them to do and that they'd be receptive to the idea. Seems right up their (and their customers') alley.

[merckx]

These were cool too.

[Hindmost]

Looking back you have to appreciate him as a racer and what he accomplished. At the time though, he was the bad guy, part of the French establishment that was trying to deny access for our American Hero

[johnmdesigner]

Ah that Benotto wrap!
When men were men...:p

[BdaGhisallo]

I thought the ti bb spindle broke at a spring race, like Liege. (well, actually it was at Blois Chavelle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeNU2HM6iOY not sure when that was held)

The canti-equipped bike - was that his Paris-Roubaix bike one year? Don't think he rode it for any other races, did he?

Blois Chavelle was one of the names the race we know as P-Tours went by in the 80’s when they were playing around with the route trying to upset the formulaic sprint finish. They ran the route in reverse a few times. They eventually returned to the original setup and accepted it for what it was. The race has declined in prestige these days, sadly.

[fignon's barber]

Here's my Fignon Cyfac, built by Francis Quillon, who built all the frames for Fignon and Hinault. I contacted him through the US distributor asking if he could do a tribute frame. We came up with this. Aluminum but rides as smoothly as steel.

[saab2000]

Looking back you have to appreciate him as a racer and what he accomplished. At the time though, he was the bad guy, part of the French establishment that was trying to deny access for our American Hero

This was the American media’s take on it in order to create drama. Lemond and Fignon were on the same team initially.

CBS, which covered cycling then (after some minor bits on ABC’s Wide World of Sports) had to create conflict to sell their coverage to the US public. I think most of it was, as they say, fake news.

Fignon was only a “bad guy” because he was “good guy” Lemond’s rival.

[merckx]

Here's my Fignon Cyfac, built by Francis Quillon, who built all the frames for Fignon and Hinault. I contacted him through the US distributor asking if he could do a tribute frame. We came up with this. Aluminum but rides as smoothly as steel.

Only Fignon's barber could offer a killing machine like this. Nicely done!

[fignon's barber]

Only Fignon's barber could offer a killing machine like this. Nicely done!


Merci!

[David Tollefson]

Ah that Benotto wrap!
When men were men...:p

I still use it. But I'm running low on supply.

[EliteVelo]

To this day, and always be my favorite! As an American in Europe at the time racing on a developmental team, he treated me dignity and respect, even though I was outcast. The way he handled the peloton and attacked while in yellow without sitting back will always be in my memory.

[jbay]

The canti-equipped bike - was that his Paris-Roubaix bike one year? Don't think he rode it for any other races, did he?

Non, he rode it during mountain stages in that year’s Tour.

I’ve still got a pair of those cantis on the go, complete with spare springs that I’ll probably never need. The nicest cantis ever, IMHO.

— John

[merckx]

Non, he rode it during mountain stages in that year’s Tour.

I’ve still got a pair of those cantis on the go, complete with spare springs that I’ll probably never need. The nicest cantis ever, IMHO.

— John

Mr. Bailey is correct. Presumably Fignon used them because they were lighter than the DA calipers at that time.

[pbarry]

Too soon gone.: LF rocked it while he was here.

[redir]

Way too young. Cancer sucks!

[Fivethumbs]

I like this too:

[merckx]

Had to scratch this again.

[Wakatel_Luum]

Fignon was certainly iconoclastic if not the epitome of enigmatic. His 1993 Raleigh has always been on my pedestal of cool. Love the cantis.

He should still be with us.

Fignon's Aluminium climbing bike made by André Sablière.

[Joel]

All,

Was riding in the Pyrenees last week and the group stopped at a cafe that was full of signed jerseys of all sorts, start sheets, and bicycles.

Up on the wall was Fignon's bike.

Coolness!

Joel

[Doug Fattic]

I vaguely remember that Greg Lemond said years ago that Fignon was the only pro rider that visited him in the hospital after his hunting accident. Does anybody else remember this?

[El Chaba]

I had the opportunity to meet Fignon and chat for a few minutes at one of the Tour DuPonts when he was riding with Gatorade. He was coming down to pick up his bike and asked the mechanic to make a quick adjustment and spent a few minutes chatting while he waited. He was a gracious champion and very approachable...I'm glad I got that opportunity...

[Ruimteaapje]

Cool topic about his carbonfibre Bianchi...

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=384288

https://photos.smugmug.com/Print-Gallery/Laurent-Fignon/i-6Zt9nWt/0/0a5126f1/M/Fignon%20-%2092%20TDF-M.jpg
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/download/file.php?id=423140

[MisterMurray]

What's the logic behind the canti breaks on the climbing bike?

[Ruimteaapje]

Non, he rode it during mountain stages in that year’s Tour.

Indeed...

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/download/file.php?id=376984
http://img15.hostingpics.net/pics/950316LFignontdf91.jpg

[Hindmost]

All,

Was riding in the Pyrenees last week and the group stopped at a cafe that was full of signed jerseys of all sorts, start sheets, and bicycles.

Up on the wall was Fignon's bike.

Coolness!

Joel

Where at is the cafe?

[BdaGhisallo]

I vaguely remember that Greg Lemond said years ago that Fignon was the only pro rider that visited him in the hospital after his hunting accident. Does anybody else remember this?

No, I think Fignon was the only one who sent him a messge of good wishes. I’m pretty sure that Fignon didn’t fly over to the US during the height of the 1987 spring season.

[cash05458]

Still have my hand signed card here on the wall in my bike room...it was that Fignon and Lemond race that got me into this thing decades ago now when I was 23 or so...cool time...like a young geek I got excited as well when I saw Fignon and I were born on the same day....august 12th...anyhow, the man had tons of class...I think he got alot of younger folks into cycling like me I bet at the time...for that he is owed very very much....

[Ruimteaapje]

The switch from just white bartape to this red, white and blue bartape was done for the quatorze juillet stage (Montpellier - Marseille) won by Vincent Barteau. Quatorze juillet was special that year because it was the bicentenary of the storming of the Bastille (14th of July 1789).
Had to scratch this again.
https://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1697964256&stc=1&d=1533256883

[Tommasini53]

His book is an excellent read. Great insights from that era of pre-epo into hypersonic epo fueled climbing.

[Nags&Ducs]

These were cool too.

That was my first road bike. Well, not exactly because I doubt it was a team bike, but mine looked just it. I bought it in a San Diego bike shop in ‘85 for about $350 iirc after a buddy took me on my first road ride. It’d be so cool if I still had that one.

Loved the blue and yellow Gitane. I also had a Systeme U kit BITD.

Yep, I was a fan of Le Professeur.

[wildboar]

http://belgiumkneewarmers.blogspot.com/2007/10/professor.html