Greg Lemond is the first American to win the Tour de France. In fact, he was winning the tour when I was your age. He won in 1986, 1989, and 1990. He raced against Bernard Hinault, the greatest French cyclist of all-time, and won. Their story is one of friendship and betrayal. I've attached a picture of them riding together in the Tour.
Cycling is a sport where the athlete must consistently deliver power to the crank. The ability to consistently deliver power is governed by the body's ability to deliver oxygen to the muscles. The fact is that some athletes' bodies are more efficient than others. It is this one physiological difference that separates great cyclists from good cyclists. Honestly, no amount of training can compensate for this factor. Greg's body had the ability to deliver oxygen to his muscles. In my opinion, Greg Lemond is one of the greatest cyclists of all-time.
Greg had a way of annoying people. He was very smart and articulate but he was also apt to complain. He was extremely nervous and would complain openly to the media and anyone who he thought would listen. There always seemed to be something wrong. He simply wasn't a content person. This personality would get him wound super-tight on tour and he couldn't sleep or eat. But, he was also persistent and tenacious. He would question everything. As a result, he really didn't have many close friends among the cycling circuit except for his wife, Kathy, who travelled with him wherever he went.
After his first tour win, he was hunting and was accidentally shot by his uncle. He spent the next two years recuperating. As part of that event, he permanently had lead pellets lodged in his body. He continued to persist and won two more Tours, but the more he exercised, the more lead got into his blood and he ultimately decided to retire to prevent further lead poisoning.
At his final tour, he felt like he was no longer able to keep up with the peloton. He was extremely frustrated because just a few years before, he had been the winner. He began to look for reasons as to why he did so poorly and came to believe that the teams in the peloton doping. He went public with his accusations. Now everyone hated him. He left the sport of competitive cycling an outcast.
After retirement, Greg designed tests to measure the wattage output of an athlete as an indicator of that athlete's potential in the sport. This test would give a baseline output that didn't move regardless of how good of shape the athlete was in. He could measure anyone and determine how efficient their body was at delivering power to the crank. Because of his ability to test, he challenged Lance to take his tests and when Lance refused, he became an outspoken critic of Lance Armstrong; basically saying that Lance couldn't win the Tour without doping. Lance was media savvy and nobody wanted to listen to Greg. He was ignored and derided even though he was right.
There are interviews on Youtube where he is in the audience and Lance is on the stand making fun of Greg and his questioning. The truth is that Greg had the data and really never wavered in his belief. The other truth is the media hated him for always asking pesky questions. When Lance was found guilty of doping, the media only begrudgingly acknowledged Greg. Even now, there remain bitter feelings between him and most of professional cycling.
Today Greg and his wife live a good life. He continues to speak out against doping and is finally getting the credit he deserves. That said, he is still hard to be around.
There is a lot to learn from Greg. He found ways to back his belief with data and testing and has never wavered from the qualitative testing he has done even though he has endured all sorts of derision and persecution for his views. He also has a great moral compass. What he believes is right usually is right and if it's not, he figures out what is right and changes his postion. The relationship he has with his wife is admirable. They are a great couple.
Anyway, prove things out and then be true to yourself and what you know, regardless of the winds blowing around you. That is the lesson to learn from Greg Lemond. I admire Greg. He is someone who I would love to meet and go to dinner with. In fact, I think I may make that happen someday. That said, I don't have high hopes that I'd like him or that he'd like me...
Love you,
Dad
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