Former Tour de France winner Laurent Fignon dies, aged 50

Trampas · 31-08-2010 1:06pm #1

BBC reporting

greendom · 31-08-2010 1:14pm

Very sad to hear this. Great competitor.

Will never forget the time trial finish to the TDF where he lost out to Lemond by 8 seconds

Smithzer · 31-08-2010 1:24pm

RIP a LEGEND

ednwireland · 31-08-2010 1:25pm

sad day. 2 time winner of the tour de france and most every other race as well

Caroline_ie · 31-08-2010 1:38pm

RIP Légende
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/laurent-fignon-passes-away-1

Muller_1 · 31-08-2010 1:40pm

Very sad news. One of my favourite riders of the 80's!

montac · 31-08-2010 1:41pm

Sad news indeed...

Chips Lovell · 31-08-2010 1:43pm

Mod Note: Threads merged

SACH Central · 31-08-2010 1:44pm

Very sad, very sorry to hear about this.

I read his autobiography, 'We were young and carefree', translated by William Fotheringham, on Holiday. It wasn't a great translation so personally I felt it didn't read well at all. I found it very stilted, like something you'd do for leaving cert French I'd imagine.

At one stage he describes the crowd eating 'hot sausages' (hot dogs?) at a Munich 6 day. I found the overall tone of the book to be one of sadness, which in its self was sad. He was a great rider but will probably be remembered for as the book puts it: 'Ah, I remember you:you're the guy who lost the Tour de France by eight seconds!' Rather than: 'No monsieur, I'm the guy who won it twice'

Bunnyhopper · 31-08-2010 1:49pm

Laurent Fignon dies aged 50:

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/laurent-fignon-dies-aged-50-27553

RIP

Chips Lovell · 31-08-2010 1:51pm

Mod Note: Another thread merged

BryanL · 31-08-2010 1:51pm

He was some rider, glad to have been on the roadside for the '89 tour to see him.

Captain Havoc · 31-08-2010 2:21pm

Very sorry to hear this, I just bought his autobiographie a couple of weeks ago. Here's a link to a photo tribute on l'equipe.

manwithaplan · 31-08-2010 2:37pm

Sorry to hear this too. I felt awful for him in 1989 and I still think there was something noble about his old school approach to that time trial, complete with professor glasses and flying blonde hair. Still, two tours, a Giro and a dose of classics - hardly a sympathy case.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

scooters · 31-08-2010 2:50pm

Very sad, I remember seeing him in the Nissan classics back when I was a kid.

Will always remember his breakaway with Mottet on Bastille day back in the tour in 1989.

xz · 31-08-2010 3:23pm

PARIS -- Two-time Tour de France champion Laurent Fignon has died after a battle with cancer. He was 50.

His death was confirmed Tuesday by the French government and the French cycling federation.

Fignon said in June 2009 that he had advanced cancer of the digestive system and was undergoing chemotherapy.

Fignon won cycling's most prestigious in 1983 and 1984. He lost to Greg LeMond in 1989 by eight seconds, the closest finish in the history of the Tour.

R.I.P.

Muller_1 · 31-08-2010 3:33pm

scooters wrote: »

Will always remember his breakaway with Mottet on Bastille day back in the tour in 1989.

+1

While in yellow

Columbia · 31-08-2010 4:14pm

Just heard Eurosport announce this on their Vuelta coverage, my heart sank. Terribly sad news, RIP.

Junior · 31-08-2010 4:26pm

Sad day for all when a legend like Fignon loses his battle to cancer, I hope he always stays young and carefree where ever he rests.

Pisco Sour · 31-08-2010 6:36pm

Very sad news. I didnt even know he had cancer. This has come as a big shock to me

Adelante · 31-08-2010 6:54pm

“le Professeur”RIP

RobFowl · 31-08-2010 7:02pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKBacb2VgKY

Rip

Good bye and thanks for the great memories.

snollup · 31-08-2010 7:35pm

very sad news indeed. also in the middle of his autobiography. he was some character. RIP Laurent.

redmenace1 · 31-08-2010 11:06pm

Sad news that. A great French cyclist and that is something that can't be said too often anymore

sy · 31-08-2010 11:41pm

"I love life, laughter, travel, books, good food, like a good Frenchman," he said earlier this year. Above all, however, he loved cycling.
"Sometimes when I was physically at my best I could sense moments of utter ecstasy, those rare fleeting times when you are in total harmony with yourself and the elements around you: nature, the noise of the wind, the smells.
"Let's not get carried away. But I have to confess: I was happy."

link

Highlights for me apart from 89 Tour were his impressive attacks on the Poggio in both 88 and 89 when he won Milan San Remo on the trot. Kelly was 5th on both occassions:)

RIP a great champion