Andy Hampsten Interview

[BroDeal]

I stole this link from justcycling.

http://nyvelocity.com/content/interviews/2009/andy-hampsten-interview

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

What a great interview. Andy is one of my heroes, along with Davis Phinney, my favorite American cyclist ever. I think a lot of kids today don't realize what 7-Eleven did, and what a golden age of cycling that was.

Great talk about Hinault and La Vie Clare. Some of which I had never heard. One thing Andy didn't say, but I know from being a studious geek about cycling. Greg said in an interview with Gianni Bugno that he and Bernard talk every time Greg's in France and they see either other, but it's mostly about family, stuff like that. Greg said it wasn't quite like "the good old days". That talk was a decade ago when Greg retired, since then, who knows. Bernard seems pretty happy with life, while Greg a little bitter perhaps.

Andy also noted the story about Moser and Fignon at the Giros. There is still some bitterness however between them. Moser says that in 1984 the helicopter push actually helped him very little if at all, and the ITT times reflect that. Fignon still complains about the route over the Stelvio being closed due to minimal snow, but Moser notes the stage wasn't canceled, it was actually replaced by a very tough bunch of climbing anyway. His statement on Fignon was, pretty simple, and probably true: "he doesn't like to lose". What champion does? Take that for what you will.

From some of the photos it really shows that Andy still rides a great deal, and is very fit. Probably weighs the same he did in 1990, and he looks ten years younger than his age. I believe he lives in Tuscany. What a beautiful place to retire to.

 

[BroDeal]

Here is another one I typed in a while back. It does not focus much on racing.

http://www.cyclingforums.com/t430967.html

 

[Zoncolan]

I stole this link from justcycling.

http://nyvelocity.com/content/interviews/2009/andy-hampsten-interview

Great reading. Thanks

 

[marinoni]

Hampsten interview

Wow, that was great. Especially the stuff about the 86 Tour.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Hampsten has been burning up the interview circut for the last couple years, since the launch of Hampsten Cycles with his brother Steve. He's got such an eloquent way of telling old racing stories that you almost want to read it twice. Great read for sure.

Just like Alpe said, Andy is one of my heroes as well. Hampsten, LeMond, and Phinney inspired generations of American cyclists, and those three guys' exploits in Europe was the catalyst to reconfigure my dad's old Raleigh and ride my first Century at the age of 14 back in '86.

 

[Barry Muzzin]

I can't confirm it...but I think that Muzzin shed a tear when Andy won on the Alpe in '92.

One of the all-time classiest athletes in any sport.

 

[Escarabajo]

Great story. We love Andy in Colombia. He had been the only foreigner to win in the mountains of Colombia up to last year. We did not care because he had a great personality. Smooth climber. Always looks like if he is enjoying the climbing.

Thanks for the Story.