Has it really been 20 years?

[Titaniumtim]

I remember the commentator saying that LeMond did not want his intermediate time checks during the final ITT. He said they would be irrelevant since he was going to go all out and push his limit the whole way. I also remember everyone had red Coca Cola water bottles. I believe Coca Cola was a big sponsor of the Tour in the 80s.

 

[53x11 in DC]

I was at a criterium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, watching Roberto Gaggioli do his thing in the Pro/1/2 race when the race announcer (I think it was **** Ring - unfortunate name, GREAT New England race announcer) announced the time trial results. The crowd went ballistic.

My favorite story from that TT is that his DS wanted to fit a 56t chainring, and Greg said "no" - too big, he wanted a 55t. However, when his aero bars came loose in warmups (fixed with a Coke can, I believe), his DS made the mechanic fit a 56t without GL knowing. He didn't tell Greg until after the TT. Frickin' brilliant.

Oh, and to CarbonCrank - thank for your incredible lack of insight... it was a DOWNHILL, TAILWIND TT which is why Lemond said beforehand that he felt it impossible to win the Tour. Infact, he was only up by 25 secs with 10k to go, and then proceeded to put over 3s/km into Fignon from there on out.

 

[perico]

What I remember about 1989...

Before stage 5 TT, 9:58 behind the leader. Final GC- 3:30 or so behind LeMond.

If Delgado had shown up at the start gate and followed with the disasterous TTT, things might've ended up differently.