Laurent Fignon died

[D Avoid]

+1 on Robert Millar

and for the life of me cannot understand why Robert Millar is not involved more in cycling. Why can the professional sport of cycling not see that Millar has so much to offer to the sport.

AuRevoir LF.

With his high level of emotional honesty, there is no way that he would survive, he would be sacked on a daily basis.

 

[180mmCrank]

+1 on Robert Millar

and for the life of me cannot understand why Robert Millar is not involved more in cycling. Why can the professional sport of cycling not see that Millar has so much to offer to the sport.

AuRevoir LF.

Millar is genius and an enigma. And commenting on Fignon one can't help think of the phrase "It takes one to know one!"

Great characters both and it will be interesting to see who become the defining characters of the current crop of talent in the sport...but that's a question for another thread.

 

[Anonymous]

Millar is genius and an enigma. And commenting on Fignon one can't help think of the phrase "It takes one to know one!"

Great characters both and it will be interesting to see who become the defining characters of the current crop of talent in the sport...but that's a question for another thread.

So true and nice post...not to beat the horse here...but it was Fignon and Millar who got me into the sport...23 years ago (and I am now 46)...real characters and true champions...

So damn sad to Fignon go...long time ago, a friend of mine in Belgie gave me one of those old team cards that he had signed by Laurent in person as he knew what a Fignon fan I was...it's hanging in my bike room now...so long Laurent...I will always think of the inspiration he gave me to begin riding...thanks for that Laurent...

 

[yetanothergreenworld]

Is it my imagination, or the NY Times' obituary kind of insulting?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/01/sports/cycling/01fignon.html?ref=obituaries

 

[ultimobici]

Is it my imagination, or the NY Times' obituary kind of insulting?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/01/sports/cycling/01fignon.html?ref=obituaries

It does have a certain "edge" to it. Focuses on the negative a little too much, imo.

Perhaps Abt got short shrift from Fignon while he was riding and it stick rankles?

 

[Nick C.]

Is it my imagination, or the NY Times' obituary kind of insulting?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/01/sports/cycling/01fignon.html?ref=obituaries

Its not kind of it is.

 

[Berzin]

Samuel Abt-it goes to show you that sports reporters, by and large, are complete tools.

That is why I took such glee when Jay Mariotti effectively resigned before getting fired by ESPN. The loudmouth made a career chastising and overly criticizing players for conduct off the field and then he himself gets arrested for domestic spousal abuse. Good riddance, Jay-you deserve what you get.

I enjoyed reading Abt's books as a boy, as they were my introduction into the world of cycling and its' myriad characters, but the Fignon article was classless and vindictive.

 

[Anonymous]

that Abt article is disgraceful!

not only is it insulting, it's a hack piece -- bits that have been reported elsewhere, not an ounce of journalist integrity whatsoever.

and they only quote Armstrong, who never even rode with him???

what a tool!



interesting to note that Abt obviously got some flack for the first article, revised it, and made it a little more palatable. it was still quite obvious that he loathed the man: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/01/sports/cycling/01iht-FIGNON.html?scp=1&sq=&st=nyt

 

[D Avoid]

Laurent has his detractors as well.




http://www.peoplesrepublicofcork.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183638&page=2

 

[Dedelou]

Very sad, sad news. Although he wasn't the most friendly rider of the peloton, he was a fighter, and was so till the end. Rest in peace.

To the day of his end , Laurent was a mix a shyness coupled with a courage that seems so brash at times that it made him look much different than he really was at his core. A fierce competitor, he did a lot for the sport off the bike and his commitment to improving the condition of french cyclists is a side of Laurent not well known in the States. At the Fignon Center in the Pyrenees, where he gave much to promote the sport even after the illness had sapped much of his strength, we saw, with great admiration, that the cancer could not kill his courage. He died fighting, pretty much in the same way he lost races: Giving it all he had and to the end.
We are missing him and we will miss his brand of racing
Andre Louis

 

[Dedelou]

I saw that one too. I believe it was actually the Campagnolo titanium bottom bracket axle that broke, and they changed the design soon afterwards. From memory he was close to winning the race.

Why do i think it was the finish of the then named "Blois - Chaville Race? Indeed it was a campy crank and he was soloing to victory .

 

[No_Balls]

I'd put my signature to this.

There was, to me, something sexy about bike racing then, like a rock concert. And he was among the sexiest at the time: a real prince on two wheels.

Once, while riding along the Cote d'Azzur back in 92, winding by the castle of Antibes along the coast once owned by Picasso on a sunny day in March; a man on two wheels with blue eyes behind silver spectacles and golden hair pulled back in a pony-tail with Gatoraid on his kit approached from the opposite direction. Like by force of an enchanting myth, the hair on my arms stood up and then suddenly, after a fleeting moment, Laurent was by and gone.

Such a reflection seems to summerize the beauty of a life not taken in to its fullest. Even more sad when by the person who lived it.

Arivoir Monsieur Fignon

Fantastic stuff. Very worthy mr Fignon himself.

RIP.

 

[ultimobici]

I found this pic in the L'Equipe tribute. It's from the 1983 Vuelta but the Renault jerseys Fignon & Hinault are wearing are not the usual ones. Any idea what the story was?

 

[La Vie Claire]

I found this pic in the L'Equipe tribute. It's from the 1983 Vuelta but the Renault jerseys Fignon & Hinault are wearing are not the usual ones. Any idea what the story was?

Don't know, but thanks for the great pic.

 

[Aguirre]

not idea about the maillot, but just behind Hinault is Julian Gorospe, yellow jersey at that edition, then Marino Lejarreta another great basque rider from the period.

Fignon was decissive in that Vuelta, he won a stage, and he helped his leader Hinault to literally "destroy" leader Gorospe in a climb not very tough as Serranillos, in their way to Avila.

The stage, one of the most mytical in whole Vuelta history, was one of those that today wouls see a bunch of 40 riders at arrival...

Btw, I recommend everybody Fignon's book "Nous etions jeunes et insouciants".

BIG MERCI LAURENT!

 

[ultimobici]

not idea about the maillot, but just behind Hinault is Julian Gorospe, yellow jersey at that edition, then Marino Lejarreta another great basque rider from the period.

Fignon was decissive in that Vuelta, he won a stage, and he helped his leader Hinault to literally "destroy" leader Gorospe in a climb not very tough as Serranillos, in their way to Avila.

The stage, one of the most mytical in whole Vuelta history, was one of those that today wouls see a bunch of 40 riders at arrival...

Btw, I recommend everybody Fignon's book "Nous etions jeunes et insouciants".

BIG MERCI LAURENT!

Also the race and possibly the stage that Hinault managed to also destroy his knee(s)!

 

[ultimobici]

Don't know, but thanks for the great pic.

NP. Did you have a look at the rest?