Laurent Fignon died

[D Avoid]

Séan Kelly live now in a few minutes.

http://www.rte.ie/radio/liveplayer2...mic.rte.ie/av/live/radio/radio1.smil,real,200


Will be on after 7pm news.So if you can handle cricket, yes, hurling and other difrént sporche , lisshen in.now

11 minutes of cycling, amazing, if we had no bad news it would have been three. Nicholas is quite often on this program, so if he wins obver the next few weeks , he'll get fifteen minutes live, is comediotic fellow.

I will put the podcast on tomorrow, if they do a relavent one.

 

[thehog]

" I just learned the death of Laurent Fignon. I didn’t know him so much, and he didn’t know me much either. But for me he was a reference, like Bernard Hinault and Eddy Merckx. His judgement on France Television was sometimes hard but always fair. He had a stronger analysis than the others because he knew whereof he spoke. He loved cycling and that is why he could speak so well but it's also why he had the right to criticize, to criticize us the riders. In my childhood, far from France and Europe at the time of the USSR, Laurent Fignon was a name that we knew even if we didn’t know him."

Posted by Vinokourov on his FB today

Very good and honest post from Vino.

 

[peloton]

very sad day. RIP Fignon.

 

[The Hitch]

Ah, I remember you: you're the guy who lost the Tour by eight seconds."
Fignon : "No monsieur, I'm the guy who won it twice."

 

[Crunchy Frog]

Adieu, Laurent, et merci.

 

[jae2460]

Lance did it...

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[Spanky]

Spent the summer in France and enjoyed his commentary and brave effort. RIP M. Fignon

 

[VeloFidelis]

The picture of Fignon sitting, dazed and confused, in the middle of the road next to his bicycle after breaking his crank on a solo break, in the 82 Paris Tours has always been the image that comes to mind when his name is mentioned. The depth of conflicted emotion and bewilderment in that photo told a story well beyond words, and said a lot about the man.

Now it will forever remain my lasting image of a cycling great.

 

[Spanky]

*** edited by mod ****

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

This is a memorial thread. Please refrain from other comments.

Thank you.

Susan

 

[djconnel]

Very sad...

 

[flicker]

Style and grace, Chapaue Laurent, God Bless your family.

 

[kiwimatt]

Commiserations to his family,a cycling great.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

The late 1980's was when I started getting interested in cycling. It was the 1989 Tour where I got my first memories of Fignon who had long before established himself as a great one. Condolences to his surviving family.

 

[bianchigirl]

One of the great stylists on a bike - and the most incisive and insightful commentator off it. Even with his voice broken by illness he was still the only voice worth listening to.

Repose en paix, Champion

 

[hfer07]

Sad news of his passing-I did respect him as a cyclist, but wasn't much of my liking outside the sport due some very controversial opinions-not appropriated to bring them here--- rest in peace "Professor"

 

[The_Z_man]

He was a great champion. Not many riders have won 3 grand tours. It could have been 4. He was French national champ when the French ruled cycling. MSR twice in a row.

LeMond was right. If not for his injuries, he would have been so much better.

Le Professeur will be missed.

 

[thehog]

The VeloNews pundits are at it again. This is the first comment posted to the Fignon story: “As an aside, no disrespect to Mr. Fignon - given the information he revealed regarding his use of performance enhancing substances, Lemond's words seem at least somewhat at odds with his general tone over the last decade. Also the fact of his PED use contrasted with Lemond's performances against him doesn't seem to raise the same sort of suspicions and allegations about Lemond as it does when current-day cyclists triumph over admitted dopers. Should it? Any thoughts?”

 

[Dr. Maserati]

When I think of the word 'panache' I have a wonderful memory of Fignon sitting up and leaning way back on his bike throwing his arms straight in the air, crossing the line with a wide smile.
It was Milan San Remo - 1988.

Thank you Laurent for reminding me of how wonderful this sport is.

Very sad news. Always had a soft spot for "The Professor" and had the priviledge of being in the same race once , the 88 Nissan Tour Of Ireland.
Who didnt feel for him when he lost the TDF to Greg Lemond by just 8 seconds thanks to Greg`s superior aquipment choice.
For a Parisian it must have been devestating.
RIP Laurent.

Darryl - I was at that Nissan, and actually you did something that Laurent didn't - you stopped and signed an autograph.

 

[Boeing]

For some reason this really hit me hard. I was rooting for Greg all the way that Tour. Fignon was the opposition you love to hate. Like the Yankees (by example). I took Road Cycling serious from that moment forward and he was part of the reason.

RIP. Great memories. Seems like an eternity ago but really his era is not that far back... I can remember exactly where I was when I read the news about Greg's narrow win and exactly where I was when it was televised later.

Fignon's viable disappointment is a testament to what a true warrior of a competitor as a pro athlete he was. Some later said he was bitter. I just call it competitive and it is probably the most significant lasting Sports memory in my life


It is odd when suddenly Professional Athletes in your age bracket +- a few years start passing away.

As a fan and an avid participant in any sport, the pros in your own generation have a different meaning than the younger ones as you age. For me anyway.

This is sad and let me say that I am thankful for the memories and in turn thankful for my health

I am sorry he passed as he did and condolences to the family

RIP

 

[blutto]

...I've admired a lot of cyclists...but Monsieur Fignon was my rave fave...in my mind his second Tour victory stands as one the most impressive wins of all time...as someone else in this thread mentioned, he actually attacked when in yellow...

...may the wind be always at your back...RIP dear sir...

Cheers

blutto

 

[FignonLeGrand]

Ah, I remember you: you're the guy who lost the Tour by eight seconds."
Fignon : "No monsieur, I'm the guy who won it twice."

Ah that's a perfect way to sum him up. Easy to remember the 8 second story but he won it twice by the age of 24. Maybe more could emulate this feat if they had the courage of their convictions, which he certainly did.

He was my hero and the hero for many bespectacled cyclists!

RIP Laurent, Chapeau!

 

[flicker]

The VeloNews pundits are at it again. This is the first comment posted to the Fignon story: “As an aside, no disrespect to Mr. Fignon - given the information he revealed regarding his use of performance enhancing substances, Lemond's words seem at least somewhat at odds with his general tone over the last decade. Also the fact of his PED use contrasted with Lemond's performances against him doesn't seem to raise the same sort of suspicions and allegations about Lemond as it does when current-day cyclists triumph over admitted dopers. Should it? Any thoughts?”

LeMond is holding his cards and thinking for once, thank goodness!

 

[Signor Corleone]

Signor Corleone

The passing of a giant. Here's a taste of his fighting spirit, from 1989 Worlds:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJSgzHTRg38

Wonderful racing, I remember it as though it was yesterday.
I watched the Tour this year on France2 and France3, Laurent was co commentating.
Some days he had to rest, then the other Laurent, Jalabert, took over for him.
How insipid much of todays racing seems, by comparison.
He was a great Champion, misunderstood by many, but I believe he mellowed in later years.

RIP. ALLEZ LAURENT!!!

 

[The Hitch]

would also like to say that i love the title of his book - we were young and carefree.
I cant believe no one had thought to use such a genius title in songs/ books/ films before.