 LeMond in 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gregory James LeMond | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname | L'Americain (The American)[1] LeMonster[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | June 26, 1961 Lakewood, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 67 kg (148 lb; 10 st 8 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current team | Retired | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Discipline | Road | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Rider | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rider type | All-rounder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amateur team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1976–1980 | U.S. National Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Professional teams | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1981–1984 | Renault–Elf–Gitane | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–1987 | La Vie Claire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1988 | PDM–Ultima–Concorde | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989 | AD Renting–W-Cup–Bottecchia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1994 | Z–Tomasso | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Major wins | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Grand Tours
Other | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Gregory James LeMond (born June 26, 1961) is an American former road racing cyclist. LeMond won the Tour de France three times and the Road Race World Championship twice, becoming the only American male to win the former.
LeMond began his professional cycling career in 1981. Two years later, he became the first American male cyclist to win the Road World Championship. LeMond won the Tour de France in 1986; he is the first non-European professional cyclist to win the men's Tour. LeMond was accidentally shot with pellets and seriously injured while hunting in 1987. Following the shooting, he underwent two surgeries and missed the next two Tours. At the 1989 Tour, LeMond completed an improbable comeback to win in dramatic fashion on the race's final stage. He successfully defended his Tour title the following year, becoming one of only nine riders to win three or more Tours. LeMond retired from competition in December 1994 and was inducted into the United States Bicycling Hall of Fame in 1996. He was the first professional cyclist to sign a million-dollar contract and the first cyclist to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
During his career, LeMond championed several technological advancements in pro cycling, including the introduction of aerodynamic "triathlon" handlebars and carbon fiber bicycle frames,[3] which he later marketed through his company LeMond Bicycles. His other business interests have included restaurants, real estate, and consumer fitness equipment.[4] LeMond is also a vocal opponent of performance-enhancing drug use in cycling and is a founding board member of 1in6.org, a nonprofit charity that assists male victims of child sex abuse.
- ^ Moore 2012, p. 67.
- ^ Andrews 2016, p. 252.
- ^ Walsh, Matt. "A Meeting of Minds" (PDF). Cycle Sport. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 16, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
- ^ "That's Tim as in timber". Denver Westword News. January 12, 1994. Archived from the original on April 26, 2010. Retrieved April 26, 2011.