Select photos from ‘Greg LeMond: Yellow Jersey Racer’

A look back on the career of Greg LeMond with select images from the new VeloPress book, "Greg LeMond: Yellow Jersey Racer."

Greg LeMond: Yellow Jersey Racer,
“I wanted something more challenging than going up a ski lift and whizzing back down. I was interested in sports where I could accomplish something myself without having to depend on others,” says Greg LeMond of his early years. Photo: Offside/l’Equipe courtesy of VeloPress
Greg LeMond: Yellow Jersey Racer,
“When I first went to Europe, in 1981, I signed as a professional for 6,000 French francs [around $15,000]. But in 1980, I had been making $30,000 racing as an amateur in the U.S., so it was a sizeable pay cut. I thought it was worth it, though, because Renault was a great team and [Cyrille] Guimard was such a good coach. Photo: Offside/l’Equipe courtesy of VeloPress
Greg LeMond: Yellow Jersey Racer,
Tour de l’Avenir 1982 was the first of LeMond’s many wins in France with Guimard at the helm. Photo: Offside/l’Equipe courtesy of VeloPress
Greg LeMond: Yellow Jersey Racer,
In 1982, LeMond won the bunch sprint for 12th in Gent-Wevelgem. Here, he is climbing the infamous cobbled Kemmelberg. Photo: Offside/l’Equipe courtesy of VeloPress
Greg LeMond: Yellow Jersey Racer,
LeMond and his La Vie Claire team took the line for the 73-kilometer stage 3 team time trial at the 1985 Tour de France. Photo: Offside/l’Equipe courtesy of VeloPress
Greg
Stage 17 of the 1985 Tour de France was the scene of the notorious incident when LeMond’s team ordered him to wait for Bernard Hinault. “I’d waited minutes for him! It wasn’t until that big group came to me that I realized HInault wasn’t there, and that he was even farther down the climb behind the grupetto,” LeMond said. Photo: Offside/l’Equipe courtesy of VeloPress
Greg LeMond: Yellow Jersey Racer,
LeMond on the attack at Paris-Nice 1986. He finished third overall that year. Photo: Offside/l’Equipe courtesy of VeloPress
Greg LeMond: Yellow Jersey Racer,
Photo: Offside/l’Equipe courtesy of VeloPress
Greg LeMond: Yellow Jersey Racer,
LeMond started the 1989 season with poor results. He struggled in Omloop Het Volk and a few weeks later in Paris-Roubaix. Photo: Offside/l’Equipe courtesy of VeloPress
Greg LeMond: Yellow Jersey Racer,
In the 1989 Tour, his first after the hunting accident, LeMond won the stage 5 time trial and then went on to claim two more stages as well as the overall title.
Greg LeMond: Yellow Jersey Racer,
“[Laurent] Fignon congratulated me on my second place the day before but, to myself, I said, ‘You arrogant so and so … You’re gonna lose it,” LeMond said of his battle for yellow in the 1989 Tour. Photo: Offside/l’Equipe courtesy of VeloPress
Greg LeMond: Yellow Jersey Racer,
LeMond raced the 1990 season in the rainbow jersey after his second world championship victory, the year prior in Chambery, France. Photo: Offside/l’Equipe courtesy of VeloPress
Greg LeMond: Yellow Jersey Racer,
When it came to aerodynamic equipment, Greg was still ahead of the game in the 1990 Tour. He had his position nailed. The aero helmet, however was later shown to have cost more time than it saved. Photo: Offside/l’Equipe courtesy of VeloPress
Greg LeMond: Yellow Jersey Racer,
“Greg LeMond: Yellow Jersey Racer” is now available from VeloPress. Read more about the book >> Photo: Offside/l’Equipe courtesy of VeloPress

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