Greatest Finish and Best Cycling Image EVER!
May/02/08 09:25 Filed In:Bike
Lifestyle
Cycling is a sport rich in drama and sometimes, if you’re lucky, someone captures an image that depicts the drama, pain and joy that are experienced during a race. There is one race in particular, the 1989 World Championships, that produced a win and an image that captured everything that makes bike racing such a personal and rewarding journey.
It was raining, the roads were slick and Greg LeMond
was just getting back to cycling after suffering a
near fatal hunting accident. The only team to pick
him up was the lowly Belgium squad ADR. As you may
know he went on to win his second tour de France by
the smallest of margins and doing so in spectacular
form and taking the TT on the final day.
Nevertheless, some eight weeks later at the World
Championship race in Chambery LeMond showed the world
that his form was no fluke and he delivered this
message with it’s own unique drama.
In the end LeMond won another rainbow jersey and he did so in manner that should make us all proud. He attacked, bridged the breakaway and bridged Fingon and other world-class riders. When it was down to the small group, the group you know was going to win, LeMond shut down most every attack. The above image, at the very end of the race when LeMond realized he won shows the range of emotions. LeMond’s obvious joy - Kelly’s clear disappointment - Konyshev’s agony of defeat - add the element of rain and you have a once in a lifetime photo,
Watch the video on YouTube and recall the weather and the fact that these guys are riding steel bikes and carving corners at over 30mph and descending at over 50mph.
In the end LeMond won another rainbow jersey and he did so in manner that should make us all proud. He attacked, bridged the breakaway and bridged Fingon and other world-class riders. When it was down to the small group, the group you know was going to win, LeMond shut down most every attack. The above image, at the very end of the race when LeMond realized he won shows the range of emotions. LeMond’s obvious joy - Kelly’s clear disappointment - Konyshev’s agony of defeat - add the element of rain and you have a once in a lifetime photo,
Watch the video on YouTube and recall the weather and the fact that these guys are riding steel bikes and carving corners at over 30mph and descending at over 50mph.
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