Greg Lemond, Signed 1983 World Championships – Gitane Promotional Poster

Greg Lemond

Greg LeMond is one of the most accomplished and influential figures in professional cycling history, celebrated for both his athletic achievements and his role in transforming the sport. Born on June 26, 1961, in Lakewood, California, LeMond became the first American to win the Tour de France, achieving this landmark victory in 1986 as a member of the La Vie Claire team. That win was particularly significant, not only for its historical importance but also for the internal team rivalry it highlighted with French teammate Bernard Hinault. LeMond’s aggressive, attacking style and mastery of time trials quickly established him as a dominant force on the international stage.

In 1987, LeMond’s career was nearly cut short when he was accidentally shot in a hunting accident, suffering life-threatening injuries that required multiple surgeries. After a long and uncertain recovery, he returned to racing and staged one of the greatest comebacks in sports history. In 1989, he won his second Tour de France by just 8 seconds over Laurent Fignon—the closest margin in the race’s history—thanks to a legendary final-stage time trial. That same year, LeMond also won the UCI Road World Championship in Chambéry, France, making him one of only a few riders in history to win both the Tour and the Worlds in the same year. He claimed his third Tour de France title in 1990, riding for the Z–Tomasso team.

Lemond is one of only three riders to win the Tour three times (1986, 1989 and 1990). Beyond his victories, LeMond was a pioneer in equipment innovation, notably being one of the first to use aerodynamic handlebars and carbon fiber bikes in elite competition. He retired from professional cycling in 1994 due to a muscle condition later identified as mitochondrial myopathy. In retirement, he became an outspoken advocate for clean sport and was one of the earliest high-profile critics of doping within the peloton. LeMond was inducted into the United States Bicycling Hall of Fame in 1996 and remains a respected figure in the cycling community through his business ventures and advocacy.