The Greatest Tour - 1989?

NervexProf

Rated the greatest by 'CW'
The 1989 Tour.

A good read, lots of reflections on the TDF epic battle

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/lat ... m-all.html

Was there a better year, in your view?

SpaceJunk

I've watched / followed cycling since coincidently 1989, and to me it's the best one since then.

A lot of my fellow cycling friends who are slightly older than me have debated '89 with '87 (Roche).

Haven't seen huge amount of footage from '87 but that too sounds like a cracker.

With '89, it wasn't just the close margin that makes it the 'best'. As the article mentions it was a great 3 weeks of drama.

BTW - another great article by 'the other mob'. I think they've really improved the quality of their work in recent times.

johny c

nervex,

I remember both well, for slightly different reasons. 87 collectively, for Stephen, was some year. But apart from the drama of a bad day and heroic recovery in the mountains, I don't think the 87 tour was as exciting as 89. I'll never forget it.

Emotionally, the build up was relentless, all the way to what for me was a cathartic finish. As Laurent lay sobbing and spent, the boos of ungrateful 'fans' ringing in his ears, I wept too.

dave_1

johny c wrote:

nervex,

I remember both well, for slightly different reasons. 87 collectively, for Stephen, was some year. But apart from the drama of a bad day and heroic recovery in the mountains, I don't think the 87 tour was as exciting as 89. I'll never forget it.

Emotionally, the build up was relentless, all the way to what for me was a cathartic finish. As Laurent lay sobbing and spent, the boos of ungrateful 'fans' ringing in his ears, I wept too.

89 TDF was easily the best bike race ever. Fignon will be remembered as a greater of the two...feisty...2 San Remos, 3rd in Paris Roubaix... here's some great clips of the action in 1989 that were not shown so vividly on ch4 1989...Lemond a wheel sucker and Fignon an attacker

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qp2cXFOJ8E

iainf72

Disagree Dave - I like Fignon but Lemond will be remembered as the greater of the 2. He paved the way for Americans in European cycling, 3 Tours, 2 Worlds etc. They're both great riders but Lemonds impact was more significant than Fignons.

dave_1

iainf72 wrote:

Disagree Dave - I like Fignon but Lemond will be remembered as the greater of the 2. He paved the way for Americans in European cycling, 3 Tours, 2 Worlds etc. They're both great riders but Lemonds impact was more significant than Fignons.

fair enough Iain...I have divided loyalty...Lemond was brilliant as a one day rider too...had a good go at paris Roubaix, 4th in 85, and 3rd in San Remo, Super Prestige Pernod...still Greg says nowdays that he considers Fignon the joint winner of the 89 TDF...I agree!

Monty Dog

I'll always remember 89 for a slightly different reason - I'd been following the race for the first 2.5 weeks, but it looked like a foregone conclusion by the Saturday - besides it was my wedding day, so was somewhat indisposed. On the Sunday we left Brighton, flew to Glasgow, drove to Oban for the last ferry to Mull - arriving just after 4. I knew that Channel 4 had live coverage of the TT but decided that I'd just read catch up with the results in CW. You can imagine my shock when I finally picked-up a copy of CW in Oban on the Friday!

It might have been the best Tour, but there have been a number of Giros where the racing has been better - I suppose that's another topic!

dave_1

It's amazing how clear MDs memories are, and mine too actually..I was glued to the TV in a chalet in Aviemore Caravan Park...I couldn't believe it. Where were you that day?

if only... Fignon had gone sooner on one of the days....

The Giro...another topic...Moser had the 1984 Giro fixed-mountain stage cancelled so he'd not get dropped, heli blowing him along in the TT...a shame Fignon didn't get his win at the 1984 Giro.

RichN95.

1989 was clearly the best of my time of watching (87 - only half watched 86)

Top 5:

1. 1989
2. 1987
3. 2003
4. 2006 (later spoilt by Landis)
5. 1990 (2008 and 1996 were good too)