Fignon Book
disgruntledgoat
Posts: 8,957
Anybody else got their copy yet? Amazon shipped mine 2 weeks early, for some reason!
I'm about a third of the way through and really enjoying it, I like how his entire focus was always on enjoying himself, not calculating for seconds, not even seeking a pro contract until he'd dropped out of university... Just living his life to the full and enjoying himself.
Couple of excellent stories so far, the first about Hinault getting steamed on a case of wine with Fignon and another team-mate on the eve of the decisivie stage of a race in Brittany (Hinault yelling "This is my turf!" at the hotel manager trying to get them to calm down) and still securing the win for the Badger the next day.
Oh and constantly calling LeMond a wheel sucker.
I'm about a third of the way through and really enjoying it, I like how his entire focus was always on enjoying himself, not calculating for seconds, not even seeking a pro contract until he'd dropped out of university... Just living his life to the full and enjoying himself.
Couple of excellent stories so far, the first about Hinault getting steamed on a case of wine with Fignon and another team-mate on the eve of the decisivie stage of a race in Brittany (Hinault yelling "This is my turf!" at the hotel manager trying to get them to calm down) and still securing the win for the Badger the next day.
Oh and constantly calling LeMond a wheel sucker.
"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent
@gietvangent
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Damn is it in already. I was holding off till the actual date, but i'll order it today!0
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Mine's on order - I think Amazon were saying they'd dispatch it next week... Looks like a good read.0
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I read the excerpt in Procycling over breakfast this morning and will definitely be ordering a copy.
Sadly that’s yet another reason to despise the EPO generation, ending the careers of great champions like Fignon was not an aspect of doping that I’d given much consideration to.0 -
ju5t1n wrote:I read the excerpt in Procycling over breakfast this morning and will definitely be ordering a copy.
Sadly that’s yet another reason to despise the EPO generation, ending the careers of great champions like Fignon was not an aspect of doping that I’d given much consideration to.
Fignon, Lemond, Hampsten, Herrera, Mottet. It turned the whole thing on its head and also rans like Rominger and Chiapucci cleaned up.
If EPO had been around earlier would we have seen the greatness of Merckx, Coppi or Hinault?It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.0 -
whats the book called ?
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ju5t1n wrote:I read the excerpt in Procycling over breakfast this morning and will definitely be ordering a copy.
Sadly that’s yet another reason to despise the EPO generation, ending the careers of great champions like Fignon was not an aspect of doping that I’d given much consideration to.
Not that Fignon has ever been remarkably candid about all the tackle he was racing on or anything!
:roll:"A cyclist has nothing to lose but his chain"
PTP Runner Up 20150 -
brakelever wrote:whats the book called ?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/We-Were-Young-Carefree-Autobiography/dp/0224083198
Or ""Nous étions jeunes et insouciants" if you speak French0 -
Timoid. wrote:ju5t1n wrote:I read the excerpt in Procycling over breakfast this morning and will definitely be ordering a copy.
Sadly that’s yet another reason to despise the EPO generation, ending the careers of great champions like Fignon was not an aspect of doping that I’d given much consideration to.
Fignon, Lemond, Hampsten, Herrera, Mottet. It turned the whole thing on its head and also rans like Rominger and Chiapucci cleaned up.
If EPO had been around earlier would we have seen the greatness of Merckx, Coppi or Hinault?
Not sure about Hinault, but I think Merckx and Coppi would still have been great...0 -
to be blunt Bugno's 1990 Milan San remo, then the Giro,.then he wins the worlds 1991, had me wondering...some seasons from very little in 1988..one TDF flat stage win. Giovanni Fidanza was as good as GB
Mottet fought them well0 -
Dave, you'd love that book.
"Is it possible to say there was an EPO generation? Yes it is"
He comes across as a real adventurer and a guy who always loved what he did."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
I've read it - a good read. I'm a huge LeMond fan, so wasn't too impressed by the wheelsucker allegations, but Fignon was a particularly aggressive and attacking rider. Interesting to read that he never thought he got back to his 84 level, which is a pity. His reply to taxi drivers at the start of the book is class ("ah, I know you, you're the bloke who lost the Tour de France by 8 seconds" - "No, I'm the bloke who won it twice").
Good to know that he's on pretty friendly terms with LeMond now. Have seen them together on French TV, on Youtube.
I understand he's quite ill now, with cancer. Hope he pulls through.
Would be nice to read a LeMond autobiography. Have got the Sam Abt hagiography from way back, but would like to hear Greg's own take on things.0 -
Dave_1 wrote:to be blunt Bugno's 1990 Milan San remo, then the Giro,.then he wins the worlds 1991, had me wondering...some seasons from very little in 1988..one TDF flat stage win. Giovanni Fidanza was as good as GB
Mottet fought them well
Agreed. Is there a decent Mottet biography in print? One of my all time absolute favourites.It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.0 -
Dgh wrote:Would be nice to read a LeMond autobiography. Have got the Sam Abt hagiography from way back, but would like to hear Greg's own take on things.
It's not an autobiography but one of the early editions of Rouleur had an extended interview with Lemond where he talked about a lot of his career. If you've not read it I'd recommend it.
Added: it was the 5th issue;
http://www.rouleur.cc/issue-5
Unfortunately it's sold out.0 -
Timoid. wrote:Dave_1 wrote:to be blunt Bugno's 1990 Milan San remo, then the Giro,.then he wins the worlds 1991, had me wondering...some seasons from very little in 1988..one TDF flat stage win. Giovanni Fidanza was as good as GB
Mottet fought them well
Agreed. Is there a decent Mottet biography in print? One of my all time absolute favourites.
Willy Voet swore Mottet was clean. And Mottet was a great cyclist by 1984, 1985, pre dating EPO...the Grand Prix de nations, the Tour of Lombardy 1988...Bugno would struggled to have done...and then all of a sudden Bugno is top in the world in the one days. Mottet cracked around day 15-day 18 every TDF 1987, 1989,1991...he was a bench mark. Lemond had a decline in form that wasn't only EPO related, Mottet's was perhaps? He and Hampsten declinned the same season more or less0 -
Nearly finished reading this. Cracking book. Anyone who said "maybe you should try training" to the Badger is a bit of a hero.
I also had a lol at the Columbians dishing out cocaine to whoever wanted it when Herrera won the Vuelta.Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.0 -
disgruntledgoat wrote:Dave, you'd love that book.
"Is it possible to say there was an EPO generation? Yes it is"
He comes across as a real adventurer and a guy who always loved what he did.
Yes , thanks , am looking forward to getting a read of it. Not much chance at the mo
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Cheers really appreciate it, but was only being cheeky, I have ordered it, very decent of you all the same ...iainf72 wrote:.. who said that, internet forum people ?0 -
iainf72 wrote:Nearly finished reading this. Cracking book. Anyone who said "maybe you should try training" to the Badger is a bit of a hero.
I also had a lol at the Columbians dishing out cocaine to whoever wanted it when Herrera won the Vuelta.
I just pmd you m8.0 -
Oh come now.Dgh wrote:I've read it - a good read. I'm a huge LeMond fan, so wasn't too impressed by the wheelsucker allegations,
One of my delicious memories from 1989 on the Superbagneres (Millar beat Delgado) where Fignon drops his wheelsucker and Lemon grovels about until Andy Hampsen comes by and the wheelsucking continues.
Much as I really hate the result of that Tour and that he won it with the aid of USA technology. I did give him a lot of brownie points for his guts and without real team support.
The "Moral" victor was Fignon IMO who was the Aggressor of the race.(after Delgado went walkies at the prolog)
That last stage hurt Fignon but it also deeply hurt the whole of France.Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 19720 -
deejay wrote:That last stage hurt Fignon but it also deeply hurt the whole of France.
I'm not so sure it hurt the whole of France.
Basically, if Lemond hadn't turned it around on the last day it would've been a very good Tour. But the fact he did turned it into the greatest Tour of all time.Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.0
