Fignon's gone...

nicolas · Post by **nicolas** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 3:52 am

http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/sport/ ... 16085.html

I don't know what to say, actually... this is so sad.

He kept working and commenting during the last tour, he seemed better... something must have gone wrong.

poufthecascadeur · Post by **poufthecascadeur** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 4:48 am

i put the same topic in pro racing section
I feel sad

R.I.P "le professeur"

Gtane · Post by **Gtane** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 5:06 am

Thanks for the posts Nicolas and Poufthecascadeur.

I'm sad to hear this news too. Fignon was one of the greats and always will be.

Tim

Post by **lofter** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 5:36 am

man what a real bummer

rip to a great cyclist

scozim · Post by **scozim** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 5:59 am

Cycling lost a great person!

Gtane · Post by **Gtane** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 7:34 am

While reading the sad obituaries of Laurent Fignon I was reminded of one photograph which particularly stood out earlier this year when looking at some of the many photos posted of the 2010 Tour de France. It was a shot of Hinault and Fignon enjoying a discussion over a beer in the cafe at the top of the Col du Tourmalet. To me, it perfectly captures these two great riders shooting the breeze in an idylllic situation, but what a lucky snap by the photographer. It's a true candid off guard one to one moment between the two men (not to mention the wondering onlooker in the background) that says so much - the passion of Fignon, the attentive Hinault, mutual respect.

http://tinyurl.com/25882o5

This is the blog post that accompanies the photo - http://tinyurl.com/22ukza4

Tim

smilingroadrunner · Post by **smilingroadrunner** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 8:26 am

Sad ending to my morning, Thanks Nicholas for your post, and Tim for the special photo. Still wish that the folks at VERSUS, would have given more attention to the special presentation to Laurent at this years TdeF. Some touching moments between he and Bernard at that time. Two great competitors and champions.

C.A.

Post by **sandranian** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 9:47 am

Fignon was my favorite cyclist. I still wear silver oval glasses because of him, and love Gitane bikes because he rode them. I am really sad that I will never be able to meet him...it was something I always assumed I would be able to do.

Here are some videos posted on Le Parisien....
http://www.leparisien.fr/sports/videos- ... 049845.php

By the way, that picture of Fignon and Hinault having a beer is awesome.

nicolas · Post by **nicolas** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 11:36 am

Stephan... Laurent Fignon still IS your favorite cyclist.

For those of you who believe in the afterlife...

Pascal Jules was team mate with Fignon since they rode together as amateurs. They spent a few years together in the Renault team. Pascal Jules died in a car crash in 1987. He was 26. He and Fignon were great mates, as he describes in his book.

I don't know why but these pics always brought me close to tears, they reflect youth, innocence and friendship.

If cycling has a heaven, I know who Laurent Fignon met first when he arrived...

Gtane · Post by **Gtane** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 12:58 pm

Here's footage of the great man winning in Yellow at La Plagne in 1984, ahead of Lemond, Hinault and all.

http://tinyurl.com/26mxyym

Thanks for the link to the clips Stephan and Nicolas for those early photos.

Stephan, you chose a super photo for the homepage in memory of Laurent Fignon.

Tim

Post by **sandranian** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 1:20 pm

Regarding the footage of the stage to La Plagne, it is refreshing to see the yellow jersey on the front of the pack! When, if ever, will we see that again!

Wisey · Post by **Wisey** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 3:16 pm

Merci Laurent.

logarto · Post by **logarto** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 3:28 pm

Notice how may pictures and video clips are out there of Fignon winning major races with nobody else even in the picture.

Classics, French National Championships, critical TDF stages. He could do this all by himself when TI Raleigh had a whole team constructed to win races in the same fashion. The one where he broke the Super Record Bottom Bracket would have been another too, Blois Chaville in 1983 I believe?

Go find the clip on YouTube where he beats Sean Kelly in the second time trial of the 1983 TDF, blasting through those French villages at 32 MPH with no helmet, no aero bars, not even aero brake cable routing, Kelly flexing the snot out of that Vitus 979; Fignon still able to put half a minute on him when it counted and even though he didn't really need to.

I'm glad I never saw it when it was current, I would have given up bike racing there on the spot.

As I read elsewhere today, he was the last link to the old time pro cycling champions; an unearthly prodigy like a Fausto Coppi and a sometimes arrogant dominator just like a Hinault.

(Except that this guy dominated Hinault too. "We all laughed at him when he attacked us in the mountains..")

But for those eight seconds he would have died today as the last French winner of a TDF too.

I remember his last long breakaway TDF stage win taking up 20 minutes of the 26 minutes alotted daily on ESPN back then. Everyone seemed to know that they were witnessing the passing of a giant.

Somebody recounted today that of all the announcers out there, Fignon was the only one not taken in by Armstrong's "bluff" against Ullrich and Kivelev that ended at the foot of Alpe D'Huez. Fignon had been screaming "he's bluffing, he's bluffing" for three hours before it finally came to that.

nicolas · Post by **nicolas** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 11:41 pm

I'm amazed by the response here in France. The coverage of Laurent Fignon's passing took a good 3rd of the evening news and every newspaper this morning has a Fignon pic on the front page. Of course, his illness and TV work contributed but many many french people are touched by this...

bowser · Post by **bowser** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 7:54 am

just reading his book a true cycling great
he will be missed