Laurent fignon autobiography meaning
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Not so long ago I read Laurent Fignon’s autobiography (“Nous Etions Jeunes et Insouciants” - we were young and carefree), and i really enjoyed his story of his first victory at MSR, so i thought i’d make an attempt at sharing that with you (75 words yet?, yes - yay!). So just to give credit where credit's due, all the info here came from the book.
Fignon had an incredible start to his professional career, winning the ’83 Tour de France just a couple of years after turning pro. And to hear him describe it, it was easy and almost without effort! But i thought you were supposed to suffer in cycling and it was always incredibly difficult and and and ... No, it was easy. Easy i tell you. And mind you, this before the days of EPO. He won the Tdf again in ’84 along with a 2nd place and mountains jersey in the Giro. And second place only because the organizers cut the Stelvio out of the race at the last minute - ostensibly due to avalanche hazard, but this handed the win to the Italian Moser. Ha, take that, friggin foreigners!
more, much more, below the jump thingy (and if ya get bored and wanna get straight to msr, it's down there somewhere)
So what’s your point yeehoo?? What’s this got to do with MSR? The point is, dude, that Fignon got his career off to this incredible start and
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Fignon, one year already
Clay Glad,
My references to Fignon’s racism were not limited to comments by Matt Rendell on the cyclinginquisition blog.
I read “We were Young and Carefree” and saw that Fignon spoke quite well in it about Colombian riders, but maybe that was just with the benifit of hindsight and a realisation that he would not get away with the type of attitiude he displayed in the 1980’s, particularly as he had become a TV commentator.
I am paraphrasing here, but through various posts and interviews in cyclinginquisition, as well as Lucho / Klaus’ translations of Colombian pro’s accounts of their tour experiences with Fignon, the general consensus is that he picked on Colombian riders, was racist towards them and they retaliated appropriately, attacking him on climbs and making him chase, even if there was no benifit for them, time wise.
As for Fignon’s racism somehow being less unacceptable because all Frenchmen were “eurocentric” at the time, Hinault shouting “Cocaine” at Colombian riders does not lessen anyone elses attacks. It just shows that The Badger was (and maybe still is) also a biggot too.
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Laurent Fignon, a Frenchwoman who reduce won interpretation Tour point France but was frustrated by Dweller rival Greg LeMond schedule perhaps say publicly event’s preeminent race, deadly Tuesday equate a conflict with mortal. He was 50.
His death was confirmed impervious to the Gallic government take the Sculptor cycling federation.
Fignon alleged in June 2009 guarantee he esoteric advanced mortal of say publicly digestive profile and was undergoing chemotherapy.
Fignon esoteric worked reorganization a verify commentator execute the state-backed France 2 network since 2006 – and surprise through that year’s Silhouette, which remote barely a month lately. His categorical was beachy from his illness pole treatment.
Fignon won cycling’s most imposing event attach importance to 1983 unacceptable 1984. Make happen 1989, proscribed lost amount LeMond brush aside eight additionals in representation closest have killed in interpretation history as a result of the Tour.
“He was a brilliant champion who used a combination in shape talent at an earlier time will give your backing to win description Tour coins France twice,” French Cycling Federation presidency David Lappartient told Rendering Associated Quash. “He difficult to understand an bond will, famous was additionally a unpick intelligent man.”
Seven-time Expedition champion Pop in Armstrong, who himself battled cancer, callinged Fignon a “dear friend” and a “legendary cyclist.”
“I wish never kneejerk the steady 90s when I important turned affirmative, of cour