Laurent Fignon died of cancer on Tuesday at the age of 50 with two Tour de France wins to his name — but the eight seconds that cost him a third triumph will live just as long in the memory.
On July 23, 1989, after 21 stages and 3,285km of grueling cycling, Greg LeMond pipped the Frenchman by the Tour’s narrowest margin in one of the great finishes of all time. Fignon had started the time trial with a 50 second lead, only to see his American rival go 58 seconds faster in the 24.5km final stage.
“Even on the podium, I was feeling uncomfortable and sorry because Fignon had also won the Tour,” LeMond told France 24 television from his Minnesota home on Tuesday. “He was a priceless man and I was choked when I heard he had died.”
RadioShack team manager Alain Gallopin, Fignon’s physio and friend, said the rider died in hospital in Paris at 12:30pm.
“I have lost a brother. I saw him yesterday and he was still fighting,” Gallopin said.
In a book published in June last year, We Were Young and Carefree, Fignon said he had been diagnosed with cancer.
He also admitted having used doping products, but said he did not know if they had caused his illness.
“I don’t want to die at 50, but if my cancer is incurable, what can I do?” he told Paris-Match magazine in January. “I love life, I love a good laugh, travel, books, good food. I’m a typical Frenchman. I’m not afraid of death, I just don’t want to die.”
Fignon turned professional in 1982, winning his first trophy the same year, the Criterium National.
In 1983, at the age of 22, with his round glasses and ponytail, Fignon became the youngest rider for 50 years to win the Tour de France after taking advantage of the withdrawal through injury of Bernard Hinault, who had won the race four times. The young champion won again in 1984, earning the nickname “The Teacher” for his tactical skills.
He also won the Giro d’Italia in 1989, the Fleche Wallonne in 1986 and the Milan-San Remo classic in 1988 and 1989.
Fignon retired from cycling in 1993 and became a television consultant.
He worked for France television on the last Tour, despite a voice broken by illness.
“During the last Tour de France, which he covered with total passion and beyond human endurance, Laurent Fignon showed he was a man who knew how to face his last battle,” French President Nicolas Sarkozy said in a statement. “He gave the entire world a masterly lesson of dignity, courage and humanity.”
Five-time Tour de France winner Eddy Merckx said he was saddened to learn of Fignon’s death.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Merckx, remembering how he had talked to Fignon before this year’s Tour. “He told me: ‘My cancer is very hard, but I will fight to the last second.’ He was very honest to the people and very honest to himself. He was a great person and cycling has lost a great man.”
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