1989 Tour de France

Tour de France standings
year = 1989
gc1 = Greg LeMond
gc1time = 87h 38' 15"
gc2 = Laurent Fignon
gc2time = +08"
gc3 = Pedro Delgado
gc3time = +3' 34"
pc1 = Seán Kelly
pc1points = 277 points
pc2 = Etienne De Wilde
pc2points = 194 points
pc3 = Steven Rooks
pc3points = 163 points
kom1 = Gert-Jan Theunisse
kom1points = 441 points
kom2 = Pedro Delgado
kom2points = 311 points
kom3 = Steven Rooks
kom3points = 257 points
youth1 = Fabrice Philipot
youth1time = 88h 23' 18"
youth2 = William Palacio
youth2time = +59"
youth3 = Gérard Rué
youth3time = +18' 50"
team1 = PDM
team1time =
team2 = Reynolds
team2time =
team3 = Z-Peugeot
team3time =

The 1989 Tour de France was the 76th Tour de France. In the closest tour in history, Greg LeMond was behind by 50 seconds on the final ride into Paris. In that time trial LeMond put his bike in a huge 55 x 12 gear and rode it 54.545 km/h (34.52 mph), one of the fastest time trials ever in the Tour de France. He made up 58 seconds on Laurent Fignon, ultimately winning the race by 8 seconds. Since 1989 there has not been another individual time trial to finish the Tour de France.

Race summary

At the start of the 1989 Tour de France, the defending 1988 champion Pedro Delgado missed his start time at the prologue. Delgado would lose 2:40 before the race had even begun as the clock ticked for him to appear at the start gate. Delgado would go on to lose more time as his team had a disastrous time trial. Later some spectacular riding in the mountains saw Delgado make a great rally to take third place in the Tour. Erik Breukink won that prologue stage, but lost the lead to Portugal's Acacio da Silva the next day. Da Silva would become the first man from Portugal to wear the yellow jersey. LeMond placed strongly in that time trial. He was coming back from a two year layoff due to injuries (including a near-fatal hunting accident).

In the Stage 5 time trial, LeMond shocked everyone by winning it and taking the yellow jersey. LeMond was thrilled to have won the jersey and was hoping just to remain competitive in the Tour.

Laurent Fignon would emerge as LeMond's chief rival. Fignon challenged LeMond in the press to be a more aggressive leader of the Tour de France. 1989 was a great year for Fignon, who was making a comeback of his own after several poor seasons. He had won the 1989 Giro d'Italia and was the #1 ranked cyclist in the world. Fignon would eventually make good on his words and challenge LeMond at a critical mountain stage at Superbagnères in the Pyrenees. He would take the yellow jersey from LeMond.

LeMond emerged from the Stage 15 time trial at Gap and once again regained the yellow jersey. It would be short-lived as Fignon gained the yellow jersey back on Stage 17 to L'Alpe d'Huez in the Alps. LeMond would encounter much difficulty in the Alps as Fignon continued to be aggressive – taking Stage 18 at Villard de Lans. LeMond, however, once again responded and took the next mountain stage (at Aix les Bains).

Coming out of the Alps, LeMond was down 50 seconds to Fignon going into the final time trial. Although LeMond was riding spectacular individual time trials, many people still felt 50 seconds would be too much to make up. The final stage from Versailles to Paris was billed as a showdown, but many did not expect LeMond to catch Fignon. On the stage, LeMond used the famous triathlon handlebars while Fignon rode a conventional bike. LeMond told his team not to give him his time splits as he wanted to ride all-out. LeMond took the time trial – travelling at 54.545 km/h (the fastest ever Tour TT until David Zabriskie bettered it in the 2005 prologue) – and won the Tour by 8 seconds.

The final time trial was over a course approximately 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) long, with a net elevation loss of 75 metres (247 ft). The riders had a moderate tailwind. LeMond's effort was the fastest individual time trial for a distance longer than 10 km ever ridden. A November 1989 "Bicycling" magazine article, supported by wind-tunnel data, estimated that LeMond may have gained 1 minute on Fignon through the use of the new aerobars. He also could have gained 16 seconds by wearing his aero helmet with a slightly elongated tail section for better aerodynamics, while Fignon rode bare-headed with his ponytail exposed to the wind. Fignon did perhaps gain a 5-second advantage by using a disk front wheel, while LeMond used a 24-spoke bladed radially spoked front wheel. Fignon finished third in the final time trial with an average speed of 53.59 km/h (33.33 mph).

The 1989 Tour also featured a stage win by Miguel Indurain of Spain. Indurain would finish his first Tour de France in 17th.

The 1989 Tour also featured a spectacular ride by Gert-Jan Theunisse of the Netherlands, who finished fourth overall and took the Tour's most famous stage, L'Alpe d'Huez. Theunisse's solo break is considered to be one of the greatest breaks of all time. His career would later be marred by a drug suspension.

Stage 13 was won by Vincent Barteau. Barteau was a surprise holder of the yellow jersey at the 1984 Tour de France for 12 days. In 1984, Barteau eventually surrendered the jersey to Laurent Fignon, who won the race. Barteau's career went into a major tailspin following the 1984 race. The stage 13 victory in 1989 marked a redemption of sorts for Barteau.

Results

tage winners and Yellow Jersey

General classification

External links

* [http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/eta_tdf_1984_1993/tdf1989.php 1989 Tour de France results]