Laurent Fignon (born August 12, 1960 in Paris) was a French cyclist, who won the Tour de France twice in 1983 and 1984, and missed winning it a third time with minimal difference.

Biography

Fignon started his rise to Tour de France fame in 1983 when Bernard Hinault was not available to ride that year. Hinault had been the dominant force in most Tours for the previous few years, whereas Fignon was a young newcomer on the same Renault team directed by the legendary Cyrille Guimard . Hinault's fallout with Guimard the following year meant that Fignon became Guimard's new protégé.

With his round glasses, ponytail and an air of debonnaire, Fignon was a contrast to Hinault's hard-knocks image. He thus earned the nickname The Professor. With his air of indifference in interviews and his crushing dominance in the 1984 Tour de France , he was hailed as France's newest superstar. This forced Hinault to switch to the new La Vie Claire team, directed by Paul Koechli.

Fignon is best remembered for the 1989 Tour de France when he lost to Greg Lemond by only eight seconds. While Greg Lemond used tri bars and a new type of aerodynamic helmet in the time trials, Fignon stuck to traditional time trial handlebars and wore no helmet. Fignon also suffered in the 1989 tour from saddle sores and he claimed this is what really slowed him down.

However, Fignon is a great rider in his own right. He won the Milan-San Remo race twice and the Giro d'Italia despite suspicions of the Italians using unfair tactics to favor their own riders. The important time-trial stage in Giro d'Italia saw the Italian TV helicopter fly in front of Fignon but behind Italian favorite Francesco Moser . On the Wednesday prior to his Milan-San Remo victory, Fignon crashed his primary racing bicycle which was built by Cyfac, often associated with Cyrille Guimard's riders. Guimard called the factory to ask them if they could build another identical frame for the Sunday's race. Francis Quillon of Cyfac obliged, and on Saturday before the race the team mechanic picked up the frame, built it on the way to the race, and on Sunday it was ridden by Guimard to victory.

Retirement

Upon retirement Fignon started to become involved with managing several races, most notably Paris-Nice until it was taken over by ASO the organizer of Tour de France in 2004.

On his relationships with Cyrille Guimard and Bernard Hinault, Fignon said that with Bernard Hinault, Cyrille Guimard already found a champion, whereas with himself, Cyrille made a champion. Therefore his bond with Guimard was much stronger than Hinault's bond with Guimard.

Significant victories by year

1982 Critérium International

1983 Critérium International 21st stage of Tour de France 1st General Classification of Tour de France

1984 20th stage of Giro d'Italia 2nd General Classification of Giro d'Italia National Championship of France 5 stages of Tour de France 1st General Classification Tour de France

1986 Flèche Wallonne

1988 Milan - San Remo

1989 1st General Classification of Giro d'Italia

1990 Critérium International