1986 tour de france dvd

1986 Tour de France

73rd edition: july 4 - july 27, 1986, results, stages with running gc, map, video, photos and history.

1985 Tour | 1987 Tour | Tour de France Database | 1986 Tour Quick Facts | 1986 Tour de France Final GC | Stage results with running GC | The Story of the 1986 Tour de France by Bill & Carol McGann | The 1986 Tour by Owen Mulholland | Video

Map of the 1986 Tour de France route

Plato's Crito is available as an audiobook here .

1986 Tour de France quick facts:

210 riders started the 4,083 kilometer race, 132 finished.

The 23 stages were ridden at an average speed of 37.020 km/hr.

Greg LeMond's 1986 Tour de France victory was the first by an American and the first of three Tour wins by LeMond.

At the end of the 1985 Tour Bernard Hinault had promised to help LeMond win the Tour in 1986.

Hinault reneged on the promise and constantly attacked LeMond.

To this day Hinault insists he was helping LeMond win the Tour.

Complete Final 1986 Tour de France General Classification:

• Bernard Hinault (La Vie Claire) @ 3min 10sec
• Urs Zimmermann (Carrera) @ 10min 54sec
• Andrew Hampsten (La Vie Claire) @ 18min 44sec
• Claude Criquielion (Hitachi) @ 24min 36sec
• Ronan Pensec (Peugeot) @ 25min 59sec
• Niki Rutimann (La Vie Claire) @ 30min 52sec
• Alvaro Pino (ZOR) @ 33min
• Steven Rooks (PDM) @ 33min 22sec
• Yvon Madiot (Système U) @ 33min 27sec
• Samuel Cabrera (Reynolds) @ 35min 28sec
• Jean-François Bernard (La Vie Vlaire) @ 35min 45sec
• Pascal Simon (Peugeot) @ 37min 44sec
• Eduardo Chozas (Teka) @ 38min 48sec
• Reynel Montoya (Postobon) @ 45min 36sec
• Charly Mottet (Système U) @ 45min 58sec
• Thierry Claveyrolat (RMO) @ 46min 0sec
• Marino Lejaretta (Seat-Orbea) @ 49min 9sec
• Jean-Claude Bagot (Fagor) @ 51min 38sec
• Eric Caritoux (Fagor) @ 52min 39sec
• José Patrocinio Jiménez (Cafe de Colombia) @ 55min 42sec
• Luis Alberto Herrera (Cafe de Colombia) @ 56min 0sec
• Steve Bauer (La Vie Claire) @ 56min 2sec
• Joop Zoetemelk (Kwantum Hallen) @ 57min 4sec
• Jesus Blanco (Teka) @ 1hr 3min 16sec
• Jean-René Bernaudeau (Fagor) @ 1hr 3min 56sec
• Alfonso Florez (Cafe de Colombia) @ 1hr 5min 54sec
• Bernard Gavillet (Système U) @ 1hr 8min 17sec
• Peter Stevenhaagen (PDM) @ 1hr 10min 40sec
• Jokin Mujika (Seat-Orbea) @ 1hr 11min 1sec
• Anselmo Fuerte (Zor-BH) @ 1hr 12min 13sec
• Primoz Cerin (Malvor-Bottecchia) @ 1hr 14min 40sec
• José Anselmo Agudelo (Teka) @ 1hr 15min 13sec
• Dag Otto Lauritzen (Peugeot) @ 1hr 15min 47sec
• Robert Forest (Peugeot) @ 1hr 16min 19sec
• Pello Ruiz (Seat-Orbea) @ 1hr 16min 22sec
• Eddy Schepers (Carrera) @ 1hr 18min 20sec
• Federico Echave (Teka) @ 1hr 18min 53sec
• Phil Anderson (Panasonic) @ 1hr 19min 41sec
• Jesús Rodríguez (Zor-BH) @ 1hr 20min 9sec
• Silvano Contini (Gis Gelati) @ 1hr 22min 18sec
• Martin Alonso Ramirez (Fagor) @ 1hr 22min 26sec
• Hendrik Devos (Hitachi-Marc) @ 1hr 24min 43sec
• Charly Berard (La Vie Claire) @ 1hr 29min 2sec
• Dominique Garde (KAS) @ 1hr 29min 11sec
• Martin Earley (Fagor) @ 1hr 30min 30sec
• Gilles Mas (RMO) @ 1hr 31min 56sec
• Stephen Roche (Carrera) @ 1hr 32min 30sec
• Erich Mächler (Carrera) @ 1hr 32min 45sec
• Heriberto Uran (Postobon) @ 1hr 36min 35sec
• Jan Nevens (Joker) @ 1hr 37min 15sec
• Johan van der Velde (Panasonic) @ 1hr 37min 55sec
• Carlos Hernández (Reynolds) @ 1hr 38min 13sec
• Guy Nulens (Panasonic) @ 1hr 39min 8sec
• Carlos Jamrillo (Postobon) @ 1hr 39min 48sec
• Jean-Claude Leclercq (KAS) @ 1hr 40min 43sec
• Jean-Claude Garde (KAS) @ 1hr 40min 57sec
• Jean-Philippe Vandenbrande (Hitachi-Marc) @ 1hr 41min 23sec
• Juan Carlos Rozas (Zor-BH) @ qhr 41min 51sec
• Enrique Aja (Teka) @ 1hr 42min 32sec
• Gerard Veldscholten (PDM) @ 1hr 42min 57sec
• Bernard Vallet (RMO) @ 1hr 43min 12sec
• Bob Roll (7-Eleven) @ 1hr 43min 26sec
• Dirk De Wolf (Hitachi-Marc) @ 1hr 44min 17sec
• Twan Poels (Kwantum Hallen) @ 1hr 44min 17sec
• Ennio Vanotti (Gis Gelati) @ 1hr 45min 20sec
• Paul Haghedooren (Joker) @ 1hr 47min 59sec
• François Lemarchand (Fagor) @ 1hr 49min 5sec
• Ludo Peeters (Kwantum Hallen) @ 1hr 49min 11sec
• Nico Emonds (Kwantum Hallen) @ 1hr 49min 19sec
• Manuel Cardenas (Teka) @ 1hr 50min 11sec
• Guido Van Calster (Zor-BH) @ 1hr 50min 42sec
• Bruno Leali (Carrera) @ 1hr 51min 49sec
• Beat Breu (Carrera) @ 1hr 51min 54sec
• Iñaki Gaston (KAS) @ 1hr 52min 35sec
• Dominique Arnaud (Reynolds) @ 1hr 53min 54sec
• Jørgen V. Pedersen (Carrera) @ 1hr 54min 32sec
• Jos Haex (Hitachi-Marc) @ 1hr 54min 38sec
• Julian Gorospe (Reynolds) @ 1hr 56min 11sec
• Jeff Pierce (7-Eleven) @ 1hr 56min 57sec
• Maarten Ducrot (Kwantum Hallen) @ 1hr 56min 2sec
• Acácio da Silva (Malvor-Bottecchia) @ 1hr 58min 5sec
• Nestor Oswaldo Mora (Postobon) @ 1hr 58 26sec
• Gerrie Knetemann (PDM) @ 1hr 58min 28sec
• Dominique Gaigne (Système U) @ 1hr 59min 27sec
• Marco Antonio Leon (Cafe de Colombia) @ 2hr 0min 49sec
• Vicente-Juan Ridaura (Seat-Orbea) @ 2hr 0min 59sec
• Christophe Lavainne (Système U) @ 2hr 1min 0sec
• Eric van Lancker (Panasonic) @ 2hr 1min 53sec
• Jan van Wijk (PDM) @ 2hr 2min 35sec
• Alessandro Ponzzi (Gis Gelati) @ 2hr 3min 39sec
• Guido Bontempi (Carrera) @ 2hr 3min 39sec
• Régis Simon (RMO) @ 2hr 5min 6sec
• Francisco-José Antequera (Zor-BH) @ 2hr 5min 8sec
• Alain Vigneron (La Vie Claire) @ 2hr 5min 8sec
• Ron Kiefel (7-Eleven) @ 2hr 6min 38sec
• Philippe Leleu (La Vie Claire) @ 2hr 7min 3sec
• Eric Boyer (Systéme U) @ 2hr 7min 27sec
• Jörg Müller (KAS) @ 2hr 7min 46sec
• Frédéric Vichot (KAS) @ 2hr 8min 15sec
• Gerrit Solleveld (Kwantum Hallen) @ 2hr 9min 0sec
• Willem van Eynde (Joker) @ 2hr 10min 46sec
• Luc Roosen (Kwantum Hallen) @ 2hr 10min 46sec
• Rudy Rogiers (Hitachi-Marc) @ 2hr 11min 9sec
• Jan Wynants (Hitachi-Marc) @ 2hr 11min 14sec
• Israel Corredor (Postobon) @ 2hr 12min 4sec
• Frédéric Brun (Peugeot) @ 2hr 13min 11sec
• Thierry Marie (Système U) @ 2hr 13min 24sec
• Francesco Rossignoli (Carrera) @ 2hr 13min 56sec
• Adrie van der Poel (Kwantum Hallen) @ 2hr 14min 20sec
• Eric Louvel (Peugeot) @ 2hr 14min 41sec
• Sean Yates (Peugeot) @ 2hr 15min 20sec
• Michael Dernies (Joker) @ 2hr 15min 29sec
• Raúl Alcalá (&-Eleven) @ 2hr 15min 53sec
• Jaime Vilamajo (Seat-Orbea) @ 2hr 16min 41sec
• Frank Hoste (Fagor) @ 2hr 17min 6sec
• Jesús Hernández (Reynolds) @ 2hr 17min 26sec
• André Chappuis (RMO) @ 2hr 17min 36sec
• Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke (KAS) @ 2hr 17min 58sec
• Alex Stieda (&-Eleven) @ 2hr 19min 47sec
• José Luis Laguia (Reynolds) @ 2hr 19min 49sec
• Rudy Dhaenens (Hitachi-Marc) @ 2hr 19min 58sec
• Marc Gomez (Reynolds) @ 2hr 21min 13sec
• Alain Bondue (Systéme U) @ 2hr 22min 3sec
• Eric Vanderaerden (Panasonic) @ 2hr 22min 30sec
• Antonio Esparza (Seat-Orbea) @ 2hr 22min 45sec
• Guido Winterberg (La Vie Claire) @ 2hr 27min 26sec
• Pierangelo Bincoletto (Malvor-Bottecchia) @ 2hr 27min 28sec
• Jozef Lieckens (Joker) @ 2hr 29min 21sec
• Francis Castaing (RMO) @ 2hr 41min 56sec
• Paul kimmage (RMO) @ 2hr 44min 6sec
• Ennio Salvador (Gis Gelati) @ 2hr 55min 51sec

Climbers' Competition:

• Luis Herrera (Cafe de Colombia): 270
• Greg LeMond (La Vie Claire): 265
• Urs Zimmermann (Carrera): 191
• Eduardo Chozas (Teka): 172
• Samuel Cabrera (Reynolds): 162
• Ronan Pensec (Peugeot): 139
• Andrew Hampsten (La Vie Claire): 133
• Claude Criquielion (Hitachi-Marc): 123
• Jean-François Bernard (La Vie Claire)

Points Competition:

• Jozef Lieckens (Joker): 232
• Bernard Hinault (La Vie Claire): 210
• Greg LeMond (La Vie Claire): 210
• Guido Bontempi (Carrera): 166

Team Classification :

• La Vie Claire: 331hr 35min 48sec
• Peugeot @ 1hr 51min 50sec
• Système U @ 2hr 0min 50sec
• PDM @ 2hr 23min 50sec
• Carrera @ 2hr 26min 36sec
• Fagor @ 2hr 28min 52sec
• Teka @ 2hr 43min 36sec
• Zor-BH @ 2hr 43min 36sec
• Cafe de Colombia @ 2hr 55min 45sec

Team Points:

• Panasonic: 1,523 points
• La Vie Claire: 1,674

Best New Rider:

• Andrew Hampsten (La Vie Claire): 110hr 54min 3sec
• Ronan Pensec (Peugeot) @ 7min 15sec
• Jean-François Bernard @ 17min 1sec
• Jesus Blanco (Teka) @ 44min 32sec
• Peter Stevenhaagen (PDM) @ 51min 56sec

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Individual stage results with principal climbs and running GC

Prologue: Friday, July 4, Boulogne-Billancourt, 4.6 km. GC and stage times are the same.

Stage 1: Saturday, July 5, Nanterre - Sceaux, 85 km

GC after Stage 1:

Stage 2: Saturday, July 5, Meudon - St. Quentin en Yveline 56 km Team Time Trial

GC after Stage 2:

Stage 3: Sunday, July 6, Levallois Perret - Liévin, 214 km

GC after Stage 3:

S tage 4: Monday, July 7, Liévin - Evreux, 243 km

GC after Stage 4:

Stage 5: Tuesday, July 8, Evreux - Villers sur Mer, 124.5 km

GC after Stage 5:

Stage 6: Wednesday, July 9, Villers sur Mer - Cherbourg, 200 km

GC after Stage 6:

Stage 7: Thursday, July 7, Cherbourg - St. Hilaire du Harcouët, 201 klm

GC after Stage 7:

Stage 8: Friday, July 11, St Hilaire du Harcouët - Nantes, 204 km

GC after Stage 8:

Stage 9: Saturday, July 12, Nantes 61.5 km Individual Time Trial

GC after Stage 9:

Stage 10: Sunday, July 13, Nantes - Futuroscope, 183 km

GC after Stage 10:

Stage 11: Monday, July 14, Poitiers - Bordeaux, 258.3 km

GC after Stage 11:

Stage 12: Tuesday, July 15, Bayonne - Pau, 217.5 km

GC after Stage 12:

Stage 13: Wednesday, July 16, Pau-Superbagnères 186 km

GC after Stage 13:

Stage 14: Thursday, July 17, Luchon - Blagnac, 154 km

GC after Stage 14:

Stage 15: Friday, July 18, Carcassonne - Nîmes, 225.5 km

GC after Stage 15:

Stage 16: Saturday, July 19, Nîmes - Gap, 246.5 km

GC after Stage 16:

Stage 17: Sunday, July 20, Gap - Serre Chevalier, 190 km

GC after Stage 17:

Stage 18: Monday, July 21, Briançon - L'Alpe d'Huez , 162.5 km

GC after stage 18:

Stage 19: Wednesday, July 23, Villard de Lans - St. Etienne, 179.5 km

GC after Stage 19:

Stage 20: Thursday, July 24, St. Etienne 58 km Individual Time Trial

GC after Stage 20:

Stage 21: Friday, July 25, St. Etienne - Puy de Dôme, 190 km

GC after Stage 21:

Stage 22: Saturday, July 26, Clermont Ferrand - Nevers, 194 km

GC after Stage 22:

23rd and Final Stage : Sunday, July 27, Cosne sur Loire - Paris (Champs Elysées) 255 km

Complete Final GC after Stage 23

The Story of the 1986 Tour de France

This excerpt is from "The Story of the Tour de France", Volume 2 If you enjoy it we hope you will consider purchasing the book, either print, eBook or audiobook. The Amazon link here will make the purchase easy.

Hinault had said to LeMond, "In '86 the Tour will be for you. I'll be there to help you." So easy to say in the heat of a moment when a teammate had made the sacrifice of a lifetime to let him win the 1985 Tour. Now, would Hinault have the character to fulfill his promise when he can taste immortality with six Tour wins?

This year saw not only the entry of American Greg LeMond with his ace climbing friend Andy Hampsten and Canadian Steve Bauer but also the entry of the first American team. 7-Eleven-Hoonved was entered with Bob Roll, 1984 Olympic gold medalist Alexei Grewal, Chris Carmichael, Eric Heiden, Alex Stieda, Jeff Pierce, Raul Alcala, Davis Phinney, Doug Shapiro (who had ridden on Joop Zoetemelk's Kwantum-Decosol Tour team in 1985) and Ron Kieffel. After the riders on La Vie Claire, they were the cream of the North American crop. I'll spoil one bit of the story right here. Bob Roll, who does analysis of bike racing on the Versus television network, was the highest placed 7-Eleven rider in Paris, despite getting sick mid-way though the 1986 Tour. Bob Roll was a very good rider.

If the politics and complicated jockeying amidst the tension of the La Vie Claire intra-team rivalry were tough in 1985, 1986 was even more difficult.

LeMond's spring had been good, but not spectacular:

LeMond's La Vie Claire teammate Andy Hampsten established his bona fides as a racer of the first rank when he won the Tour of Switzerland only a few short weeks before the start of the Tour. Hinault used that win as fodder for his psychological war against LeMond when he announced that Hampsten's Swiss victory made Hampsten, not LeMond, his real heir. How charming.

Hinault's spring was rather quiet with no top placings in important races.

Laurent Fignon, riding the colors of his team's new sponsor Systeme U, was working on his comeback after surgery on his Achilles tendon. He must have found some rather good form because he won the Flèche Wallonne in the spring.

Thierry Marie began the first of his 3 Prologue victories at the kickoff of the 1986 Tour. Hinault was third at 2 seconds, LeMond and Fignon were seventh and eighth at 4 seconds.

Stage 1, a short 85-kilometer race run in the outskirts of Paris saw 7-Eleven rider Alex Stieda take off at the 40-kilometer mark. He was eventually joined by 5 other riders, but not until Stieda had collected the intermediate sprint bonuses. The group of 6 managed to stay away from the charging field by only meters when they crossed the line. With the time bonuses Stieda had collected on his early solo effort, he was now the shock owner of the Yellow Jersey.

That same Saturday afternoon the teams lined up for a 56-kilometer team time trial. The 7-Eleven team was game to try to keep the Yellow Jersey but its efforts came apart when Eric Heiden crashed. Several other 7-Eleven riders scraped the curb to avoid following Heiden to the ground. That weakened the casings of their tires, causing several flat tires. Stieda, exhausted from his morning effort, ran out of gas. Carmichael and Pierce had to drop back and bring Stieda home making sure they got him there in time to avoid having him eliminated by missing the time cutoff. Stieda made it to the finish in time, but his tenure in Yellow was over.

Fignon's Systeme U squad won the stage. La Vie Claire had a bad day, losing almost 2 minutes. Thierry Marie, being a Systeme U rider, was back in Yellow with his teammates occupying the top 7 places in the General Classification.

Stage 3, in the northern roads of France, ended near the Belgian border. And there the freshman 7-Eleven team had another major success. Davis Phinney won the sprint by inches even after having been in a break for a lot of that day. As far as the real General Classification contenders were concerned, this was just another day to stay out of trouble.

It stayed that way until stage 9, a 61.5-kilometer individual time trial at Nantes. Now the Tour de France started in earnest. The stage results:

LeMond's performance was far better than his time showed. He flatted and it is estimated he lost almost a minute. It was clear that Fignon hadn't found his 1985 form yet.

General Classification:

Stage 12 was the first day in the Pyrenees with four highly rated climbs. The final climb was the first category Col de Marie-Blanque, followed by 45 kilometers of descent and flat before the finish at Pau.

The first major climb was the first category Burdincurutcheta at kilometer 80. Several groups of riders detached themselves. Notably, Hinault with Luis Herrera and Claude Criquielion were moving up from the second group to the leaders. Over the second climb, the Bargargui, Eduardo Chozas broke away on the descent. Hinault with teammates LeMond, Hampsten and Jean-François Bernard along with several other riders gave chase. After Chozas was caught, Hinault and Bernard attacked and got away. Pedro Delgado bridged up to them. They eventually spit out Chozas as the now 3 riders worked hard to put real distance on the racers behind them. LeMond was stuck. He could not chase his 2 teammates (Hinault and Bernard) up the road. Hinault and Delgado tore up the road, gaining scads of time on him as LeMond sat in the chasing group. Finally LeMond was able to extricate himself, taking along only Herrera. Hinault let Delgado have the stage, he had enough booty when LeMond came in 4 minutes, 37 seconds later. This was helping LeMond win the Tour? Hinault knew that if he were on the attack and in the lead, he would neutralize LeMond.

The General Classification at this point:

The stage was so tough and the pace so hot, 17 riders abandoned. The next morning 2 more quit, including Fignon.

Stage 13 only got harder with 4 major climbs: the Tourmalet, the Aspin, the Peyresourde and the final Hors Category climb to Superbagnères. On the descent of the Tourmalet Hinault attacked and got away. At the bottom he had a lead of 1 minute, 43 seconds. Again LeMond was stuck, unable to race. He had to let the others do the chasing. By the bottom of the Aspin, the gap between Hinault and about 30 chasers was 2 minutes, 54 seconds.

On the Peyresourde, Hinault started to show signs of fatigue. A much reduced chase group of Zimmermann, LeMond, Hampsten, Millar and Herrera had cut the lead to 25 seconds. On the descent of the Peyresourde, Hinault was caught.

The final climb to the ski station of Superbagnères is 16 kilometers of Hors Category work. Hinault rode with the group that had caught him, totaling 9 riders. On the climb he attacked again and got away. Now it was just Hampsten, LeMond, Zimmermann, Millar and Herrera chasing and with 10 kilometers to go, Hinault was caught.

With 7 kilometers to go Hampsten attacked and took LeMond with him. Hampsten pounded up the mountain for all he was worth, while LeMond still hesitated, sitting on Hampsten's wheel. Then, as Hampsten could no longer keep up the infernal pace, he yelled at LeMond to take off and win the stage. LeMond finally shed his hesitancy and raced up the mountain for a great stage win as Hinault was being passed by rider after rider further down the mountain. LeMond's gain on Hinault that day was 4 minutes, 39 seconds, almost the same amount of time he lost the day before. Hinault was in Yellow but LeMond had shown that he had the ability to win the Tour, sitting only 40 seconds behind the fading leader.

The stages after the Pyrenees that went across southern France heading towards the Alps changed nothing in the General Classification.

Stage 17, the first Alpine stage, was the scene of the denouement of this story, with crossings of the Col de Vars, Col d'Izoard and a hilltop finish at the top of the Col de Granon. The first climb was rated first category and the final 2 were Hors Category.

Various groups attacked and riders were scattered all over the mountains. The story that matters to us is on the descent of the Izoard. Zimmermann, sitting in third place in the General Classification, got a gap. LeMond, acting as an attentive domestique , latched onto his wheel. Hinault was about 90 seconds behind them. On the Granon, LeMond, ever dutiful, sat on Zimmermann as the Swiss rider poured on the gas. Hinault, now aware of the situation attacked hard but Zimmermann with LeMond in tow was gaining time with every pedal stroke. Eduardo Chozas, never in contention for the overall, had been off the front and won the stage, but that didn't matter to LeMond. He was in Yellow.

The next day was no easier with the Galibier and its little brother the Télégraphe, followed by the Croix de Fer and a hilltop finish at L'Alpe d'Huez.

On the descent of the Galibier Hinault attacked with Bauer on his wheel. LeMond, Zimmermann and Pello Ruiz-Cabestany caught him as they continued the descent. On the short ascent up the Télégraphe Hinault made another attempt to get away, this time making it stick for 15 kilometers. LeMond, Bauer and Ruiz-Cabestany managed to hook up with Hinault without bringing Zimmermann, who was sitting ahead of Hinault in the General Classification. The quartet put down their collective heads and started to work. The pace was too hot for Bauer and Ruiz-Cabestany and on the first category Croix de Fer it was just Hinault and LeMond.

This was the day Zimmermann saw his chances for winning the Tour disappear. 7 kilometers from the top of the Croix de Fer Zimmermann was in a group that included Hampsten, Pascal Simon and Joop Zoetemelk. They were 3 minutes, 10 seconds behind LeMond and Hinault. Zimmerman dug deep and attacked, trying to get up to the duo. He closed the gap a little, being 2 minutes, 50 seconds behind at the top.

On the descent Hinault and LeMond flew. Both were superb bike handlers. Years ago former 7-Eleven rider Jeff Pierce and I were talking about this stage and I remember the one thing Pierce wanted to make sure that I understood: LeMond could descend and descend extremely fast. At the beginning of the Alpe, in Bourg d'Oisans, LeMond and Hinault were 4 minutes, 50 seconds ahead of Zimmermann. LeMond and Hinault continued to throw high heat on the mountain until Hinault conceded and asked LeMond to back off, his words being, "Stay with me". Generously LeMond joined hands with his tormentor and pushed Hinault ahead a bit so that he could take the stage victory. LeMond had survived another test from his little French helper. Hinault had buried Zimmermann and had claimed second place in the General Classification. The gift of the stage win was nice of LeMond, but I'd have completely dropped Hinault and left him for dead as far down the mountain as possible to make sure he couldn't try something later. Hinault never gave up, and would take any advantage that opportunity or his own talents presented. To prove my point, in a post-stage interview Hinault said, "The race isn't over." You can imagine LeMond's dismay.

The General Classification after L'Alpe d'Huez:

Owen Mulholland, who was the first American journalist to ride in the Tour's press caravan, sent me these comments regarding stage 17: "As you note, Hinault attacked on the short 2-kilometer climb out of Valloire that serves as the southern slope of the Col de Télégraphe. I'm not sure why Greg was caught napping so often by these surprise attacks. It's impossible to imagine, say, Merckx, missing such moves time after time. Anyway, once again Hinault was gone and Greg was stuck. However the descent of the Télégraphe is extremely sinuous and was made for Greg's fabulous descending skills. I remember his talking (laughing) to Hinault later about how he'd gotten rid of Zimmermann on that descent. It seems Zimmermann skidded across a corner trying to hang onto Greg's wheel and that's the last anyone up front ever saw of the poor Swiss that day! I believe (but am not absolutely certain) Bauer was already away, but in any event he was in the front, so when Greg and Bernard hooked up with him and a few others in the flat valley of the Maurienne, Steve lowered his head and motored to the foot of the Croix de Fer. Poor Zimmermann never stood a chance."

Stage 20 was the next real test, a 58-kilometer individual time trial at St. Etienne. LeMond's normal luck continued when he crashed at kilometer 37. He remounted and found his brake rubbing the rim. He had to change bikes, costing him still more time. Hinault rode his time trial perfectly and won the stage, beating the crash-starred LeMond by 25 seconds. Zimmermann was unable to present any challenge and finished almost 3 minutes behind Hinault. While the race tightened a little, there was no real change in the overall standings.

There was 1 last day in the mountains of this really tough Tour. Stage 21 went into the Massif Central with several highly rated climbs culminating in a hilltop finish at the famous Puy de Dôme. The contenders had more or less accepted their positions while riders seeking individual glory in the closing days of the race sought their day in the sun. The only real action that could affect things was on the final ascent. LeMond pulled away from Zimmermann who distanced himself slightly from Hinault. LeMond was now 3 minutes, 10 seconds ahead of Hinault and had only 2 more stages to negotiate.

LeMond's luck stuck to him like a bad rumor. Shortly before entering Paris on the final day's stage, LeMond crashed badly enough to need a new bike. Hinault and his La Vie Claire teammates waited for him and motored him safely back into the field. Hinault, ever the tough competitor joined the final field sprint on the Champs Elysées and nailed fourth place. Big Guido Bontempi was the winner.

Paul Kimmage, who rode for the RMO squad, wrote about the final stage in this Tour in his book Rough Ride . Many of the riders were on their last legs by the time the final day in Paris arrived. In 1986, of the 210 riders who started, only 131 finished. The veterans told Kimmage about the blistering speeds of the final kilometers on the Champs Elysées. Fearful of getting dropped while the whole world watched, more than a few took amphetamines to get them over the Tour's final cobblestones. Kimmage asked the others if they weren't afraid of getting caught in the dope controls. No, he was told, only the winner and top finishers are tested after the final stage. They knew they were free to stick the needles in their arms.

The race was finally over and Greg LeMond had fulfilled his promise. When he was 17 he had written down his goal of winning the Tour de France.

Here's the final 1986 Tour de France General Classification:

Hinault won the Polka-Dot climber's jersey and Hampsten earned the white Young Rider's jersey. In addition, La Vie Claire won the team General Classification. This was a dominating performance in a Tour in which the only real question was which of the La Vie Claire riders would actually win.

Over the years the debate about this Tour has grown ever more heated.

Hinault has defended his actions repeatedly, saying that he was really helping LeMond by challenging him and forcing him to earn the Tour. Hinault's answer to his critics, "I'd given my word to Greg LeMond that I'd help him win and that's what I did. A promise is a promise. I tried to wear out rivals to help him but I never attacked him personally…It wasn't my fault that he didn't understand this. When I think of some of the things he has said since the race ended, I wonder whether I was right not to attack him…I've worked for colleagues all my life without having the problems I had with Greg LeMond."

Here's Owen Mulholland's view from his Uphill Battle , discussing Hinault's repeated attacks in the Pyrenees:

"[Hinault] once told me he liked to 'play' with cycling, and doing something this outrageous two days in a row may have been his idea of play. No one will ever know because when he explained himself, Hinault played with words. And when credibility disappears so does reliability. Was this a gamble to win in a super-dominant manner? Was he trying to tire out the opposition so LeMond could go easily into the lead? Was this a bold gesture for the hell of it, a 'playful' gesture? Who can tell because Hinault's actions could be interpreted in myriad ways, and his words, intentionally deceptive, meant nothing. On such a 'solid' basis LeMond had to make decisions."

Of course, Hinault reneged on his promise. His words, that he was trying to toughen LeMond or get him to earn his Tour, are obvious nonsense. Hinault should be as ashamed of uttering such silliness as he should be of failing to honor his promise in a clear-cut, transparent way. Life really isn't all that complicated.

Video of the 1986 Tour de France. A couple of people have posted the CBS coverage of the Tour on YouTube. This one, part 1 of 10, is pretty clean

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Tour De France: 1989 - Never So Close [DVD]

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Tour De France Dvd

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Tour De France: 1989 - Never So Close [DVD]

Tour de france: 2012 - british invasion dvd (2012) bradley wiggins cert e 2, the definitive le tour de france collection - 10 dvd limited edition new, new listing tour de france 2005 [dvd] (in french language) ~ new still sealed & free post, tour de france: the view from the sky dvd (2013) phil liggett cert e great value, 1989 tour de france 'incredible comeback' dvd - world cycling productions 2009, tour de france 1990 dvd cycling cycle race greg lemond pedro delgado erik, the legend of the tour de france dvd (2013) jean-christophe rosé cert e, french legends of the tour de france dvd (2007) jacques anquetil cert e, the tour de france 6 disc boxed dvd collection, le tour de france official history 1903-2003 & legends of the tour de france dvd, the definitive le tour de france collection - 10 dvd limited edition new l12b, le tour de france dvd box set 100th commemorative edition - new and sealed, legends of the tour de france: eddy merckx & lance armstrong - part one (dvd), tour de france 2013 tour highlights dvd, new listing le tour de france the ultimate collection 12 dvd limited edition boxset complete, le tour de france - the official history - 2007-2010 various 2011 dvd, cycling dvd, 23 days in july, classic film of the 1983 tour de france, tour de france: 1903-2003 centenary [dvd] - brand new & sealed, nederlandse tour de france winnaars (dvd), 1990 tour de france the best yet remastered lemond series dvd rare world cycling, tour de france: 1991 - ole indurain dvd (2004) phil liggett cert e amazing value, hugo dvd (2012) frances de la tour, scorsese (dir) cert u free shipping, save £s, tour de france '90 [dvd], le tour de france 2010 tour highlights dvd, new listing official history of the tour de france dvd sports (2007) sean kelly new, tour de france official collection (2012) 3 x dvds eddie merckx *rare* cycling, le tour de france 4 disc dvd box collection eddy merckx greatest cycling races, 23 days in july_1983 tour de france dvd 2007, le tour de france 2007 dvd collectors special edition 12 hours - 6 disc set vgc, tour de france 1903 to 2006 2011 dvd top-quality free uk shipping, legends of the tour de france - lance armstrong lance armstrong 1986 dvd, le tour de france collection (4 disc dvd boxset, 2014), cycling dvd, 1999 tour de france, 4-disc, 8 hour version, an american in paris, the legendary tour de france, [4 disc dvd box set] *new & sealed*👌, tour de france 2012 tour highlights dvd, 1986 tour de france - lemond & hinault challenge dvd, lance armstrong 7 in a row (legends of the tour de france - dvd 2005, 2-disc, 2006 tour de france: floyd landis, hero or villain 6 disc collector's edition, tour de france 2003 [dvd] [region 1] [ntsc], le tour de france 4 dvds and magazine collection, eddy merckx - legends of the tour de france dvd sports (2006) eddie merckx, le tour de france 4 dvd limited edition, rising damp - the movie dvd (2003) leonard rossiter, mcgrath (dir) cert pg, tour de france 2012 british invasion ~ new & sealed ~ 7 disc 13 hour special edi, tour de france: 2002 and 2004 dvd x 4 disc set - lance armstrong cycling sport.

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Tour De France DVDs

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Chasing Legends DVD Tour de France Cycling Documentary (BRAND NEW)

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1989 Tour de France: Incredible Comeback

The most exciting Tour de France... ever. It's extravagant praise, considering some of the great Tours (including the phenomenal 2003 Tour ), but it's absolutely accurate. The 1989 Tour boasts the narrowest winning margin in Tour history – only eight seconds – and the story of how those eight seconds' worth of advantage were earned is one of thrilling ups and downs, of a brilliant struggle for the right to wear the leader's yellow jersey, and of victory snatched from the jaws of defeat at, quite literally, the last possible moment.

The star of the 1989 Tour is the U.S. rider Greg LeMond, the winner of the 1986 Tour . To begin with, the fact that he's even starting the Tour de France at all is testament to an amazing comeback: in fall 1986 LeMond was seriously injured in a hunting accident, which almost ended his life as well as his professional cycling career. But the determination that served LeMond well in winning his first Tour helped him to get back in training and start the 1989 Tour.

But LeMond isn't the only favorite as the Tour opens. As the race coverage starts with the prologue time trial, we're given an excellent overview of the race favorites, foremost being 1988's winner Pedro Delgado and two-time Tour winner Laurent Fignon. It's the battle between Fignon and LeMond that will soon heat up the race, but Delgado is also a force to be reckoned with. Keep an eye out for the appearance of a still-unknown Miguel Indurain, who would go on to win the Tour for five successive years starting in 1991.

In many ways, 1989 marked the last of the "old-time" Tours, with all-out aggressive riding, and with individual decisions being made on the road by the riders, rather than by the team directors following in their cars. (As you're watching, note that the riders aren't wearing radios, as they do now.) Despite a disastrous start, Pedro Delgado, known for his aggressive attacks on the mountain slopes, and with a surprisingly strong time-trialing ability, sets the tone for what's a truly aggressive and exciting Tour, and LeMond, Fignon, and others take up the gauntlet. Adding to the thrills is the fact that the 1989 Tour route is both challenging and aggressive, with four individual time trials (including one that's uphill and the very last stage into Paris), tough mountains, and even a section on cobbled roads.

One mark of the excitement level in a Tour is how many times the yellow leader's jersey changes shoulders among the favorites. It's expected that it will shift from rider to rider during the early stages in which the sprinters take precedence, but after the tough mountain stages arrive, the question is whether one rider will hang onto it and build up a lead, or whether it will be hotly contested. In 1989, it's the latter, in spades. By my count, the yellow jersey switches between LeMond and Fignon no fewer than five times, which is nothing short of amazing. What's truly amazing is that each time the pendulum swings, it seems like the other rider has no chance to win back the jersey... but both Fignon and LeMond give it their all to achieve what seems to be impossible.

Even knowing exactly what's going to happen at the end, the 1989 Tour is incredibly exciting, because the racing leading up to the climactic time-trial stage into Paris is absolutely top-notch. The coverage on the DVD is quite solid, even considering that it's only 90 minutes; while the early stages are zipped through a bit too quickly, the mountain stages and the key time trials are given a solid treatment. In fact, the important mountain stages are handled very well, showing us not only the final climb but also the attacks and counter-attacks in the earlier part of the stage.

While I'd have loved to have more coverage than just 90 minutes, the coverage is nicely done given the length constraints, and the shorter running time means that this Tour is much more easily re-watchable than the epic 8, 10, or 12-hour Tours: this is a DVD that you can pop in for a single evening's viewing or to watch while you're riding an indoor trainer. It's also one of the most accessible Tours for new viewers: if you've never seen the Tour de France before, this is a great place to start.

The 1989 Tour de France is packaged in an attractively designed keepcase. It's not the same cover art as the VHS tape, even though that's the image that appears on WCP's web site.

The 1989 Tour de France is part of the "Remastered LeMond Series" and the benefits of the remastered transfer are evident. Considering that the source material is fifteen-year-old live television footage, I'm really impressed that the 1989 Tour looks this good on DVD (and it's well worth the upgrade even if you already own the VHS version).

The print is impressively clean, with no noise or print flaws appearing anywhere in the image; it's also free of any smearing or color bleeding. A touch of edge enhancement appears here and there, but only rarely, with the result that the picture, while soft, presents its detail very well. On occasion we do get some shifting in color tones or overall image quality due to the faults in the original source material, but this only happens a few times, and it only happens when the film changes cameras, never within a single shot. Overall, the colors look great: the picture looks fresh and bright, with team jerseys in all their colorful glory, and skin tones and landscapes looking natural.

The basic stereo soundtrack for the 1989 Tour is quite good. Phil Liggett provides a narrative voiceover for the entire race, and his voice is always crystal-clear and easy to understand. A musical score appears in the background, but fortunately it's quite understated and actually goes quite well with the manner that the Tour is presented.

An easy-to-use menu is the only feature here; we're given the choice of starting the race from the beginning or jumping to specific stages.

Final thoughts