Categories: General

The Lexicon: A Retraction

Sorry, Greg. We take it back.

The recent headlines being made in the cycling world have honestly not garnered a whole lot of attention at V-HQ, at least where a certain COTHO is concerned. Yes, The Keepers have added to the usual discussions on the topic here, read the news, and given it some thought. But we really don’t feel the need to take any sort of official position, recap the whole sordid mess, or offer up any ideas on how to move forward. Just as you all contribute positively to this place in ways we couldn’t possibly have envisioned when we started, the cycling community as a whole will contribute positively to our sport as we grow through this. COTHOS, governing bodies, PED’s, and corruption be damned. We’re here to live La Vie Velominatus.

That being said, we feel the need to retract LeMelvis from the Lexicon as a result of this whole mess. Perhaps the COTHO’s reach into public opinion went far enough to cloud our judgement of the greatest American cyclist and only American winner of the Tour. It went far enough that we thought it was okay, if not funny, to besmirch his more recent public image. We were wrong and for that we are sorry. Where has LeMond been in the recent tumult? Quiet, letting things speak for themselves. That’s class. The same class he showed when he turned up in Europe as a neo-pro to race with the best as a virtually solitary American. The same class he showed winning three Tours. The same class he showed in the above picture. Vive La Vie, Greg. You’re the man.

As point of clarification, Greg LeMan has maintained its honorary place in the Lexi. We might even put it in bold now.

Marko

Marko lives and rides in the upper midwest of the States, Minnesota specifically. "Cycling territory" and "the midwest" don't usually end up in the same sentence unless the conversation turns to the roots of LeMond, Hampsten, Heiden and Ochowitz. While the pavé and bergs of Flanders are his preferred places to ride, you can usually find him harvesting gravel along forest and farm roads. He owes a lot to Cycling and his greatest contribution to cycling may forever be coining the term Rainbow Turd.

Next The Thin Boundary Between Casual and Deliberate »

Previous « In Memoriam: Fiorenzo Magni, December 7, 1920 - October 19, 2012

View Comments

Oli says:

Oct 23 2012 at 4:11 am

Some great tributes already posted, guys. Top stuff. Even though until quite recently (okay, last week) I was a Lance fanboy, I was also a bit of a rarity in that have also always been a LeMond fan. Seeing the two of them at each others throats was difficult for me, in the same way feuding uncles would be. I guess I figured it by saying to myself LeMond was the past and Lance the present, who cares if they don't get on? Another example of my massive blind spot, I suppose.

I started watching LeMond in the very early 80s through the pages of Cycling Weekly as he began his great but too short career, and his 1989 victory was one of the most watched videos I've ever owned. His autograph is second only in my collection to the Eddy Merckx one. Cheers Frank for the respect to a Great Champion who was too long overshadowed by the greatest fraud.

To Olli (sic), I hope you can fix my bike! Greg LeMond
brett says:

Oct 23 2012 at 4:20 am

@Ken Ho
Chapeau Frank !!

It takes class to offer a humble and heart-felt apology.

This awesome gesture was instigated, and penned, by Marko...
Gervais says:

Oct 23 2012 at 4:37 am

Last night i read the wikipedia entry on LeMan and after all the shit he's been trough i think october 22nd should now be known as LeMan's day in the land of the velominati
muhua33 says:

Oct 23 2012 at 5:10 am

Well said. After you watch the interview on velonation you'll respect him even more. He is a total class act.
Oli says:

Oct 23 2012 at 5:22 am

Apologies, Marko! And chapeau to you, sir.
Buck Rogers says:

Oct 23 2012 at 5:40 am

@brett

@Ken Ho

Chapeau Frank !!

It takes class to offer a humble and heart-felt apology.

This awesome gesture was instigated, and penned, by Marko...

Ahh Brett, you Keeprs all look the same to us.
wiscot says:

Oct 23 2012 at 9:17 am

@Deakus

LeMan!

Man, you know you're spent when you don't have the energy to chew . . .
wiscot says:

Oct 23 2012 at 9:18 am

I have an old Miroir poster at home of Greg riding in the Dauphine in his first pro season. Time to hang it up on the wall methinks.
scaler911 says:

Oct 23 2012 at 10:30 am

@ErikdR

Hmmm... I'm going to have to crawl out from under my rock for this one, I reckon, and echo the sentiments of @Dino and @JFT. As a European and devoted francophile, I was saddened by the downfall of Laurent Fignon at the hands (legs) of Lemond in the final stage of the Tour of 89 - but I've always respected Lemond for being a strong, gutsy, attacking rider and, as far as I could tell, a very nice guy as well.

I must admit that I was somewhat baffled a few months ago, when I cast a quick glance at an (older) article on this site, featuring a photograph of Lemond in the company of a guy with a moustache of whom I'd never heard (Ted King, or something?) - and a few subsequent posts referring to 'LeMelvis' and poking fun at the way LeMond was, allegedly, looking like a devoted puppy in the presence of a genuine top dog. I'll happily apologize for knowing fuck-all about who is who in American cycling today, as well as for the fact that at the time, as a relative newbie to this site, I didn't have the guts to protest - but in my book, a cyclist like Greg Lemond was and is deserving of respect: the guy won three Tours de France, FFS. So what if he has gained weight in the meantime? So has Merckx, as some have pointed out here. Anyway: chapeau, Marko, and thanks for setting the record straight.

My very first post here ever was about that image (the mustached guy is Tom Ritchey, Godfather of Mt Biking and other cycling bits).

Marko and I talked briefly via the Book of Faces yesterday. I feel horrible for doubting LeMan during the early 00's when we all thought he'd eaten one too many cheese burgers and had lost his mind. I remember when he was Sports Illustrated's "Sportsman of the Year". I was a youngster that thought that bicycles were for delivering newspapers. I was at once fascinated and disappointed that in my small town, this was the only source of racing I'd see for many years.

Tipping back a IPA for you Greg as soon as I get home from work. Chapeau!!
Nate says:

Oct 23 2012 at 11:43 am

Vive Le Mond. There's not a lot to feel good about from the LA mess, but I feel good about Greg being vindicated.