Greg LeMond: Yellow Jersey Racer

by Guy Andrews, Greg LeMond (Foreword)

Greg LeMond is America’s only recognized Tour de France winner, yet his three Tour victories tell only part of his story. LeMond changed cycling more than any other rider in the history of the sport. LeMond was a talented all-rounder, with a reputation as one of the canniest racers of his generation. As adept at racing on the cobbles of the spring classics as he was on the mountains of the grand tours, LeMond rode a full racing season from spring to autumn. His never-say-die spirit also bagged him two World Championship titles and a hatful of podiums at the world’s toughest bike races. He was admired by his peers and respected by his rivals. Yet Greg LeMond’s influence on cycling extended off the bike as well. He was the first cyclist to command a $1 million salary, raising the stakes for all other teams and riders and pushing the Tour organization to reach more spectators through expanded TV coverage. LeMond was the first cyclist to focus almost exclusively on winning the Tour de France and the World Championship, knowing they were most valuable to his fans and sponsors. His superstar talent and charisma broke cycling into the mainstream media with multiple turns as Sports Illustrated Athlete of the Year. Greg LeMond raised cycling from its provincial roots into a professional sport with global reach. But LeMond’s story took a tragic turn in 1987: While out hunting, he was accidentally shot and lost so much blood that his life hung in the balance. His eventual recovery was as miraculous as what happened he came back to the world of bicycle racing to claim victory in the Tour de France in the closest finish in the history of the race. Greg Yellow Jersey Racer documents LeMond’s legendary career year by year. LeMond’s early promise as a young rider of limitless talent, his raw battle to take victory in the 1986 Tour, his unbelievable comeback from near death, the resurgence of his career as he faced a new generation of supercharged EPO athletes―this celebration of LeMond covers it all with incisive writing, intimate interviews with teammates and rivals, and illuminating photographs. Key moments in LeMond’s career are documented with spectacular photography including the iconic pictures you remember and new images not seen outside LeMond’s personal circles. Many of the famous protagonists in LeMond’s world – rivals, teammates, and friends – contribute extensive interviews, speaking candidly about his incredible career and his continuing legacy in the sport of cycling. Greg LeMond is known best for winning the Tour de France in amazing fashion, but Greg Yellow Jersey Racer celebrates the entire fascinating career of the rider known as “the American”. Includes extensive contributions from LeMond and interviews with Jeff Bradley, Kent Gordis, Phil Anderson, Sean Kelly, Ron Kiefel, Stephen Roche, Robert Millar, Shelley Verses, Andy Hampsten, Johan Lammerts, Ronan Pensec, Otto Jacome, and Chris Boardman.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Cycling

304 pages, Hardcover

Published October 19, 2016

Reviews

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are a serious Greg LeMond or long-time cycling fan ... or a Tour de France groupie ... you'll probably really get a kick out of this.

But it is what is: it's a large, heavy coffee table-type book, chock full of photos (more on this below), and sprinkled (peppered? populated? diluted?) with an eclectic mix of summaries, anecdotes, guest commentaries, and ... at the end .. gear profiles. It's not really the kind of thing you'd want to sit down and read cover-to-cover, but ... if the Greg LeMond era of racing interests you, I'm confident you'll find some fascinating visual and contextual nuggets buried in here.

A fun Goodreads story: There's only one reason I ended up finding, buying, and reading this book (which I hadn't previously heard of or seen): I recent came upon, bought, read, enjoyed, and reviewed Daniel de Vise's The Comeback, and, in my (positive) review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... , I bemoaned that: "my biggest (albeit modest) gripe with the book is that I would have loved more (and maybe some different) pictures...." ... at which point, the author comments on my review and says, well, "if you want to see the greatest collection of LeMond photos between two covers, check out Guy Andrews’ coffee table book!" And I gotta admit, this book delivered as promised.... [Side note: one always wonders whether authors surf Goodreads, and, well, now I know that at least some do....]

Full disclosure: I'm somewhat invested in photography ... and I love cycling photography - OK, here's my shot of Peter Sagan sitting up 30 meters before claiming his first World Championship in Richmond - https://www.goodreads.com/photo/user/... , and I have a tendency to buy/consume/read photography books (which tend to showcase the work of a single photographer ... or team ... or endeavor).. or speak to photography technique ... or, well, and, to some extent, it's a little bit of a misnomer to categorize this as a photography book (even if it's, first and foremost, a book of photographs). Also, if you follow cycling today, and you're used to being blown away by, say, Graham Watson's exquisite work - https://www.grahamwatson.com/ - or, if you regularly (or even periodically) splurge on a subscription to (or borrow your friend's glossy copies of) ProCycling magazine - - well, just remember, the technology has really (and I mean really) improved over the last 30 years.... But let's be clear: Andrews did yeoman's work collecting an impressive array of photos, and my hat's off to him for bringing the whole to market so I (and others) could enjoy it.

[Phi C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know nothing about cycling nor do I read nonfiction often and especially not sports nonfiction, but this book was incredibly interesting and captivating to me. I should add a disclaimer than I was only able to read a bit over a third, nearly a half, of the book since I only had it in my possession for a few hours, as the LeMonds themselves were kind enough to send me it to give a friend, but I wanted to still leave a five star rating for those ~120 pages. Greg LeMond’s story is very inspirational all he way from the beginning days. Like I said, I’m not cyclist, but LeMond’s perseverance and good nature still inspired me and I couldn’t imagine how much this would affect an actual cyclist reader. The writing was so engaging and I hadn’t even gotten to the “exciting” parts and the peak of LeMond’s career. Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll be able to finish the book for quite some time as my library does not have this book, but I enjoyed the first half nonetheless and hope I’ll be able read more about this incredible man some time!

[Giselle Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, it took me a long time to read this but only because I read a bunch of stuff in between! This is a coffee table style book that would be very interesting to someone who enjoys sports triumphs especially if you are a cyclist.

Greg Lemond was a naturally gifted athlete who was genuinely a nice guy who in the end would not use drugs to enhance his performance on the bike. There are lots of wonderful photos and many stories from people who met Greg along the way.

It's exciting that the Tour D France is happening this year, 2020 - right now - in September vs July. That's what inspired me to finish looking at the photos and finish reading the text.

[Barry Bridges · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greg Lemond is what all cyclists should aspire to. He won races clean. He advanced the sport internationally. He’s an all round nice bloke (according to everyone who ever talks about him).
Lemond was the reason I became hooked on the Tour. A true hero.
The book captures the person, the trials, the furore and the rivalries with beautiful pictures to boot.

[Douglas Lord · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before Lance Armstrong, superdick, there was Greg LeMond, superdick. Both have coffee-table tomes devoted to them and their cycling achievements, though there are far too many more dedicated to Armstrong than LeMond, so this is a nice correction. This book is a lavish, extravagant affair of gorgeous photos, factual passages, and contributions from greats of the sport such as Sean Kelly, Robert Millar, and Stephen Roche. LeMond was always a real outdoorsy dude. He especially loved fly-fishing in which, strangely, he holds some sort of world record. Originally interested in skiing, young LeMond was told by a coach that cycling was a good way to keep in shape in the off-season. The rest is history—the history of a mercurial, argumentative, outspoken, truculent dude. Never understated, LeMond is the classic egomaniacal hard-assed overachiever who piled many cycling successes atop one another and won by kicking tail and riding very smart. Andrews focuses on LeMond’s active career, 1977–94, with plenty of pics of that famous dimpled chin, old-school racing, and riders with no helmets. The tome paints LeMond as superhero, as the dude who had to take two years off after losing 65 percent of his blood in a 1987 hunting accident, then returning to boldly win the crap out of everything for a couple years. And, to be honest, it’s easy to lionize the dude. He’s scrappy. He has one kidney and partial use of one lung. After his competitive career, he became a successful businessman, spent a lot of time proclaiming himself the sole American Tour de France champion (who wouldn’t?) and two-time World Champion (coolest thing on wheels), a consistent critic of doping and the first notable person to out Armstrong. Plus, he was the face that brought the sport of cycling to America. This book also contains a foreword by LeMond. VERDICT: A great, sexy testament to LeMond’s larger-than-life personality and stunning accomplishments.

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[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really well done book. It was great the mix of writing and interviews from LeMond and others. The photographs are excellent. I especially like the last section on the bikes LeMond road. The book inspires me to ride, fix up my bike from the eighties that I still have, and to continue following LeMond.

[Gene · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of history I didn't know, particularly about LeMond, who I only knew from the bike. Lots of photos as wall as input from those who rode with & knew him. A big book but worth reading.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome photos, but could have used more text.