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Three Weeks, Eight Seconds: The Epic Tour de France of 1989
The 1989 Tour de France is arguably the greatest ever. It saw American rider Greg LeMond overturn a 50-second deficit to France's Laurent Fignon on the final stage on the Champs Elysees to snatch the title by a mere eight seconds. After three weeks and more than 2,000 miles in the saddle, these few seconds remain the smallest margin of victory in the race's 100+ year history.But as dramatic as that Sunday afternoon on the streets of Paris was, the race wasn't just about that one time-trial. During the previous fortnight, the leader's yellow jersey had swapped back and forth between LeMond and Fignon in a titanic struggle for supremacy, a battle with more twists and turns than the maziest Alpine mountain pass. At no point during the entire three weeks were LeMond and Fignon separated by more than 53 seconds. In Three Weeks, Eight Seconds , Nige Tassell brings one of cycling's most astonishing stories to life, examining that extraordinary race in all its multi-faceted glory with fresh interviews and new perspectives and laying bare that towering heights of adrenaline, agony, excitement, torment and triumph that it produced.
368 pages, Paperback
First published April 2, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
January 9, 2024
Up there with slaying the badger
February 8, 2026
I am no fan of cycling but I am a fan of Nige Tassell books and this is written in a great way
April 17, 2018
Not a particularly good book. Three stars is probably the worst ranking I could give, considering I was re-living arguably the most compelling sporting event of my lifetime. If I was living it for the first time here, reading it in the context of something new, then 1 star.
July 4, 2019
I have never been a big fan of Lemond or Fignon but this book was pretty good. It gives an overview of their early careers including Lemond’s shooting after winning the tour in 1986 that left many feeling he would never return to cycling. The rest of the book is a day by day summary of the tour from defending champion Pedro Delgado’s showing up late to the prologue to the battles in the Alps and Pyrenees for victory and then the final time trial to settle it all on the Champs e Lysee.
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September 5, 2022It isn't easy to write about any one single professional cycling event and do so in a manner than maintains reader engagement. Tassell has done just that.
Sure, this particular edition of the Tour de France is one of the most intense and perhaps most interesting in the history of the event. It had all the ingredients for an epic story - a number of past champions, a rider attempting his return from a near fatal shooting, a new format, and many other things. Even with all those ingredients there was no guarantee this one race would be as exicting as it turned out to be.
Tassell not only writes about the riders but manages to bring certain mountain stages to life, particularly the Alpe d'Huez. Funny how topography can be a living thing where in the hands of a capable writer.
I suppose it helps that I am currently watching the 2022 Vuelta a España with it's ongoing contest between the new guy (Evenepoel) and the three-time winner (Roglič). Their time difference is somewhat larger than that between Fignon and LeMond but no necessarily impossible to overcome. With just six stages remaining the title is not yet a given. This certainly added a certain frisson to my reading.
Another thing Tassell managed to pull off well is bringing in the other riders who may not have had a shot at the yellow jersey but who nonetheless contested their own races. I found the effort of Pedro Delgado to overcome his (perhaps) fatal error is arriving late to the opening time trail fascinating; to go from the 'lantern rouge' to third place is a story in and of itself.
Part of the reason I enjoyed this work is also the way the author makes clear that there are many races-within-a-race. The yellow jersey is the most visible, yes, but there are other contests, other jerseys, to be fought for. There are also other carreers to be recovered and past misfourtune to overcome beyond the mainn contenders.
If you enjoy cycling history and one of the best Tour de France contests ever, this is the book for you. It also marks the end of an era in terms of doping. Within a few years EPO will have changed the Tour and cycliing in general dramatically. It's good to be reminded that there was a time when professional cycling was "cleaner" if not utterly "clean."
Sure, this particular edition of the Tour de France is one of the most intense and perhaps most interesting in the history of the event. It had all the ingredients for an epic story - a number of past champions, a rider attempting his return from a near fatal shooting, a new format, and many other things. Even with all those ingredients there was no guarantee this one race would be as exicting as it turned out to be.
Tassell not only writes about the riders but manages to bring certain mountain stages to life, particularly the Alpe d'Huez. Funny how topography can be a living thing where in the hands of a capable writer.
I suppose it helps that I am currently watching the 2022 Vuelta a España with it's ongoing contest between the new guy (Evenepoel) and the three-time winner (Roglič). Their time difference is somewhat larger than that between Fignon and LeMond but no necessarily impossible to overcome. With just six stages remaining the title is not yet a given. This certainly added a certain frisson to my reading.
Another thing Tassell managed to pull off well is bringing in the other riders who may not have had a shot at the yellow jersey but who nonetheless contested their own races. I found the effort of Pedro Delgado to overcome his (perhaps) fatal error is arriving late to the opening time trail fascinating; to go from the 'lantern rouge' to third place is a story in and of itself.
Part of the reason I enjoyed this work is also the way the author makes clear that there are many races-within-a-race. The yellow jersey is the most visible, yes, but there are other contests, other jerseys, to be fought for. There are also other carreers to be recovered and past misfourtune to overcome beyond the mainn contenders.
If you enjoy cycling history and one of the best Tour de France contests ever, this is the book for you. It also marks the end of an era in terms of doping. Within a few years EPO will have changed the Tour and cycliing in general dramatically. It's good to be reminded that there was a time when professional cycling was "cleaner" if not utterly "clean."
April 8, 2020
When approaching such a well-known event, it's key to offer a fresh take to make it worth covering. I'm not familiar with Tassell's name so it was a surprise that he'd had access to so many people involved, including former Tour winners Roche and Delgado as well as other smaller cast members. This was more than just a retelling of events, and it made for an interesting read without hyperbolic revisionism.
Occurring before my time, much of the action described was new to me despite knowing the result, but I quite liked Tassell's approach of separating the stage winners such as Theunisse or Jelle Nijdam and adding a profile, before recounting the GC battle. It's one aspect of writing you only tend to notice when done badly, but he definitely got the balance right between colour and action, and it never veered too far in either direction. He also avoided the temptation to cram in all his interviews, using single comments as well as longer explanations from Delgado or Yates - Delgado's inputs I generally found the most interesting.
The shifts in momentum provided a good story anyway, but Tassell avoided caricatures, detailing Fignon's arrogance but also his acknowledgement that LeMond deserved the win on the day. There were perhaps a few too many reported comments from elsewhere when discussing Fignon, but this was much more than a compilation of second hand sources - perhaps the book could also have done with more on how LeMond personally felt at various times as his wife's input tended not to touch on this, with LeMond's team members focusing on their own roles.
When I picked this up I was hesitant as I didn't recognise the author's name, but such worries were ill-founded as this was very well put together, and I admired the access Tassell got to more than just peripheral characters.
Occurring before my time, much of the action described was new to me despite knowing the result, but I quite liked Tassell's approach of separating the stage winners such as Theunisse or Jelle Nijdam and adding a profile, before recounting the GC battle. It's one aspect of writing you only tend to notice when done badly, but he definitely got the balance right between colour and action, and it never veered too far in either direction. He also avoided the temptation to cram in all his interviews, using single comments as well as longer explanations from Delgado or Yates - Delgado's inputs I generally found the most interesting.
The shifts in momentum provided a good story anyway, but Tassell avoided caricatures, detailing Fignon's arrogance but also his acknowledgement that LeMond deserved the win on the day. There were perhaps a few too many reported comments from elsewhere when discussing Fignon, but this was much more than a compilation of second hand sources - perhaps the book could also have done with more on how LeMond personally felt at various times as his wife's input tended not to touch on this, with LeMond's team members focusing on their own roles.
When I picked this up I was hesitant as I didn't recognise the author's name, but such worries were ill-founded as this was very well put together, and I admired the access Tassell got to more than just peripheral characters.
September 7, 2017
A lot has been written about the 89 Tour but this is the first time I have come across a book solely on that edition. However because so much of the story is common knowledge there is actually very little new here. To be honest it is primarily based on the same tales from other well known books such as Fignon's autobiography and various editions of the Cycling Anthology series and you many cycling fans will be familiar with these or the other sources listed in the bibliography. There are a couple of interviews mentioned but this largely reads like something that could have been crafted at a desk with a small collection of cycling books and access to YouTube.
To be fair Tassell does manage to ramp the drama up the closer the narrative gets to Paris, which saying everyone knows what the outcome is going to be is a good trick but all too often I found myself feeling I had seen this all before. For example, I had just finished Peter Cossins' "Alpe d'Huez" and the coverage of Fignon and LeMond on the Alpe was very familiar although I must emphasise it wasn't plagarism. A quick count highlighted that I had read 15 of the books listed in the bibliography (basically the bulk), but then again most cycling fans will probably have read them too. So the question is-who is this book for? Knowledgeable fans will find little that they didn't know before and really the main reason you would pick up this book is because you are aware of the importance of this edition of the Tour. If you were to mention the 1989 TdF to someone unfamiliar with the sport, they may lack the context to realise why this was such a historical race so are they likely to lift this book without being aware of where that race sits in Grand Tour history?
To be fair Tassell does manage to ramp the drama up the closer the narrative gets to Paris, which saying everyone knows what the outcome is going to be is a good trick but all too often I found myself feeling I had seen this all before. For example, I had just finished Peter Cossins' "Alpe d'Huez" and the coverage of Fignon and LeMond on the Alpe was very familiar although I must emphasise it wasn't plagarism. A quick count highlighted that I had read 15 of the books listed in the bibliography (basically the bulk), but then again most cycling fans will probably have read them too. So the question is-who is this book for? Knowledgeable fans will find little that they didn't know before and really the main reason you would pick up this book is because you are aware of the importance of this edition of the Tour. If you were to mention the 1989 TdF to someone unfamiliar with the sport, they may lack the context to realise why this was such a historical race so are they likely to lift this book without being aware of where that race sits in Grand Tour history?
July 10, 2020
I'm a cycling fan, and the 1989 Tour de France (TdF) is one of my earliest TdF memories. Pedro Delgado missing his start time in the prologue, the tussles in the mountains, the maillot jaune exchanging hands, culminating in the final day individual time trial and the bespectacled ponytail wearing Laurent Fignon losing a 50 second lead to finish second by 8 seconds to Greg Lemond. The man who had come back from a shooting accident and still had leadshot, too dangerous to remove, in his body.
I don't know how many times I've seen that clip of Fignon in the final 200 m as Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwen commentate. Epic is too often applied to tales of sporting derring-do, but perhaps not in this case.
Tassel's book takes you deeper, way deeper, than the Channel 4 highlights programme could, peppered with insights from the riders who were there. Not just Lemond and Fignon, but Delgado, Kelly, Kimmage, Yates etc. And in taking you deeper you learn so much more about the riders and that race. So many what-ifs contributing. Perhaps a golden race to finish a golden era before EPO tainted cycling and radio communications changed the way riders and their support staff communicate.
If you're a cycling fan or "just" a sports fan. A great read.
And just one titbit to leave you with. One I'd learnt before reading Tassel's book but now has greater depth. Fignon was born in Paris, and lived there for the last 27 years of his life. But after he'd passed, his wife revealed to Lemond and his wife how for the last 20 years of his life he refused to go onto the Champs Elysee. The scene of that defeat that never left him.
I don't know how many times I've seen that clip of Fignon in the final 200 m as Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwen commentate. Epic is too often applied to tales of sporting derring-do, but perhaps not in this case.
Tassel's book takes you deeper, way deeper, than the Channel 4 highlights programme could, peppered with insights from the riders who were there. Not just Lemond and Fignon, but Delgado, Kelly, Kimmage, Yates etc. And in taking you deeper you learn so much more about the riders and that race. So many what-ifs contributing. Perhaps a golden race to finish a golden era before EPO tainted cycling and radio communications changed the way riders and their support staff communicate.
If you're a cycling fan or "just" a sports fan. A great read.
And just one titbit to leave you with. One I'd learnt before reading Tassel's book but now has greater depth. Fignon was born in Paris, and lived there for the last 27 years of his life. But after he'd passed, his wife revealed to Lemond and his wife how for the last 20 years of his life he refused to go onto the Champs Elysee. The scene of that defeat that never left him.
August 1, 2020
The 1989 edition of the Tour de France was perhaps the most thrilling in the 117 year history of the race, and certainly the most closely contested. It provided one of sport’s great comeback stories, as Greg LeMond recovered from being critically injured two years before in a shooting accident to win the Tour (writing the entire 3,000km route while still having over 30 shotgun pellets lodged inside his body). It offered a worthy protagonist in Laurent Fignon, as the almost unbearably arrogant but supremely talented former Tour winner acted as the perfect foil to the saintly LeMond. And it gave us an utterly scintillating sporting contest, packed to the gills with twists and turns, so tension-filled that its outcome remained in doubt literally until the last seconds of the three week race.
Sadly, “Three Weeks, Eight Seconds” is not the book that the 1989 Tour de France deserves. This is a disappointingly perfunctory account of what was an exhilarating sporting event. The prose is pedestrian, and there doesn’t appear to be a huge level of primary research or new interviews offered up by the author Nige Tassell, leaving the reader with the impression that “Three Weeks, Eight Seconds” is a hastily-assembled cuttings job. Cycling is a sport well-served by exceptional sportswriting and investigative reporting. Lacking original insight or superlative writing, unfortunately “Three Weeks, Eight Seconds” is not a title likely to join the canon of great cycling books.
Sadly, “Three Weeks, Eight Seconds” is not the book that the 1989 Tour de France deserves. This is a disappointingly perfunctory account of what was an exhilarating sporting event. The prose is pedestrian, and there doesn’t appear to be a huge level of primary research or new interviews offered up by the author Nige Tassell, leaving the reader with the impression that “Three Weeks, Eight Seconds” is a hastily-assembled cuttings job. Cycling is a sport well-served by exceptional sportswriting and investigative reporting. Lacking original insight or superlative writing, unfortunately “Three Weeks, Eight Seconds” is not a title likely to join the canon of great cycling books.
April 3, 2024
I wouldn't describe myself as a cycling fan, but I found this book really interesting. The story of the 1989 Tour de France is an incredible one, and Tassell does well to keep the reader's attention with the retelling of the epic tour. And in particular in the last couple of chapters.
The sheer number of participants, team members, and former cyclists the author mentions throughout the book can be hard to follow in parts, but overall it was very engaging. It did turn into a bit of a LeMond love-in, but I think that was just the author's way of conveying what a huge fan he is.
I would recommend, whether you're into cycling or not, as Tassell's book does well to capture the drama of an amazing, crazy sporting event.
The sheer number of participants, team members, and former cyclists the author mentions throughout the book can be hard to follow in parts, but overall it was very engaging. It did turn into a bit of a LeMond love-in, but I think that was just the author's way of conveying what a huge fan he is.
I would recommend, whether you're into cycling or not, as Tassell's book does well to capture the drama of an amazing, crazy sporting event.
August 3, 2023
An enjoyable book (with a great audio version available) about one of the world's most famous bike races. The focus is very much on the individual stages of the 1989 Tour, but the book also gives a fair amount of context about the race, the individuals and some of the famous stage locations. You don't need already to be a hardened cycle fan to follow and enjoy the book.
I was struck by how I recognised - and have read in English - the cycling coverage of nearly every journalist and author cited in the book, which suggests a certain Anglo-centric use of sources. I wonder in particular if Laurent Fignon might have come out of the book better with a greater reliance on French sources?
Certainly, the book feels like it's much more about how LeMond than Fignon, with the former's controversial behaviour generally getting more context and explanations of (possible) reasons to excuse it. Though given how many both fans and detractors both Fignon and LeMond had - and have - it'd be asking too much to expect any book to come out with accounts of both that everyone is happy with (!).
I was struck by how I recognised - and have read in English - the cycling coverage of nearly every journalist and author cited in the book, which suggests a certain Anglo-centric use of sources. I wonder in particular if Laurent Fignon might have come out of the book better with a greater reliance on French sources?
Certainly, the book feels like it's much more about how LeMond than Fignon, with the former's controversial behaviour generally getting more context and explanations of (possible) reasons to excuse it. Though given how many both fans and detractors both Fignon and LeMond had - and have - it'd be asking too much to expect any book to come out with accounts of both that everyone is happy with (!).
July 15, 2025
After reading the jaw-dropping two-page 'Prelude' at the start of this book, I was all in. The 1989 Tour de France is that rare sporting event: an 'epic' that lives up to its billing. Author Nige Tassell steers us through the tale of American rider Greg LeMond's battle with French favourite Laurent Mignon. It's full of hairpin turns, shotgun pellets, saddle sores, shocking mistakes, bitter rivalries, and a race that went down to the final few metres. The only trouble reading this as the 2025 Tour takes place is that this year's race just can't live up to the madness and sheer drama of the events of this classic battle.
November 23, 2025
An amazing story which certainly connects to someone raised in American sports. The idea of one man on a comeback journey who is overlooked and written off by everyone else, who seemingly alone claws his way back to greatness. I think the author does a decent job though of still framing how important the support system around him is and what he personality was, which is in contrast in many ways to what you might envision. The first two-thirds of this book though are weighed down by so so many names that for someone (like me) who is only moderately familiar with professional cycling, it is not as interesting early on. The finish though makes it more than worth it.
February 15, 2019
Great Book on the 1989 Tour
This is a great book that tells the story of the closest ever Tour de France.
It is the story of 2 former winners who came together to battle until the last day of racing. There was the gruff Frenchman and the sunny American. Win the winner of the q989 Giro a d the other struggling back from an injury that almost took his life and ended his career.
The book is well written, full of suspense - even though we know the result - and one of the best cycling books you can read.
This is a great book that tells the story of the closest ever Tour de France.
It is the story of 2 former winners who came together to battle until the last day of racing. There was the gruff Frenchman and the sunny American. Win the winner of the q989 Giro a d the other struggling back from an injury that almost took his life and ended his career.
The book is well written, full of suspense - even though we know the result - and one of the best cycling books you can read.
February 8, 2025
I started cycling as a hobby and started following the sport a little in 2024. This inspired me to find a book about the sport's biggest race: The Tour de France. This is also the first sports book I can recall reading and it did not disappoint. The Tour de France itself is a dramatic 3 weeks of racing every day. One day through mountains, the next flat out sprinting on flatter terrain. Then there's Greg Lemond's story, accomplishments, and the 1989 race. I cannot recommend this book enough to fans of cycling, or even just sports drama and competition. I thoroughly enjoyed this from start to finish.
July 19, 2018
Compelling account of a remarkable race
This really brings to life one of the great Tours. Excellent detail on the race itself, stage-by-stage, weaving in some background on the key personalities.
This really brings to life one of the great Tours. Excellent detail on the race itself, stage-by-stage, weaving in some background on the key personalities.
October 24, 2018
A stage by stage retelling of the dramatic 1989 Tour de France. Nige Tassell interviewed Greg Lemond and other participants to get their perspective on this piece of history after so much time has passed.
April 10, 2019
Fantastic story about the smallest winning time in the Tour de France
The Story of GREG LeMond’s fight back to fitness after a hunting accident and tells of the life of a cyclist before the drugs scandals (EPO & blood doping)
The Story of GREG LeMond’s fight back to fitness after a hunting accident and tells of the life of a cyclist before the drugs scandals (EPO & blood doping)
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April 19, 2020An enlightening view into a well know story
Full of beautifully written detail. The constant input from riders who were actually there brings this to.life with authenticity. Highly recommend, even if you think.you know this race well.
Full of beautifully written detail. The constant input from riders who were actually there brings this to.life with authenticity. Highly recommend, even if you think.you know this race well.
September 5, 2021
Interessante inkijk in de Tour van ‘89 en een goede aanleiding om de beelden van de etappes uit dat jaar nog eens terug te kijken (en dan niet alleen de laatste). Het boek ”8 sec. De Tour van ‘89” van de onvolprezen Herman Chevrolet, biedt nog meer inzicht en achtergrond.
November 15, 2021
TRES SEMANAS, OCHO SEGUNDOS. Nige Tassell. 294 pags (9/10)
Historia del Tour de 1989. Delgado saliendo tarde en la crono de Luxemburgo y como LeMond, después de venir de no correr en dos años por el accidente de caza, le birlo a Fignon el amarillo en la crono de Paris
Historia del Tour de 1989. Delgado saliendo tarde en la crono de Luxemburgo y como LeMond, después de venir de no correr en dos años por el accidente de caza, le birlo a Fignon el amarillo en la crono de Paris
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2024
It’s a nail biter
While some audiobooks of long past cycling races are a bit hard to relate to, especially for a non-rider, this epic race was recent enough that you’ll recognize the names of other riders who are today’s broadcasters of the sport. Truly epic. A great listen.
While some audiobooks of long past cycling races are a bit hard to relate to, especially for a non-rider, this epic race was recent enough that you’ll recognize the names of other riders who are today’s broadcasters of the sport. Truly epic. A great listen.
January 28, 2025
Enjoyable enough account of a bonkers edition of the Tour which I wasn't quite old enough to watch and appreciate at the time. I had no idea that Greg LeMond was shot full of pellets by his brother-in-law while out hunting, having been mistaken for a wild turkey. Americans, eh?
April 6, 2025
Currently on a Tour de France binge and this slots in nicely. Nail-biting at times and particularly detailed in others. Characters are well defined, but maybe a bit harsh on Fignon; the narrative is too easy to paint a hero (LeMond) and villain (Fignon).
July 3, 2017
One of the best editions of the Tour gets one of the worst books about cycling.
June 30, 2019
Absolutely phenomenal account of one of the greatest sporting comebacks of all time. Every bit as good as a page turning thriller.
October 7, 2019
This has got to be one of the best books I’ve ever read. It was fantastic from beginning to end. What a story!
November 21, 2020
I thought it was very good, especially the latter parts during which the Tour itself heated up. Very enjoyable format and certainly a just tribute to the race and the protagonists.
August 19, 2021
I listened to the audiobook from the library while riding my bike. This is the true story of the 1989 Tour de France and all the factors that went in to an old man’s victory. Recommended.
October 11, 2022
I'm not even massively into cycling but this story grabbed me. Beautifully written; full of detail but an excellent narrative arc. Really seem to click with anything written by Nige Tassell
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