"Who Said That?" Cycling Trivia by Dave Campbell - February 2013

 

February 2013

And now for Something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT…

Quotes from The Big Men

This Months European Professional Cycling Trivia asks

“Who Said That…and When!”

Q1. “If I can’t beat Greg LeMond this year, then I will quit cycling!”

Q2. “I am not only the fastest man in the world, but also the best looking!”

Q3. “I never miss a day of training-ever!”

Heroes and Legends- Cycling Trivia by Dave Campbell

During the dark, wet days of winter,

With the long, warm days of summer a distant memory

When a dry day in the mid 40’s gets us excited, & spring sunshine

Still seems impossibly far away, we all need

some inspiration from Pro Cycling…

HEROES and LEGENDS

Q1. Who was the first American to win a major European National Tour? Think carefully…

Q2. Who is the last rider to win Paris-Roubaix and then win Liege-Bastogne-Liege the following week? Keep in mind that today almost NO rider even tows the line for both! The first being the domain of the big, strong cobbled specialists (think Boonen & Cancellara) and the latter being for the climbers (think Andy Schleck & Joaquim Rodriguez).

Q3. Who is the last rider to win the Tour de France while clad in the Rainbow stripes of World Road Champion?

A1. Marianne Martin won the first women's Tour de France in 1984. Andrew Hampsten (La Vie Claire), in the 1986 Tour de Suisse. Of course, this was overshadowed the next month when his teammate Greg Lemond (defeating his other teammate and domestique deluxe in Switzerland, Bernard Hinault) triumphed in a certain race in France.

A2. Irishman Sean Kelly, “King of the Classics” who did this unlikely double in 1984, a year in which he won a staggering 33 races.

A3. American Greg Lemond, then riding for the French ‘Z’ Team, back in 1990.

Greg LeMond Cycling Trivia by Dave Campbell

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"LeMonSTER"

Q1. In addition to his widely heralded Three Tour de France wins, Lemond had three additional Grand Tour Podiums. Can you name all three?

Q2. Often chided for poor early season form, Lemond actually won quite a number of early season races. In fact, Greg Lemond won stages at all of the following early season events SAVE ONE: Mediterranean Tour, Tirreno-Adriatico, Paris-Nice, & Tour of Valencia.

Q3. The event where Lemond won the most stages in his career was the Tour de France with five: The Final TT in 1985, the Superbagneres Mountain Stage in 1986, and two TTs and a road stage in 1989. In which event, did Lemond score his SECOND highest number of Stage wins

Greg LeMond and Lance Armstrong were once friends.

Answers 

A1. 3^rd in the 1984 Tour, 3^rd in the 1985 Giro, and 2^nd in the 1985 Tour. He also was a very close 4^th (after some very bad luck) in the 1986 Giro.

A2. Only in Paris-Nice was Greg not triumphant at least once. Lemond won Stage 3 of Tirreno in 1982, a stage in the Mediterranean Tour in 1983, and a stage in Valencia in 1986.

A3. It is actually a tie: Greg won four stages in both the Dauphine Libere (three in 1983 enroute to the win there and another in 1984) and the Coors Classic (two enroute to victory in 1981, one in 1985 again enroute to victory, and one in 1986).

American Pioneers November Cycling Trivia with Answers

 

November 2012

Before there was Lance, Tyler, EPO, or American Tour Winners…

“In Honor of the American Pioneers”
by Dave Campbell

Q1. Who was the first American to race the Giro d’Italia? When did he complete this historic and largely unheralded feat?

Q2. Most people know that Jonathan Boyer was the first American to ride the Tour de France (an event so special and historic that he wore a Stars and Stripes jersey despite the lack of a National Championship Road Race at the time…or even enough Pros to contest one!), but what was his BEST PLACING? When did he accomplish this?

Q3. What was the first European pro win for the young phenom from Nevada Greg Lemond?

A1. Smilin’ George Mount of California rode the Giro d’Italia in 1981, 3 years before an American team, and 4 years before Greg Lemond and 7-Eleven. He rode for Sammontana-Benotto (alongside Italian legends Roberto Visentini and Moreno Argentin) and finished a solid 25^th, 39:20 down on race winner Giovanni Battaglin.

A2. Boyer, riding for Sem-Reydel-Mavic alongside Sean Kelly, was 12^th in the 1983 Tour, 19:57 down on race winner Laurent Fignon. He was actually in 9^th prior to the penultimate stage time trial.

A3. Stage One of the Tour d’Oise (A now defunct June Stage Race that was one of France’s top five stage races in the early 80s) in a small group sprint in front of his friend Australian Phil Anderson.