As the 1985 Tour de France was drawing to a close…..USA Greg Lemond had a very real chance of winning the Tour…..while riding for Team La Vie Claire….whose leader was four time Tour winner FRA Benard Hinault….when in 1984 Hinault had finished second to Laurent Fignon…..and was threatened by LeMond…..who ended up in third position on the final podium…..so, in order to ensure the best support….that is when Hinault’s La Vie Claire team recruited LeMond for the 1985 tour…..and in return for his support…..Hinault promised on television that he would support LeMond the following year in the 1986 Tour de France…..which he kinda did.
This postrace interview by CBS John Tesh of 2nd place finisher Greg LeMond provides some real insight into just how much Lemond had to hold back from actually winning the 1985 Tour…..to live up to the long standing tradition of team members unquestionable support of their team leader…..in which Greg LeMond lived up to his commitment to support La Vie Claire’s leader Hinault
