LeMond, Greg

LeMond, Greg

(Gregory James LeMond) (ləmŏnd`), 1961–, American cyclist, b. Los Angeles. In 1986, LeMond became the first American to win the Tour de France, a three-week, 2,500-mi (4,000-km) race and cycling's premier event. Seriously injured in a 1987 hunting accident, he returned to racing and won the Tour de France in 1989 and 1990. He was also world champion twice (1983, 1989) and won the Tour Du Pont in 1992. He retired in 1994 because of a muscular disorder believed to be caused by lead shot from the accident.

LeMond, (Gregory James) Greg

(1961– ) bicycle racer; born in Lakewood, Calif. He began to cycle in 1975 and dropped out of high school to pursue his sport professionally. He went to Europe as a member of the U.S. national cycling team (1980). He won the Tour de France in 1986, the first American ever to win the grueling 2,500-mile event. He suffered multiple wounds in a hunting accident (1987) but recovered and won the Tour de France again in 1989 and 1990. He and his family divided their time between Minnesota and Belgium.