Inspired from having watched the 2020 Tour de France where Pogacar took the yellow yersey from Roglic in the penultimate stage 20 time trial, I begun looking back at the 1989 Tour. The closest Tour de France in history. After a hard fought race the American Greg Lemond was trailing the French rider Laurent Fignon by fifty seconds before the final stage time trial into Paris, but on the 24.5 kilometer route overtook the deficit by 8 seconds to win the overall general classification. This was a deficit that experts prior to the race said was too large over the easy course. It was the fastest ever individual time trial in a Tour de France up to that point and a comeback for Lemond. (Following a hunting accident in April 1987 where lead shotgun pellets collapsed a lung, hit his kidney, liver, diaphragm, intestine along with two pellets lodged in the lining of his heart).

Lemond was an early adopter of new technology and used clipless pedals, a disc wheel, aero helmet and tri-bars that had never used in the Tour up until this year. These bars undoubtedly helped Lemond get into a more areo position and turn around the large deficit over a short distance, in turn revolutionising time trialling.

Having read Fignon’s autobiography ‘we were young and carefree’ I was determined to depict him in a more positive manner, smiling and not sad as he undoubtedly would have been and is pictured immediately following the defeat. From reading his book I felt he was quite rightly incredibly proud of having won the Tour de France twice, however, sadly he felt he was more often only recognised as the man who once lost the Tour by 8 seconds. 

For me the close finishes, surprise results and fierce rivalries make the race the exciting event it is and should be marked and celebrated. Fignon with his ‘professor’ spectacles that helped him get his nickname and ponytail flowing in the wind are the iconic images of the 1989 Tour de France final stage, a story I have attempted to capture in this one image.