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View Full Version : How is Fignon regarded by the French compared to Hinault?




Sincitycycler
07-18-05, 12:03 PM
You never hear much about Laurent Fignon, 2 time (actually 2 1/2 times - Lemond got lucky) but you see Benard Hinault daily up on the winner's podium kissing Lance's *****.

How is LF viewed by The Frogs?
Laggard
07-18-05, 12:07 PM
Go away.
Sincitycycler
07-18-05, 12:17 PM
Go away.
Why?
va_cyclist
07-18-05, 12:18 PM
Knock off that "frog" crap.
kubla khan
07-18-05, 12:35 PM
You never hear much about Laurent Fignon, 2 time (actually 2 1/2 times - Lemond got lucky) but you see Benard Hinault daily up on the winner's podium kissing Lance's *****.

How is LF viewed by The Frogs?LOL
ed073
07-18-05, 07:16 PM
Knock off that "frog" crap.



yep
Sincitycycler
07-18-05, 10:04 PM
yep

Geez. Nice to know that you TDF Forumites take yourselves so seriously . Believe me, the French call us alot worse.... if it weren't for us in WWII, they'd be all speaking German right now. :rolleyes:

http://www.froggifts.com/big%20frog%20with%20bug.gif
ed073
07-18-05, 10:07 PM
If it weren't for the USA in WWII, they'd be all speaking German right now.


If it weren't for the French and English, there'd be no USA.

But now we're waaaaay off topic.
Sincitycycler
07-18-05, 10:13 PM
If it weren't for the French and English, there'd be no USA.

But now we're waaaaay off topic.

Just wondering if Fignon walks down the street and his countrymen say "There goes a great cyclist!" or if Hinault is The One.

Do Laurent and Benard get along BTW? :)
gpelpel
07-18-05, 10:28 PM
Fignon was regarded as a nice guy. Hinault was not liked much during his career as he was viewed as too arrogant. Respected he was but liked he wasn't except in Brittany, his birth place (as well as mine). Hinault is of course very popular and admired now and very visible in the Tour organization and bike racing in general. Fignon is more reserved and not much of a public figure. Same can be said of Bernard Thévenet.
The most beloved of all is still Raymond Poulidor, a very humble man of rural origin who has be pushed to the public scene a bit against his will but now seem to enjoy it.
Anquetil was also admired for his racing and victories but not viewed as very friendly. A lot of proud and a bit of arrogance as well. May be a necessary trait for a winner???
ed073
07-18-05, 10:31 PM
Respected he was but liked he wasn't except in Brittany, his birth place (as well as mine).


Yffiniac?

Love the seafood....:D
gpelpel
07-18-05, 10:45 PM
Yep, that's the place. Brittany seafood is soo... good. I always have a craving for Brittany oysters and never have a visit without having some. The fish is also great as well as the galettes.
ed073
07-18-05, 10:51 PM
Yep, that's the place. Brittany seafood is soo... good. I always have a craving for Brittany oysters and never have a visit without having some. The fish is also great as well as the galettes.


I was going to mention the Breton oysters......but it's making me too hungry.

Galette de pomme de terre.....Mmmmmm
waltergodefroot
07-18-05, 11:16 PM
Fignon was known as "The Professor" when he raced because he looked studious in his spectacles and I think he had a few years at university which is somewhat unusual in the pro peloton.

He tried his hand at race promotion after he retired and purchased the Paris-Nice race, which didn't really work out for him, and I believe he sold it to the organization that runs the TDF.

He did not have a great reputation for diplomacy and apparently this hurt him when he was soliciting sponsorships for his races. The story I read, and I can't remember where, was that when one potential sponsor met him and said to hm, "You're the rider who lost the TDF by 8 seconds.", Laurent curtly replied, "No, I'm the rider who won the TDF twice."
Sincitycycler
07-19-05, 03:05 AM
Go away. Why do fems like this guy bust my threads? :rolleyes:
oboeguy
07-19-05, 06:44 AM
Fignon had a lousy rep in Spain, I can tell you that. He shoved a TV cameraman at least once, or was it he spit? Or both?
Laggard
07-19-05, 07:49 AM
Go away, Sincity.
Dannihilator
07-20-05, 08:21 AM
Play nice now kids. This is the only warning you'll get in this thread.
Sincitycycler
07-20-05, 01:23 PM
Play nice now kids. This is the only warning you'll get in this thread.

Trying. Just asked a question and he attacked with unfounded hostility first. :rolleyes:
Dannihilator
07-20-05, 02:13 PM
Trying. Just asked a question and he attacked with unfounded hostility first. :rolleyes:

It's just a reminder to play nice, no need to explain yourself.