Fifty Plus (50+) - R.I.P. Laurent Fignon

He was 50. :(

:(

Didn't he die of colon cancer?

I understand he did his best to provide commentary to this year's TdF but was too ill to do much.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/laurent-fignon-passes-away

Checked it out. Apparently it was pancreatic cancer. He had beaten himself pretty badly and blamed it on his doping, but I doubt doping had anything to do with it. Pancreatic cancer is just a bad actor.

Sad news indeed.

Didn't he die of colon cancer?

I understand he did his best to provide commentary to this year's TdF but was too ill to do much.

I saw a piece on him during the TDF where he said he had his good days and his bad days. He was upbeat and tried to enjoy the time he had, it seemed.

My favourite cyclist of the 80s, intelligent, kind and brave. And also a romantic, stating that in the great scheme of things, bike riding isn't a great thing, but then what is?

From a recent interview

Je n’ai pas envie de mourir à 50 ans, mais si c’est incurable, qu’est-ce que j’y peux ? J’aime la vie, j’adore rigoler, voyager, lire, bien bouffer, comme un bon Français. Je n’ai pas peur de la mort, je n’en ai juste pas envie !


I don't want to die at 50, but if it's incurable, what can I do about it? I love life, I love to have a laugh, to travel, to read, to eat well, just like a good Frenchman. I'm not afraid of dying, I just don't want it!

I was booked to ride with him at Bagnerres de Bignorre, his road training clinic, and then other stuff happened

(And on the drugs question set above, his comment was - 'at my time, yes, there was illegal consumption everywhere, but not at all systematic, more recreational. Systematic consumption developed more in the 90s with EPO. If my current illness was linked to cycling stimulants, there wouldn't be any 80s cyclists alive'

Make of that what you will. Me, admiration and regret

He was something to watch and read about.

The '89 battle with LeMond in the TdF was incredible. Got me back on the bike!

Today is a sad day for cycling. Some of my most vivid TdF memories have him in them. Whether you were "All-American" and pulling for the US or not, you had to have respect for Fignon and the way he rode.

RIP...

Charles

I'll never forget when Fignon overcooked a corner during a ToF and went off the mountain. Scrambling back up the embankment, he remounted...and won the stage.

there have never been enough like him in the peleton. Thoughtful, gracious and full of courage, I always liked and respected him; a true scholar and athlete.

I was saddened to read this on Velonews.com. He was a great cyclist.

Sad to hear. He was an exception to the European mold, more like the typical US bike racer. Most Europeans are from the working class, trying to get rich from cycling, sort of like boxers in the US. Most American bike racers are university-educated, or are more concerned with life after racing. Fignon, "The Professor," was much closer to this model, and I think that played a large part in his appeal to North Americans.

The strange thing is, most of the old time Euro Pro bike racers, back in the old days, would die at age 54 from all that doping. Sadly, Fignon didn't even make it that far. I will drink a toast to the gentleman.

Luis

So sad.

When I followed racing back in the 80's, he was one of my favorites. A class guy all the way.

RIP Laurent Fignon, Thank you for being an inspiration to our generation.

excellent article...worth reading...

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/497582/laurent-fignon-my-way-or-the-fairway.html

Ah, the man with the pony tail . . .
Bien fait Laurent . . . RIP!

He was an inspirational rider and a great loss to the sport. May he rest peacefully.

Checked it out. Apparently it was pancreatic cancer. He had beaten himself pretty badly and blamed it on his doping, but I doubt doping had anything to do with it. Pancreatic cancer is just a bad actor.

According to the obit in our local rag, he stated he doped but it was all recreational with cocaine the emphasis of fun.

excellent article...worth reading...

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/497582/laurent-fignon-my-way-or-the-fairway.html

Enjoyed the article... thanks.