msw@drux3.UUCP (Mike Walpole) (08/02/85)
So you think that Hinault will try to win a 6th Tour since no one else has won 6. Bernard said last year that the only way that he would go for another Tour win was if he was fit, otherwise he would ride for someone else. Greg Lemond rode for Hinault in the Giro and the Tour so Hinault owes him. I believe that Hinault is only going to ride one more year. While we are on the subject of most Tour wins, I would like to point out that there was only one Eddy Merkx. While Antiquil (sp?), Merkx and Hinault have all won five Tours, it is a well known fact that Merkx did it by riding away from the field. In fact in several of the Tours that Eddy won, he also was the best climber and sprinter. That is a feat that Antiquil and Hinault have never done. In fact no one else has done it either. Hinault will ride for Lemond next year since it is more important for La Vie Claire to have a winner than someone who will only finish 4th or 5th. Lemond will make an hour record attempt not Hinault. Lemond has signed a contract with Huffy to ride their bikes. Huffy manufactured the bikes used so successfully in the Olympics by the US riders. I have heard thru friends of mine in Dayton,OH (Where the Huffy Tech Center is located) that Mike Melton is building a track bike for Greg Lemond. You figure it out. Now about Jock Boyer winning the RAAM. While Jock only won by 1.6% as one netter pointed out, he still won. I seriously doubt that any of the other riders in the field are capable of finishing 12th in the Tour de France as Jock has done. I think that his win proves that road racers are the fittest and most complete cyclists. The amazing part is that Boyer trained for road racing and has competed in 50~60 races this year. Lets see Michael "The Worm" Schermer do that. Really I have the upmost respect for the riders in the RAAM. BUT, how many riders have won the RAAM, the Coor's Classic, 6th in the Pro World Championships and 12th in the Tour de France. Mike Walpole