eddy@dual.UUCP (Eddy Merckx) (07/24/84)
Tour De France - The conclusion **** ** ****** * *** ********** Final Stage : 196.5 Kms (122 miles) from Pantin to Paris 1. Erik Vanderaerden (Belguim) 5:23:37 2. Pascal Jules (France) same time 3. Frank Hoste (Belguim) same time 4. Bernard Hinault (France) same time 5. Sean Kelly (Ireland) same time 6. Gilbert Glaus (Switzerland) same time 7. Phil Anderson (Austrialia) same time 8. Jacques Hanegraaf (Holland) same time 9. Henri Manders (Holland) same time 10.Leo Van Vliet (Holland) same time 15.Greg LeMond (USA) same time 57.Johnathon Boyer (USA) same time Large mass finish for all 124 remaining riders in the Tour. OVERALL FINAL STANDINGS: 1. Laurent Fignon (France) 112:03:40 2. Bernard Hinault (France) 10:32 behind 3. Greg LeMond (USA) 11:46 behind 4. Robert Millar (Britian) 14:42 behind 5. Sean Kelly (Ireland) 16:35 behind 6. Angel Arroyo (Spain) 19:22 behind 7. Pascal Simon (France) 21:17 behind 8. Pedro Munoz (Spain) 26:17 behind 9. Claude Criquielion (Belquim) 29:12 behind 10.Phil Anderson (Austrialia) 29:16 behind 31.Johnathon Boyer (USA) 1:07:03 behind Fignon wins the 71st Tour, for the second consectutive year! Four time winner Hinault who trained with both Fignon and LeMond seems to have done his job to well, as he ended up sandwiched between the two 23 year olds. Fignon placed 19th in the final stage to win the race by a convincing 10.5 minutes. Both Fignon and LeMond managed to block the pack not allowing any breakaways and managing to keep the race together until the final sprint, this allowed Fignon to relax as Hinault could not open up a large lead. Best finish by an American in recent memory, LeMond and Fignon appear to be at the top of the cycling world - LeMond is the World Road Racing Champ and Fignon now the Tour winner for the second consectutive year. The only other american rider, Boyer, did reasonably well, but does not seem to be improving over his Tour finishes of the last two years. This years Tour covered aprx. 2500 miles, with Fignon covering it in close to 112 hours! The women also completed their version of the Tour, which covered 616 miles and 18 stages. Marianne Martin (USA) who has devoted only 3 years to serious cycling won with Helene Hage of the Netherlans second 3:17 behind, and another american Debra Schumway was third. The final leg of the womens Tour was won by Connie Meyer of the Netherlands, a 42 mile leg, covered in 1:40:30, which is an average of about 25 mph! See everybody next year...