Prologue: Saturday, July 1, Luxembourg 7.8 km individual time trial

1. Erik Breukink: 9min 54sec
2. Laurent Fignon @ 6sec
3. Sean Kelly s.t.
4. Greg Lemond s.t.
5. Steve Bauer @ 8sec
6. Charly Mottet @ 9sec
7. Miguel Indurain @ 10sec
8. Joël Pélier s.t.
9. Peter Stevenhaagen s.t.
10. Jörg Muller s.t.
 
 

General Classification: Same as stage results.

Stage 1: Sunday, July 2, Luxembourg - Luxembourg, 135.5 km.

1. Acacio Da Silva: 3hr 21min 36sec
2. Soren Lilholt @ 8sec
3. Roland Leclerc @ 1min 41sec
4. Etienne De Wilde @ 4min 40sec
5. Sean Kelly s.t.
6. Giovanni Fidanza s.t.
7. Phil Anderson s.t.
8. Jean-Paul Van Poppel s.t.
9. Fabrice Philipot s.t.
10. Adri Van Der Poel s.t.

General Classification after Stage 1:

1. Acacio Da Silva: 3hr 31min 44sec
2. Soren Lilholt @ 13sec
3. Roland Leclerc @ 1min 54sec
4. Erik Breukiunk @ 4min 26sec
5. Laurent Fignon @ 4min 32sec
6. Sean Kelly s.t.
7. Greg LeMond s.t.
8. Steve Bauer @ 4min 34sec
9. Charly Mottet @ 4min 35sec
10. Miguel Indurain @ 4min 36sec

Stage 2: Sunday, July 2, Luxembourg 46 km team time trial

1. Super U: 53min 48sec
2. Panasonic @ 32sec
3. Superconfex @ 50sec
4. PDM @ 50sec
5. ADR @ 51sec
6. 7-Eleven @ 56sec
7. RMO-Mavix-Liberia @ 1min 14sec
8. Z @ 1min 15sec
9. TVM @ 1min 18sec
10. Helvetia-La Suisse @ 1min 46sec

General Classification after Stage 2:

1. Acacio Da Silva: 4hr 27min 27sec
2. Soren Lilholt @ 26sec
3. Laurent Fignon @ 2min 37sec
4. Thierry Marie @ 2min 41sec
5. Pascal Simon @ 2min 48sec
6. Gérard Rué @ 3min
7. Imboden @ 3min 2sec
8. Vincent Barteau s.t.
9. Erik Breukink @ 3min 3sec
10. Christophe Levainne @ 3min 8sec

Stage 3: Monday, July 3, Luxembourg - Spa Francorchamps, 241 km.

1. Raul Alcala: 6hr 34min 17sec
2. Jesper Skibby @ 5sec
3. Patrick Tolhoek s.t.
4. Thierry Marie @ 6sec
5. Marc Madiot s.t.
6. Rik Van Slycke @ 33sec
7. Frederic Vichot @ 50sec
8. Sean Kelly s.t.
9. Etienne De Wilde s.t.
10. Marc Sergeant s.t.

General Classification after Stage 3:

1. Acacio Da Silva: 11hr 2min 34sec
2. Soren Lilholt @ 24sec
3. Thierry Marie @ 1min 57sec
4. Laurent Fignon @ 2min 37sec
5. Pascal Simon @ 2min 48sec
6. Raul Alcala @ 2min 52sec
7. Gérard Rué @ 3min
8. Erik Breukink 2 3min 3sec
9. Christophe Levainne 2 3min 8sec
10. Jesper Skibby @ 3min 18sec

Stage 4: Tuesday, July 4, Liege - Wasquehal, 255 km.

1. Jelle Nijdam: 6hr 13min 58sec
2. Jesper Skibby @ 3sec
3. Johan Museeuw s.t.
4. Jerome Simon s.t.
5. Soren Lilholt s.t.
6. Miguel Indurain @ 5sec
7. Jos Lieckens s.t.
8. Giovanni Fidanza s.t.
9. Peter Pieters s.t.
10. Sean Kelly s.t.

General Classification after Stage 4:

1. Acacio Da Silva: 17hr 16min 37sec
2. Soren Lilholt @ 14sec
3. Thierry Marie @ 1min 57sec
4. Laurent Fignon @ 2min 37sec
5. Pascal Simon @ 2min 48sec
6. Raul Alcala @ 2min 52sec
7. Gérard Rue @ 3min
8. Erik Breukink @ 3min 3sec
9. Christophe Levainne @ 3min 8sec
10. Jesper Skibby @ 3min 16sec

Stage 5: Thursday, July 6, Dinard - Rennes 73 km individual time trial

1. Greg LeMond: 1hr 38min 12sec
2. Pedro Delgado @ 24sec
3. Laurent Fignon @ 56sec
4. Thierry Marie @ 1min 51sec
5. Sean Yates @ 2min 6sec
6. Erik Breukink @ 2min 16sec
7. Marino Lejaretta @ 2min 20sec
8. Steve Bauer @ 2min 50sec
9. Gianni Bugno @ 2min 53sec
10. Pascal Simon @ 3min 19sec

General Classification after stage 5:

1. Greg LeMond 18hr 58min 17sec
2. Laurent Fignon @ 5sec
3. Thierry Marie @ 20sec
4. Erik Breukink @ 1min 51sec
5. Sean Yates @ 2min 18sec
6. Pascal Simon @ 2min 39sec
7. Acacio Da Silva @ 3min 2sec
8. Jesper Skibby @ 3min 24sec
9. Steve Bauer @ 3min 47sec
10. Charly Mottet @ 4min 9sec

Stage 6: Friday, July 7, Rennes - Futuroscope, 259 km.

1. Joël Pélier: 6hr 57min 45sec
2. Eddy Schurer @ 1min 34sec
3. Eric Vanderaerden @ 1min 36sec
4. Adri Van der Poel s.t.
5. Rudy Dhaenens s.t.
6. Eddy Planckaert s.t.
7. Etienne De Wilde
8. Marc Sergeant s.t.
9. Phil Anderson s.t.
10. Steven Rooks s.t.

General Classification after stage 6:

1. Greg LeMond: 25hr 57min 38sec
2. Laurent Fignon @ 5sec
3. Thierry Marie @ 20sec
4. Erik Breukink @ 1min 51sec
5. Sean Yates @ 2min 18sec
6. Pascal Simon @ 2min 39sec
7. Acacio Da Silva @ 3min 2sec
8. Jesper Skibby @ 3min 24sec
9. Steve Bauer @ 3min 47sec
10. Charly Mottet @ 4min 9sec

Stage 7: Saturday, July 8, Poitiers - Bordeaux, 258.5 km.

1. Etienne De Wilde: 7hr 21min 57sec
2. Jean-Claude Colotti s.t.
3. Patrick Tolhoek @ 2sec
4. Steve Bauer s.t.
5. Jean-Paul Van Poppel @ 4sec
6. Peter Pieters s.t.
7. Giovanni Fidanza s.t
8. Mathieu Hermans s.t.
9. Johan Museeuw s.t.
10. Eddy Planckaert s.t.

General Classification after stage 7:

1. Greg LeMond 33hr 19min 39sec
2. Laurent Fignon @ 5sec
3. Thierry Marie @ 40sec
4. Erik Breukink 2 1min 51sec
5. Sean Yates @ 2min 18sec
6. Pascal Simon @ 2min 39sec
7. Acacio Da Silva @ 2min 56sec
8. Jesper Skibby @ 3min 24sec
9. Steve Bauer @ 3min 45sec
10. Charly Mottet @ 4min 9sec

Stage 8: Sunday, July 9, La Bastide d'Armagnac - Pau, 157 km.

1. Martin Early: 3hr 51min 26sec
2. Eric Caritoux @ 4sec
3. Michael Wilson s.t.
4. Philippe Louviot @ 6sec
5. Laurent Bezault @ 8sec
6. Valerio Tebaldi s.t.
7. Steven Rooks @ 18sec
8. Sean Kelly @ 20sec
9. Etienne De Wilde s.t.
10. Rudy Dhaenens s.t.

General Classification after stage 8:

1. Greg LeMond 37hr 11min 25sec
2. Laurent Fignon @ 5sec
3. Thierry Marie @ 40sec
4. Erik Breukink @ 1min 51sec
5. Sean Yates @ 2min 18sec
6. Pascal Simon @ 2min 39sec
7. Acacio Da Silva @ 2min 56sec
8. Jesper Skibby @ 3min 24sec
9. Steve Bauer @ 3min 45sec
10. Charly Mottet @ 4min 9sec

Stage 9: Monday, July 10, Pau - Cauterets (Cambasque), 147 km.

Major Climbs: Marie-Blanque, Aubisque, Les Borderes, Le Cambasque.

1. Miguel Indurain: 4hr 32min 36sec
2. Anselmo Fuerte @ 27sec
3. Pedro Delgado @ 1min 29sec
4. Sean Kelly @ 1min 56sec
5. Steven Rooks s.t.
6. Gert-Jan Theunisse s.t.
7. Laurent Fignon @ 1min 58sec
8. Greg LeMond s.t.
9. Luc Roosen s.t.
10. Charly Mottet s.t.

General Classification after stage 9:

1. Greg LeMond: 41hr 45min 59sec
2. Laurent Fignon @ 5sec
3. Pascal Simon @ 3min 56sec

Stage 10: Tuesday, July 11, Cauterets - Luchon (Superbagneres), 136 km.

Major Climbs: Tourmalet, Aspin, Peyresourde, Superbagneres.

1. Robert Millar : 4hr 22min 19sec
2. Pedro Delgado s.t.
3. Charly Mottet @ 19sec
4. Steven Rooks @ 3min 4sec
5. Gert-Jan Theunisse s.t.
6. Marino Lejaretta @ 3min 14sec
7. Laurent Fignon @ 3min 26sec
8. Andy Hampsten @ 3min 35sec
9. Greg LeMond @ 3min 38sec
10. Raul Alcala @ 3min 42sec

General Classification after stage 10:

1. Laurent Fignon 46hr 11min 49sec
2. Greg LeMond @ 7sec
3. Charly Mottet @ 57sec
4. Pedro Delgado @ 2min 53sec
5. Andy Hampsten @ 5min 18sec
6. Marino Lejaretta @ 5min 51sec
7. Gianni Bugno @ 6min 3sec
8. Robert Millar @ 6min 42sec
9. Raul Alcala @ 6min 46sec
10. Steven Rooks @ 6min 59sec

Stage 11: Wednesday, July 12, Luchon - Blagnac, 158.5 km.

1. Mathieu Hermans: 3hr 37min 47sec
2. Giovanni Fidanza s.t.
3. Eddy Planckaert s.t.
4. Teun Van Vliet s.t.
5. Sean Kelly s.t.
6. Ronny Van Holen s.t.
7. Steve Bauer s.t.
8. Alfred Achermann s.t.
9. Jesper Skibby s.t.
10. Marc Sergeant s.t.

General Classification after stage 11 :

1. Laurent Fignon 49hr 49min 36sec
2. Greg LeMond @ 7sec
3. Charly Mottet @ 57sec
4. Pedro Delgado @ 2min 53sec
5. Andy Hampsten @ 5min 18sec
6. Marino Lejaretta @ 5min 51sec
7. Gianni Bugno @ 6min 3sec
8. Robert Millar @ 6min 42sec
9. Raul Alcala @ 6min 46sec
10. Steven Rooks @ 6min 59sec

Stage 12: Thursday, July 13, Toulouse - Montpellier, 242 km.

1. Valerio Tebaldi: 5hr 40min 54sec
2. Giancarlo Perini s.t.
3. Dominique Arnaud @ 2min 9sec
4. Thomas Wegmuller @ 21min 24sec
5. Jan Goessens @ 21min 40sec
6. Frans Maasen s.t.
7. Eddy Schurer s.t.
8. Philippe Louviot s.t.
9. Rik Van Slijcke s.t.
10. François Lemarchand s.t.

General Classification after stage 12:

1. Laurent Fignon: 55hr 52min 15sec
2. Greg LeMond @ 7sec
3. Charly Mottet @ 57sec
4. Pedro Delgado @ 2min 53sec
5. Andy Hampsten @ 5min 18sec
6. Marino Lejaretta @ 5min 51sec
7. Gianni Bugno @ 6min 3sec
8. Robert Millar @ 6min 42sec
9. Raul Alcala @ 6min 46sec
10. Steven Rooks @ 6min 59sec

Stage 13: Friday, July 14, Montpellier - Marseille, 179km.

1. Vincent Barteau: 4hr 17min 31sec
2. Jean-Claude Colotti @ 45sec
3. Martial Gayant @ 1min 16sec
4. Steve Bauer @ 1min 21sec
5. Etienne De Wilde @ 1min 25sec
6. Sean Kelly s.t.
7. Per Pedersen s.t.
8. Andréas Kapped s.t.
9. Alfred Achermann s.t.
10. Laudelino Cubino s.t.

General Classification after stage 13:

1. Laurent Fignon: 60hr 11min 11sec
2. Greg LeMond @ 7sec
3. Charly Mottet @ 57sec
4. Pedro Delgado @ 2min 53sec
5. Andy Hampsten @ 5min 18sec
6. Marino Lejaretta @ 5min 51sec
7. Gianni Bugno @ 6min 3sec
8. Robert Millar @ 6min 42sec
9. Raul Alcala @ 6min 46sec
10. Steven Rooks @ 6min 59sec

Stage 14: Saturday, July 15, Marseille - Gap, 240 km.

Major ascent: Labouret

1. Jelle Nijdam: 6hr 27min 55sec
2. Pascal Poisson @ 2sec
3. Eddy Planckaert s.t.
4. Giovanni Fidanza s.t.
5. Sean Kelly s.t.
6. Etienne De Wilde s.t.
7. Phil Anderson s.t.
8. Steven Rooks s.t.
9. Rudy Dhaenens s.t.
10. Per Pederson s.t.

General Classification after stage 14:

1. Laurent Fignon: 66hr 39min 8sec
2. Greg LeMond @ 7sec
3. Charly Mottet @ 57sec
4. Pedro Delgado @ 3min 3sec
5. Andy Hampsten @ 5min 18sec
6. Marino Lejaretta @ 5min 51sec
7. Gianni Bugno @ 6min 3sec
8. Robert Millar @ 6min 42sec
9. Raul Alcala @ 6min 56sec
10. Gert-Jan Theunisse @ 7min 6sec

Stage 15: Sunday, July 16, Gap - Orcières Merlette 39 km individual time trial

1. Steven Rooks: 1hr 10min 42sec
2. Marino Lejaretta @ 24sec
3. Miguel Indurain @ 43sec
4. Pedro Delgado @ 49sec
5. Greg LeMond @ 57sec
6. Sean Kelly @ 1min 6sec
7. Raul Alcala @ 1min 10sec
8. Gert-Jan Theunisse @ 1min 12sed
9. Laurent Biondi @ 1min 37sec
10. Laurent Fignon @ 1min 44sec

General Classification after stage 15:

1. Greg LeMond: 67hr 50min 54sec
2. Laurent Fignon @ 40sec
3. Charly Mottet @ 2min 17sec
4. Pedro Delgado @ 2min 48sec
5. Marino Lejaretta @ 5min 11sec
6. Steven Rooks @ 6min 5sec
7. Andy Hampsten @ 7min 2sec
8. Raul Alcala s.t.
9. Gert-Jan Theunisse @ 7min 14sec
10. Sean Kelly @ 7min 15sec

Stage 16: Tuesday, July 18, Gap - Briançon, 175 km

Major climbs: Vars and Izoard.

1. Pascal Richard: 4hr 46min 45sec
2. Bruno Cornillet @ 2min 34sec
3. Charly Mottet @ 4min 50sec
4. Greg LeMond @ 4min 51sec
5. Martial Gayant s.t.
6. Pedro Delgado s.t.
7. Gert-Jan Theunisse s.t.
8. Steven Rooks s.t.
9. Laurent Fignon @ 5min 4sec
10. Raul Alcala @ 5min 26sec

General Classification after stage 16:

1. Greg LeMond 72hr 42min 30sec
2. Laurent Fignon @ 53sec
3. Charly Mottet @ 2min 16sec
4. Pedro Delgado @ 2min 48sec
5. Steven Rooks @ 6min 5sec
6. Gert-Jan Theunisse @ 7min 14sec
7. Marino Lejaretta @ 7min 28sec
8. Raul Alcala @ 7min 37sec
9. Miguel Indurain @ 8min 25sec
10. Andy Hampsten @ 9min 35sec

Stage 17: Wednesday, July 19, Briancon - L'Alpe d'Huez, 165 km

Major Climbs: Galibier, Croix de Fer, L'Alpe d'Huez.

1. Gert-Jan Theunisse: 5hr 10min 39sec
2. Pedro Delgado @ 1min 9sec
3. Laurent Fignon s.t.
4. Abelardo Rondon @ 2min 8sec
5. Greg LeMond @ 2min 28sec
6. Marino Lejaretta @ 2min 41sec
7. Steven Rooks @ 3min 4sec
8. Gianni Bugno s.t.
9. Robert Millar @ 3min 8sec
10. Pascal Simon @ 3min 48sec

General Classification after stage 17:

1. Laurent Fignon: 77hr 55min 11sec
2. Greg LeMond @ 26sec
3. Pedro Delgado @ 1min 55sec
4. Gert-Jan Theunisse @ 5min 12sec
5. Charly Mottet @ 5min 22sec
6. Steven Rooks @ 7min 7sec
7. Marino lejaretta @ 8min 7sec
8. Raul Alcala @ 10min 43sec
9. Robert Millar @ 11min 49sec
10. Sean Kelly @ 14min 9sec

Stage 18: Thursday, July 20, Bourg d'Oisans - Villard de Lans, 91.5 km.

Major Climbs: Laffrey, St. Nizier de Moucherotte, Villard de Lans

1. Laurent Fignon: 2hr 31min 28sec
2. Steven Rooks @ 24sec
3. Gert-Jan Theunisse s.t.
4. Marino Lejaretta s.t.
5. Sean Kelly s.t.
6. Greg LeMond s.t.
7. Pedro Delgado @ 33sec
8. Alberto Camargo @ 36sec
9. Raul Alcala s.t.
10. Luis Herrera @ 47sec

General Classification after stage 18:

1. Laurent Fignon: 80hr 26min 39sec
2. Greg Lemond @ 50sec
3. Pedro Delgado @ 2min 28sec
4. Gert-Jan Theunisse @ 5min 30sec
5. Charly Mottet @ 7min 29sec
6. Steven Rooks @ 7min 31sec
7. Marino Lejaretta @ 8min 31sec
8. Raul Alcala @ 11min 19sec
9. Robert Millar @ 14min 20sec
10. Sean Kelly @ 14min 33sec

Stage 19: Friday, July 21, Villard de Lans - Aix Les Bains, 125 km.

Major Climbs: Porte, Cucheron, Granier

1. Greg LeMond: 3hr 17min 53sec
2. Laurent Fignon s.t.
3. Pedro Delgado s.t.
4. Gert-Jan Theunisse s.t.
5. Marino Lejaretta @ 4sec
6. Gianno Bugno @ 2min 11sec
7. Sean Kelly s.t.
8. Steve Bauer s.t.
9. Steven Rooks s.t.
10. Dominique Arnaud s.t.

General Classification after stage 19:

1. Laurent Fignon: 83hr 44min 32sec
2. Greg Lemond @ 50sec
3. Pedro Delgado @ 2min 28sec
4. Gert-Jan Theunisse @ 5min 30sec
5. Marino Lejaretta @ 8min 35sec
6. Charly Mottet @ 9min 40sec
7. Steven Rooks @ 9min 42sec
8. Raul Alcala @ 13min 30sec
9. Robert Millar @ 16min 31sec
10. Sean Kelly @ 16min 44sec

Stage 20: Saturday, July 22, Aix Les Bains - L'Isle d'Abeau, 130 km.

1. Giovanni Fidanza: 3hr 26min 16sec
2. Jelle Nijdam s.t.
3. Sean Kelly s.t.
4. Mathieu Hermans s.t.
5. Carlo Bomans s.t.
6. Etienne De Wilde s.t.
7. Acacio Da Silva s.t.
8. Andréas Kappes s.t.
9. Bjarne Riis s.t.
10. Michael Wilson s.t.

General Classification after Stage 20:

1. Laurent Fignon 87hr 10min 48sec
2. Greg LeMond @ 50sec
3. Pedro Delgado @ 2min 28sec
4. Gert-Jan Theunisse @ 5min 30sec
5. Marino Lejaretta @ 8min 35sec
6. Charly Mottet @ 9min 40sec
7. Steven Rooks @ 9min 42sec
8. Raul Alcala @ 13min 30sec
9. Robert Millar @ 16min 31sec
10. Sean Kelly @ 16min 44sec

21st and Final stage: Sunday, July 23, Versailles - Paris, 24.5 individual time trial.

1. Greg LeMond: 26min 57sec
2. Thierry Marie @ 33sec
3. Laurent Fignon @ 58sec
4. Jelle Nijdam @ 1min 7sec
5. Sean Yates @ 1min 10sec
6. Erich Maechler s.t.
7. Helmut Wechselberger @ 1min 11sec
8. Charly Mottet @ 1min 16sec
9. Rene Beuker @ 1mnin 19sec
10. Jesper Skibby @ 1min 12sec

Final Complete 1989 Tour de France General Classification

---

The Story of the 1989 Tour de France

This excerpt is from "The Story of the Tour de France", Volume 2 If you enjoy it we hope you will consider purchasing the book, either print, eBook or audiobook. The Amazon link here will make either purchase easy.

The Tour organization again changed Tour directors. The appointment of Jean-Marie Leblanc was one of the most important events in the history of the Tour de France. In its desperate search for income the Tour had multiplied the various prizes and classifications, each one having a sponsor and most being unimportant to all but the most dedicated racing fan. Wanting to bring clarity and therefore credibility to the Tour, Leblanc slashed the list of competitions and then raised the cost of sponsoring the remaining, now more visible ones. Under Leblanc the Tour underwent a renaissance, becoming wildly popular and financially sound. Leblanc's tenure coincided with the beginning of the trend of many of the finest Tour contenders making the Tour de France their only real goal for the season. With ever larger corporate money entering racing, the need for gigantic results to justify the big investments in teams drove more and more attention to the Tour. Leblanc's skill in running the Tour only served to magnify this tendency.

Leblanc, like all Tour directors before him except Naquet-Radiguet, had been a journalist. He was the chief cycling correspondent of L’Équipe before becoming Tour boss. Moreover, Leblanc had been a pro rider with Tour racing experience, having entered and finished both the 1968 and the 1970 Tours.

Both Greg LeMond and Laurent Fignon were back racing with dedication. They were in good form and finally achieving good results.

LeMond's recovery from his shooting accident was long and hard. In the early season races he had done reasonably well. He was fourth in the Critérium International and sixth in the Tirreno–Adriatico. LeMond had not won a race since his 1986 Tour de France victory.

In the Giro he suffered like a dog finishing a lackluster thirty-ninth, almost an hour behind. It seemed that he just could not find that old magic. His wife, Kathy, flew to Italy to give him moral support. He stuck to it, refusing to give up. In the final stage, a 53.8-kilometer time trial, LeMond came in second. He was able to beat the overall Giro winner, Fignon, by over a minute on that stage. The strength was returning. LeMond's team however, was not a Grand Tour Team. His ADR Belgians (including Johan Museeuw) would not be able to give him the help he would need in the high mountains. He would have to race with his head all the time.

Fignon, who had been unable to truly contend for a major stage race since he had surgery on his Achilles tendon in 1984, had finally found the way to win. In 1989 he had already won Milano-San Remo and the Giro d'Italia. Fignon had an outstanding team in Super U, including future Tour winner Bjarne Riis.

With Pedro Delgado also in good shape and seeking redemption after his tainted 1988 victory, this would indeed be an interesting Tour.

And that's just how it started out, interesting. At the Prologue, where every rider is assigned a specific start time, Delgado signed in 20 minutes early then went off to warm up. Somehow, he lost track of the time. He showed up at the start house 2 minutes, 40 seconds late. The clock had been ticking off the seconds since his start time. The clock for a rider's time trial starts with or without the rider, it is quite indifferent. Delgado roared off and did a very credible time trial, his actual time on the road being only 14 seconds slower than winner Erik Breukink. But because of his delayed start, he was now hamstrung with a deficit of almost 3 minutes at the opening of the Tour de France. Fignon and LeMond both finished at the same time, 6 seconds off Breukink's time. The shootout between the two had started at the first possible opportunity.

The second stage team time trial highlighted the differences in the teams. Fignon's Super U squad won the stage, with the team finishing intact, not losing any men on the road. LeMond's ADR team came in a respectable fifth, a minute slower over the 46-kilometer course, losing 3 men along the way. Delgado's Reynolds-Banesto team finished dead last. Demoralized after his botched start to the Tour, Delgado couldn't keep up with his team. His teammates had to wait for him and nurse him to the finish. After only 2 stages Delgado was almost 10 minutes down in the overall. This was a spectacular reversal of fortune after his previous year's dominance.

The next real test was the first individual time trial in stage 5. At a long 73 kilometers, it would really make a difference. Whatever emotional or morale problem Delgado may have been having in the first couple of stages, he was clearly over them now. LeMond was also coming on form. His suffering in the Giro was starting to pay off. LeMond used the new triathlon bars that narrowed the rider's frontal profile. This is standard equipment for any time trial bike today, but back then this was revolutionary stuff. Fignon should have been paying attention.

1. Greg LeMond: 1 hour 38 minutes 12 seconds

2. Pedro Delgado @ 24 seconds

3. Laurent Fignon @ 56 seconds

4. Thierry Marie @ 1 minute 51 seconds

5. Sean Yates @ 2 minutes 6 seconds

 

The General Classification after the stage 5 time trial:

1. Greg LeMond

2. Laurent Fignon @ 5 seconds

3. Thierry Marie @ 20 seconds

4. Erik Breukink @ 1 minute 51 seconds

5. Sean Yates @ 2 minutes 18 seconds

LeMond wins the stage 5 time trial.

Stage 9 was the first day in the Pyrenees, going from Pau to Cauterets, crossing the Marie-Blanque, the Aubisque, the Bordères and the Cambasque. Delgado's teammate, Miguel Indurain, was first over the final 3 big climbs and won the stage. Delgado was really back in action, completely revived and fighting, finishing about a minute and a half behind Indurain. LeMond and Fignon finished together, another 30 seconds back. No change to the General Classification except that Delgado continued to move up.

	Martin Early wins stge 8 in Pau.

Stage 10 with the Tourmalet, Aspin, Peyresourde and Superbagnères made a little difference to the standings. On the final climb LeMond, feeling ever more confident, attacked. Fignon caught him and countered. LeMond tried to answer, but couldn't. Fignon managed to put 12 seconds between himself and LeMond. Fignon now had the lead by a margin of 7 seconds. Stephen Roche's knee, which had given him so much trouble over his career, flamed up again. He struggled in terrible pain over the mountains, refusing to abandon during the stage. But that was it, Roche's Tour was over. Paul Kimmage says that during that very evening while Roche was in misery in his hotel room, the management of his team was already in talks with LeMond to see if he would come over to the Fagor squad the following year. This bike racing is a hard business.

This tense, tight situation with Fignon's 7-second lead remained until the stage 15 39-kilometer individual time trial. The riders had 2 first category climbs in front of them. Steven Rooks won the stage, Delgado was fourth at 49 seconds, LeMond right behind him at 57 seconds. Fignon was tenth at 1 minute, 44 seconds. LeMond took the Yellow Jersey back with a 40-second lead over Fignon.

In the next day's stage with the Izoard, LeMond was able to gain another precious 13 seconds. They say baseball is a game of inches. The 1989 Tour was a game of seconds. Each second was a pearl beyond price as the 2 athletes, both of whom were shadows of their former selves, battled with unabated intensity.

Stage 17, with the Galibier, the Croix de Fer and a finish up L'Alpe d'Huez scrambled the eggs again. On the final ascent Fignon attacked and took Delgado with him. LeMond could not go with the Frenchman. LeMond gave up 1 minute, 19 seconds and the Yellow Jersey to Fignon. Fignon now had a 26 second lead over LeMond. Delgado had clawed his way to third place after being down almost 10 minutes.

Fignon was finding the Alpine air to his liking. He took another 24-second chunk out of LeMond's side when he won stage 18. The gap was now 50 seconds. While publicly optimistic, LeMond is said to have privately conceded the race at this point.

These men were so close, the degree of equipoise so perfect, this has to be one of the great races of history. Stage 19, with the Porte, Cucheron and Granier climbs proved it. LeMond won this stage with Fignon right with him getting the same time. Neither was giving up a single second if it could be helped.

Lemond takes stage 19 at Aix les Bains just in front of Fignon. Delgado and Theunisse also got the same time that day.

So, here was the General Classification going into the final stage, a 24.5-kilometer time trial from Versailles to Paris. This must be the most famous and talked about race against the clock in the history of the sport.

1. Laurent Fignon

2. Greg LeMond @ 50 seconds

3. Pedro Delgado @ 2 minutes 28 seconds

4. Gert-Jan Theunisse @ 5 minutes 36 seconds

 

LeMond had done wind-tunnel testing and had perfected his riding position. For the time trial he had an aerodynamic helmet and the aero bars which he had used to good effect in stage 5. The run-in to Paris was slightly downhill. LeMond decided that he didn't want to get time splits. He said that he would just go as fast as he humanly could, hoping he wouldn't blow up before the end. The idea that he could take almost a minute out of an in-form Fignon in such a short distance was not preposterous, but it was unlikely. Being in second place, LeMond went before Fignon. LeMond thumped a monster 54 x 12 gear driving it a steaming 54.545 kilometers an hour. This was the fastest time trial ever ridden in the Tour de France and remained the record for years to come.

Fignon had other troubles besides LeMond. He had acquired a nasty saddle sore in stage 19. It was so bad he couldn't pedal properly. He was in real pain and unable to sleep the night before the time trial. As he had done on every other occasion going back to his second place in the 1984 Giro, Fignon shunned the niceties of aerodynamics. He didn't use tri bars or an aero helmet. He even wore a wind-dragging ponytail. His saddle sore prevented his getting a good warm-up before he started his ride.

As the race leader, Fignon had the privilege of going last. With each pedal stroke he lost time. Yet, when he came on to the Champs Elysées he still had the overall lead by 2 seconds. It was in those final meters that he lost those next, oh-so-precious 10 seconds. LeMond had to watch and wait in agony to see if his roll of the dice had succeeded.

The Tour was LeMond's. Fignon had lost the closest Tour in History. When Fignon learned that he had lost, he fell to ground with a moan, in tears. LeMond yelped with joy. If there is to be a winner, there must also be a loser.

Here's how the time trial went:

1. Greg LeMond: 26 minutes 57 seconds

2. Thierry Marie @ 33 seconds

3. Laurent Fignon @ 58 seconds

 

The Final 1989 Tour de France General Classification:

1. Greg LeMond (ADR-Agrigel): 87 hours 38 minutes 35 seconds

2. Laurent Fignon (Super U) @ 8 seconds

3. Pedro Delgado (Reynolds) @ 3 minutes 34 seconds

4. Gert-Jan Theunisse (PDM) @ 7 minutes 30 seconds

5. Marino Lejarreta (Paternina) @ 9 minutes 39 seconds

 

Climbers' Competition:

1. Gert-Jan Theunisse: 441 points

2. Pedro Delgado: 311 points

3. Steven Rooks: 257 points

 

Points Competition:

1. Sean Kelly: 277 points

2. Etienne De Wilde: 194 points

3. Steven Rooks: 163 points

 

An aerodynamicist once calculated that if Fignon had just cut off his ponytail to reduce his drag, he would have been able to go fast enough to have won the Tour. The gents at memoire-du-cyclisme.net figured that at the speeds LeMond and Fignon were traveling in the final time trial, the 8 seconds in the final overall amounted to 82 meters, less than a football field after 3,257 kilometers.

LeMond went on that Fall to cap his season with his second World Road Championship.

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