Hinault

Bernard Hinault

Le Tour de France Record

Tour Rides:8

Yellow jersey wins :5 (a record)

Green Jersey Wins :1

K i n g o f t h e M o u n t a i n s W i n s :1

Stage Wins:28

Bernard Hinault will go down in history as argueable the greatest French cyclist of all time having won more stages than Anquetil and taking both the Green and King of the Mountains jersey's something "Les Maitre" never done.

Hinault reign over Le Tour began in the 1978 like Merckx and Anquetil before he was to win his first Tour.Although not yet a great climber the power with which he controlled the race ,especially in the time trials was enough to deny Joop Zoetemelk his first Tour win.

In the Tour in '79 Hinault,or The Badger as he was known for the fierce way in which he defended his position and the manner in which he did not just try to control the other riders he tried to destroy them, was triumphant, again he was shadowed by Zoetemelk but Hinault was impresivelly strong with seven stage victories,the Yellow and Green jersey's.An interesting point about this years Tour is that it climbed the awesome Alpe d'Huez twice in one day.

In 1980 Zoetemelk would finally win his cherished Tour but only after Hinault had to abandon while in Yellow due to tendonitis.He was to return in '81stronger than ever after sitting back for the first week he exploded into Pau to win the time trial and take the Yellow jersey all the way to Paris.Hinault won five stages two more than the previous year.

Bernard Hinault entered the 1982 Tour on a high. Having just won the Giro he was determined to do the double in what was to be his most comfortable victory "The Badger" won four stages and wore the Yellow jersey for a total of ten days and for the second time won the final stage into Paris.

Hinault missed the '83 Tour and in '84 had no answer to the amazing talent of Laurent Fignon who finished ten minutes ahead of him.Hinault got second place.

With Fignon out the 1985 Tour would be Hinault's however it wasn't as easy ashe thought with young team-mate Greg Lemond giving him the most trouble.Lemond won the final time-trial and finished second less than two minutes back,some people even believe Lemond could have won after he and Stephen Roche of Ireland dropped Hinault on the climb to Luz-Ardiden and was then forbidden to attack by his directeur sportif.Never the less Hinault did win and joined Merckx and Anquetil as five time Tour winners.Hinault also wins the prologue for the fifth time in succession.

In 1986 as a thankyou for his help the year before Hinault was going to help Lemond in his quest to win his first Tour.However when Hinault attacked on the twelth stage to Pau taking almost a five minute advantage a few people wondered whether the alure of a sixth record braking Tour victory wasn't in his mind, but the very next day on route to Superbagneres Hinault cracked and Lemond all but took the Yellow jersey.When he finally did take it the two men broke away on the climb of Alpe d'huez and tried to cross the line together ,Hinault holding Lemond's arm aloft as they crossed the line,although Hinault was credited with the stage the Yellow Jersey was firmly on the shoulders of Lemond who became the first American winner in the Tours 93 year history.As for Hinault it was his last Tour,winning three stages and for the first time the King of the Mountains.

Miguel I ndurain