Benjamin Weiner wrote in message ...
Russ Baxter wrote:
Benjamin Weiner wrote

I think he wins, but proves the axiom that it is physiologically
impossible to win six Tours.

Impossible!? For the sake of argument, Greg Lemond (if he were member
of a different team) was capable of winning in 1985. Then he wins in
86, gets shot so he misses 87 and 88 and wins again in 89 and 90. I'd
say that's six years of physiological possibility.

I know it's a crock, I just like the idea.

Lemond's moral victories don't count. Counterfactuals are
hypothetical: we don't know if his condition in 1990 would have been
the same had he ridden 87 and 88. Merckx got punched, Hinault had an
injury, Bartali or Coppi are the best counter examples IMO. However,
several people _could_ have done it, but for a variety of reasons -
bad luck, injury, wars, age creeping up on them, nobody _has_ done it.


Does Lemond's "Moral Victory" of 1985 entail that Hinault's
actual victory that year ought to be reckoned as a "Moral defeat"?
Should there be an asterisk next to Hinault's 5th win in the TDF?

If Lemond had not gotten shot after the 1986 Tour, he would have
had good chances to win in 1987 & 1988. Also, I recall reading that
some of the shot pellets were still lodged in Lemond's body, and that
had a deleterious effect on his stamina, hindering his chances to beat
Indurain in the subsequent years of 1991 and 1992. At any rate, there
can be little doubt that a Lemond who had NOT been shot , but HAD
raced in 1987 & 1988, would have still been in better shape in 1990
etc., that he actually was as events transpired.

Of course, Lemond set a record of sorts, by winning one tour
without managing to win a single stage. Frankly, I don't have much
sympathy for people who get shot while hunting. Lemond made some bad
career choices, allowing himself to get seduced by the prospects of
riding for Hinault's premier French team. Had he played his cards
perfectly, and managed to avoid getting shot by his Brother-In-Law, he
might have been able to win 7 or 8 Tours.

As it is, other riders have suffered even greater misfortune, and
three wins in the TDF is something that every rider would envy.