JULY 2012 cycling utah.com 1 VOLUME 20 NUMBER 5 FREE JULY 2012 cycling utah 2012 Utah, IDAHO, & WESTERN EVENT CALENDAR INSIDE! DIRT PAVEMENT ADVOCACY RACING OUR 20TH TOURING YEAR! TRIATHLON MOUNTAIN WEST CYCLING MAGAZINE WEST CYCLING MOUNTAIN COMMUTING 2 cycling utah.com JULY 2012 BOOK REVIEW Slaying the Badger is a Masterpiece the weekend. So it was that I followed and Hinault, the full story told by The book is organized like a stage the 1985 Tour de France and watched Moore gave me many insights and a race with a Prologue, Grand Départ LeMond, a member of the powerful much greater understanding of these and Arrivée. In the Prologue, Moore La Vie Claire team, surrender (albeit two extraordinary antagonists. relates his interviews, and their set- somewhat begrudgingly) his chance, Moore’s genius in this book is tings, with LeMond and Hinault. The P.O. Box 57980 or rather his nearly certain opportu- two-fold: First, it is in delving into Grand Départ, details the histories of Murray, UT 84157-0980 nity, for victory in the Tour in order LeMond’s and Hinault’s beginnings LeMond and Hinault which deliver www.cyclingutah.com to support teammate Bernard Hinault and development, both in their lives them to the 1986 start line. Arrivée tells You can reach us by phone: win his record-tying fifth Tour title. and their racing, leading up to their the story of the 1986 Tour. (801) 268-2652 Being American, I personally wished epic battle in 1986 and the interplay Slaying the Badger is masterfully Our Fax number: LeMond had grabbed his opportuni- of their personalities and character- written, pulling in tidbits from inter- (801) 263-1010 ty, but was gratified when a thankful istics. Second, it is in bringing in the views, articles, and several other sourc- Hinault publicly announced he would surrounding personalities. In addi- es and deftly tying them together as the be helping LeMond in 1986 secure his tion to Hinault and LeMond, Moore story unfolds. Moore succeeds in bring- Dave Iltis, Editor & first overall Tour win. interviewed approximately 20 people ing all his characters to life, not an easy Advertising It was that pronouncement that involved in this Tour, including La Vie thing to do, even in non-fiction. His [email protected] set the stage for what Richard Moore Claire’s directeur sportif, Paul Köchli, descriptions and attention to nuances claims in the subtitle to his new book, Hinault and LeMond’s prior directeur add depth and character to this tale. David R. Ward, Publisher After reading this book, even Slaying the Badger, to be the “Greatest sportif, Cyrille Guimard, teammates [email protected] Tour de France”. While this assessment, Andy Hampsten, Steve Bauer and Jean though I was all for LeMond and am glad he won this Tour, I could not help as Moore acknowledges, is subjective François Bernard, opponent and title Contributors: Ben Simonson, but admire Hinault’s competitiveness, and questionable, there is no doubt contender Urs Zimmerman, 7-Eleven Michael Gonzales, Lou Melini, aggression and panache. He was a that those of us who followed the 1986 soigneur Shelley Verses and assis- Andy Singer, Jared Eborn, tant directeur sportif at La Vie Claire, true “patron” of the peloton, a strong By David Ward Tour were spellbound as we watched Charles Pekow, Wayne the intense intra-team intrigue resulting Maurice LeGuilloux, all very familiar and compelling leader. Conversely, I Cottrell, Lukas Brinkerhoff, from Hinault’s apparent, and gener- names to those of us who followed this liked LeMond’s open personality and, David Ward, Joe Kurmaskie, I became acquainted with the world ally acknowledged by all but Hinault, drama. if you will, his “American” nature. Cottonsoxphotography.net, Chris of serious cycling in the early 80s, and betrayal of his promise to LeMond. Moore’s interviews with Hinault But I cannot help but feel that in the See, Cari Junge, Scott Lyttle, began racing in 1985. That same year, Slaying the Badger reads like a and LeMond are fantastic reading. final analysis, Hinault was the more I also began to follow the professional well-written novel that I could hardly Hardly less compelling are those with calculating and intelligent racer, with Tyler Wren, Shelby Meinkey, road racing scene, and learned of a put down, even though I already knew Köchli, Guimard and Hampston. While an ability to take the pulse of a race Breanne Nalder, Kathie Beals, young American phenom named Greg the ending. What I didn’t know was Moore draws certain ideas and conclu- and the competition, while LeMond Nick Como, Cimarron Chacon, LeMond. all the background detail, the subplots sions from these interviews, he relates simply was blessed with tremendous Shannon Boffeli, Michael Wise, Also that year, the Tour de France and the personalities involved in this them in such a way as to allow you strength. I don’t think, after reading this Ashley Patterson, Angie Vincent, was carried on national television, with story. And even though I felt I had a as a reader to also develop ideas and book, that LeMond could have been Cheryl Soshnik, Bryce Pratt, each week’s action broadcast during decent feel for the personas of LeMond conclusions of your own. the patron of the peloton like Hinault. Robert Spendlove Unfortunately, as a result of LeMond’s near-death gunshot wound in 1987, a Distribution: Dave, Karma, severe interruption in the prime of his and Marinda Ward, Doug career, he did not have the opportunity Kartcher, David Montgomery to move into that role. This would have (To add your business to our been the prime opportunity to do so, free distribution list, give us given Hinault’s retirement at the end of a call) 1986. But even given his comeback and Administrative Assistant: subsequent Tour victories in 1989 and Lindsay Ross 1990, he never showed the same ability to lead and control the peloton. cycling utah is published I loved this book. I was young eight times a year beginning (relatively, being only three years older in March and continuing than Hinault), new to the sport and monthly through October. excited about racing. How could my introduction to the Tour de France be Annual Subscription rate: any more exciting that the 1985 and $15 1986 editions? Plus, I lived in France (Send in a check to for a couple of years. So how could I our P.O. Box) No refunds not love this book? Well, easy. If it was poorly written. But it was not. Rather, on Subscriptions. I think it is one of the masterpieces of Postage paid in Murray, UT cycling literature. Editorial and photographic con- The Tour begins this year on June tributions are welcome. Send 30th, the day this issue of cycling utah via email to dave@cyclingutah. hits the newsstands. If you are like com. Or, send via mail and please me, this means you spend your days include a stamped, self-addressed avoiding Tour news, and your evenings envelope to return unused mate- staying up late watching Tour cover- rial. Submission of articles and age. Slaying the Badger would be an accompanying artwork to excellent companion to watching the cycling utah is the author’s Tour. Alternatively, it would be a great warranty that the material is in way to get your Tour fix after the Tour no way an infringement upon the itself is over. rights of others and that the mate- Indeed, Slaying the Badger will rial may be published without make for exciting and excellent read- additional approval. Permission ing, and rereading, whenever you is required to reprint any of the choose to pick it up. contents of this publication. cycling utah is printed on 40% Slaying the Badger: Greg LeMond, post-consumer recycled paper Bernard Hinault, and the Greatest Tour with soy-based ink. de France cycling utah is free, limit one By Richard Moore copy per person. Paperback with color photosection. ISBN 978-1-934030-87-5 © 2012 cycling utah Pick up a copy of cycling utah at your favorite bike shop! Cover: Two riders crest Faust Summit in the Tour de Cure on June 9, 2012 in Brigham City, Utah. The Tour raised $500,000 for diabetes research this year. Photo: Robert Spendlove. Find more photos at Zazoosh.com JULY 2012 cycling utah.com 3 URBAN BIKING Bikeshare Coming to Salt Lake City in 2013 network will include a minimum of By Jared Eborn 10 stations and 100 bicycles.” Members are able to check out a Salt Lake City has long held quality bicycle much like they would a reputation as one of the West’s a book from a library. most-bikeable cities. That’s about to “Bike share allows a member to change, however, as several organi- take any bike from any station, as zations are teaming up to turn Utah’s many times as you want, for 30 min- capitol city into a bike-friendly like utes at a time for no additional charge. few others in the country. The farthest distance between any A new bike share program is set two stations is well under a 30 min- to launch, providing bikes which ute trip,” the press release said. “An downtown Salt Lake City workers, added benefit is that once the bike is residents and visitors can use to navi- docked at the station, the user is no gate the city’s streets on two wheels – longer responsible for it: eliminating and make the city a healthier, cleaner, the need to remember a lock or worry less congested place in the process.