Greg was different from the others. While he did not participate in California cycling's social scene, he was just so much better than any of the rest of us, even the pros. He was a quiet, ethical rider, usually with no teammates. Other than his remarkable physical abilities, nothing he did seemed out of the ordinary. There are no tales of quirky behavior, womanizing, horseplay, or anything like that. He didn't look any different than any other capable racers at the time, but he was just a good, capable person who treated others well.
Greg's company, LeMond Cycles, has a nice biography of him. Click here to enter. Don't miss the photo gallery, it is excellent. Those wishing to find any dirt on Greg will be disappointed. My memories of racing with him are limited to Nevada City , Benecia , and San Francisco . Today, Greg is not only involved with his company, but is also an active participant in auto racing. While he has not yet achived the success there that he enjoyed as an athlete, his competitors all agree on the great depth of Greg's positive competitive spirt.
Okay, I see a lot of blank space remaining, so I will have to tell a story. Sometime in the fall of 1988, I was in a music store in Santa Rosa, California looking at CDs. As I flipped through a row of musical offerings, I felt as if somebody was looking at me. I glanced up and saw a guy my age look away. He really looked familiar to me. He then looked up, and embarrassed, I looked away. A moment later, I looked up, our eyes met, and in unison we each said to the other, "Don't I know you from somewhere?" We laughed, and he said, "Do you ride a bike?" When I responded in the affirmative, he asked if I raced, and I said, "Yes, I am a category two. How about yourself?" As he was searching for words, I realized that he was Greg LeMond! He said that he was training some folks and was enjoying the low key existence in Sonoma County. As we spoke, he remembered me, and repeated some nice things that his father had said about me. I was highly impressed, but it should be known that a competitor of the highest order has the most impeccable mind for details regarding any possible challengers. Okay, I never exactly had him on the ropes, but... :-)