1989 Tour de France

The 1989 Tour de France was the 76th edition of the prestigious cycling race. The race consisted of 21 stages over a total distance of 3,285 kilometers (2,041 miles). The route took the riders through the mountains of the Pyrenees and the Alps, as well as the flatlands of northern and central France.

One of the defining features of the 1989 Tour de France was the battle between two riders for the overall lead. Greg LeMond, a two-time winner of the race from the United States, and Laurent Fignon, a former winner from France, were neck-and-neck throughout the race. Fignon took the yellow jersey, which signifies the race leader, early in the Tour, and held onto it for much of the race. However, LeMond was never far behind, and managed to stay in contention despite facing a number of challenges, including a crash on one of the mountain stages.

Going into the final stage, a 24.5-kilometer (15.2-mile) time trial around the streets of Paris, Fignon held a seemingly insurmountable lead of 50 seconds over LeMond. However, LeMond had a secret weapon: a pair of aerodynamic handlebars that he had developed with the help of aero engineer Scott McAfee. The handlebars, which were designed to be more aerodynamic than traditional drop bars, allowed LeMond to adopt a more efficient position on the bike and gain precious seconds on Fignon.

In the end, LeMond's advantage proved crucial. He completed the time trial in a time of 26 minutes and 57 seconds, the fastest time of the day, while Fignon finished in a time of 27 minutes and 17 seconds. The eight-second margin of victory was the closest in Tour de France history up to that point, and remains one of the closest finishes ever.

LeMond's victory was celebrated as a triumph for American cycling, and marked a major milestone in the sport's history. It also served as a testament to the importance of innovation and technology in cycling, and demonstrated how even small gains in efficiency and aerodynamics can have a major impact on performance. Today, the 1989 Tour de France is remembered as one of the most thrilling and exciting moments in the history of professional cycling.