World Cycling Championships : Another Incredible Finish Gives LeMond Title

Just as he did in the recent Tour de France, Greg LeMond made a late burst and won the professional title in the weather-plagued World Cycling Championships Sunday.

LeMond, who said he was ready to quit the race, decided to continue and went on to win his second world cycling title with a charge over the final 300 meters as rain pelted the course.

“I felt terrible all the way until two laps to go,” LeMond said. “I was ready to quit, but I figured a lot of things can happen in the last two laps.”

His victory added another chapter to a remarkable year as he returned from injuries and a shooting accident after his first Tour de France title in 1986. In this year’s Tour de France, he trailed Laurent Fignon of France by 50 seconds going into the final 15-kilometer sprint and won by eight seconds.

“It’s really a great year. I never would have believed it,” LeMond said.

LeMond’s sprint Sunday enabled him to edge the Soviet Union’s Dmitri Konychev and Ireland’s Sean Kelly by less than a second after he caught the leaders at the top of the hill in the final lap.

“I wanted to do it on the descent, but I did it too early,” LeMond said. “I caught them and I felt I could control the race until the finish.”

LeMond and the others went down the long downhill slope together, waiting for the last possible second to launch the final dash.

“I knew I had to be leading off the sprint or take it just coming around the corner since it was just a short straight,” LeMond said. “I felt very good and just let it all out until the finish.”

He and others closed the lead that was once nearly five minutes on the 21 laps over the 7.67-mile circuit. LeMond’s time was 6 hours 45 minutes 59 seconds for 161.07 miles.

The race started in dry weather. A group of nine broke away after eight laps. By 11 laps, the margin was 4:50 over the rest of the pack.

Then the rain struck. Thomas Wegmueller of Switzerland, Konychev, Thierry Claveyrolat of France and Maarten Ducrot of the Netherlands broke away in the 14th lap as the leaders began stretching out.

Konychev and Claveyrolat held on until two laps were left, when Holland’s Steven Rooks caught them as the pack gradually narrowed the margin.

Entering the last lap 11 seconds behind, LeMond was part of a group that included Fignon.

Fignon made his move first up the mountain.

“Fignon attacked but I waited,” LeMond said. “I didn’t want to go too long. And then he died out there.”

Fignon said he was surprised to see LeMond catch him on the final climb.

“Every time I tried to get away, Greg was there,” he said. “He was too strong.”

Said LeMond: “I didn’t run against Fignon, I ran to win the championship.”

On the decline, LeMond, Fignon, Konychev, Claveyrolat and Rooks were suddenly joined by Kelly. All the leaders were waiting for the final sprint.

Just after the final turn, on the final long straight, LeMond made his move and held a slight advantage the rest of the way, waving an arm just before the finish line.

Konychev darted ahead of Kelly, who was looking over the wrong shoulder to check Rooks’ position. The Dutchman finished fourth, with Claveyrolat fifth, edging Fignon.

“When I couldn’t break clear before the final straightaway, I had no chance because others are better sprinters,” Fignon said. “Being first is the only thing that counts. Second or third in the world championship doesn’t mean anything.”

LeMond previously won the world title in 1983. He was second in 1982 and 1985. He also won the world junior championship in 1979.

He joins four others who have won the Tour de France and the world professional title the same year. The others were Belgium’s Eddy Merckx, Ireland’s Stephen Roche, and Frenchmen Louison Bobet and Bernard Hinault.