LeMond Says He’s Among All-Time Best

American Greg LeMond believes his third Tour de France victory ranks him alongside all-time cycling greats Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault--but that does not mean he plans to rest on his laurels.

LeMond, sporting a smile as bright as the dazzling Parisian sunshine Sunday as he completed his triumph on the Champs Elysees, was already looking for new mountains to climb.

The 29-year-old Californian became only the sixth rider to win at least three Tours, though he remained short of the record of five victories held jointly by Frenchmen Hinault and Jacques Anquetil and Belgian Merckx.

“I believe I’m in the same class as them,” LeMond said. “I don’t have to win five Tours de France to prove it. Hinault and Merckx never had to contend with the same physical problems I did.

“But I am as capable of winning the Tour as they are. I’ll be back next year and I’ll be as dangerous as anybody. I intend to continue riding for two or three more years and if the chance of winning the Tour comes my way again, I won’t refuse.”

LeMond, who has also won two world road race titles, could be forgiven for sitting back on his remarkable record, achieved despite two lost years in 1987 and 1988, through his near-fatal shooting accident, and a serious ankle injury.

LeMond said he plans to ride in the remaining World Cup races until the end of the season and defend his world title in Japan at the beginning of September.

If he won in Japan, he would be the first rider ever to complete a Tour de France-world championship double in successive years.

Ironically, LeMond has not crossed a finishing line in first place since his world title triumph in Chambery, France, last year. Though he rode a brilliant tactical race, he failed to land a single stage win in the Tour and his early season was marred by a mysterious virus that upset his preparations.

He placed only 105th in the Tour of Italy and dropped to 18th in the world rankings.