LeMond Says He Is Strong Despite Another Bad Spring

As Greg LeMond embarks on the 78th Tour de France, one question regarding his fitness remains: What about that mystery virus?

LeMond dropped out of the Tour of Italy in June, telling Rubert Guiness of VeloNews: “I was feeling fine for the first few days. But while I had good condition--and I still feel it is (getting) better--there were a lot of guys who were in great shape. But, right now, I feel exhausted.”

LeMond, 30, was overcome with fatigue, as he was last year until he recovered to win his third Tour de France.

Last year, LeMond was so exhausted during spring races that he rode poorly. His father-in-law, Dave Morris, an immunologist, diagnosed LeMond’s ailment as Epstein-Barr Syndrome, an illness similar to infectious mononucleosis.

Now, he has some type of blood disorder that is being treated with shots, according to Nathan Jenkins, LeMond’s lawyer.

Morris said LeMond is taking injections to help his immune system, adding: “That has been able to keep him a little better this year than last year. I don’t think anybody ever proved what it was.”

In any case, LeMond seems to be fit. He finished 19th in the mountainous Tour of Switzerland last week, and as he prepares for today’s 2,462-mile Tour de France, he has repeatedly said he is strong.

“If he is feeling good, then he will do a good job,” Morris said. “And the last we heard is that he is feeling good.”