Cyclist athlete Greg LeMond should not be with us today.
In 1986, he was nearly killed in a hunting accident with his brother-in-law when 60 shotgun pellets accidentally entered his body. Two of those pellets even reportedly lodged in the lining of his heart. It was the same year he had become the first American to win the Tour de France cycling race, beating the leading contender by more than three minutes.
Thanks to modern medicine, he survived the accident although doctors believed his cycling career was over.
He proved them all wrong.
With months of rehabilitation under his belt, LeMond returned to racing and his glory days when he once again won the Tour de France in 1989. He also won the world road racing championship at that time and was named Sportsman of the Year by the magazine Sports Illustrated.
LeMond's cycling started in his youth when he was fascinated by road racers who cycled past his home. He decided to abandon skiing and take up bicycle racing in his teenage years. At the age of 16, he had to get special permission to enter California's Tour of Fresno race as he was considered too young at the time. He was granted his wish and placed second in the race, only seconds behind the overall winner.
By 1979, Lemond was the first road racer to win three medals at the junior world championships. The following year, he was racing in Europe as part of the Renault-Gitane team. With rigorous training and support from his teammates, LeMond went on to win the 169-mile race in Switzerland in 1983 by one minute and 11 seconds. The following year, he won the professional road racing championship.
In 1990, LeMond won the Tour de France again, becoming one of only eight cyclists to have won the Tour three or more times. That same year, he retired from competitive cycling.