La Vie Claire
Encyclopedia
La Vie Claire was a professional road bicycle racing
team
named after its chief sponsor La vie Claire
, a chain of health
food
stores
.
and directed by Paul Koechli. The team included five-time Tour de France
winner Bernard Hinault
, and three-time winner, Greg LeMond
, as well as Andrew Hampsten
and the Canadian Steve Bauer
. With Hinault winning the Tour in 1985
, and LeMond winning in 1986
, plus winning the team trophy both years, La Vie Claire cemented their place in cycling team history.
The team formed after Bernard Hinault
had a dispute with his former directeur sportif
Cyrille Guimard
of Renault-Elf-Gitane
with whom Hinault had won four editions of the Tour de France. After Hinault's teammate Laurent Fignon
won the 1983 Tour de France
while Hinault was injured, Fignon became the designated leader of the team. Hinault formed the La Vie Claire team with Tapie and Koechli and steadily built up his form. During the 1984 Tour de France
, the Renault-Elf-Gitane
dominated the race with 8 stage wins including the Team time trial
as well as having the yellow jersey from the 5th stage onwards with Vincent Barteau
and Laurent Fignon
. Fignon won the Tour with over ten minutes on Hinault. In addition with World Champion Greg LeMond
the Renault team also finished third overall in that Tour and LeMond won the Young rider's jersey. After this dominance by the Renault-Elf-Gitance team, Tapie and Hinault approached Greg LeMond after the 1984 Tour with a one-million dollar contract offer - the first in cycling history - to leave Renault-Elf-Gitane
and join Hinault at La Vie Claire. LeMond accepted, and forever changed the salary structure in bicycle racing. With Hinault and LeMond the team won the 1985
and the 1986 Tour de France
. At the end of 1986, Hinault retired and in spring 1987 LeMond was injured in a hunting accident. Hampsten who had finished fourth in the 1986 Tour de France
and best Young rider left the team at the end of 1987. Jean-François Bernard
was seen by some as a successor to Hinault in stage races and became the leader of the team. Bernard wore the maillot jaune and finished the 1987 Tour de France
third overall and wore the maglia rosa
in the 1988 Giro d'Italia
but then never regained the form to perform in the grand tours for the team. The team itself was undergoing further changes - LeMond and Bauer left the team at the end of 1987 and Koechli and Tapie stopped directing the team in 1988 and 1989. During the latter years of the team, Laurent Jalabert
and Tony Rominger
were team leaders and earned success for the team.
, giving them a unique appearance in the peloton
during the 80s Tours de France.
The La Vie Claire jersey, originally designed by Benetton
, went through at least five major revisions between 1984-1988 as the team partnered different sponsors (Radar, Wonder, Toshiba, LOOK (and Red Zinger and Celestial Seasonings when racing on American soil)). The design (sleeves: yellow and grey; chest: pattern of rectangles in different sizes and colors) is considered one of the most memorable jerseys in cycling. In spring 2007, the clothing retailer Urban Outfitters
introduced a women's T-shirt design named "Floating Squares" nearly identical to the La Vie Claire jersey with the sponsors' logos removed. From 1987 Toshiba became the main sponsor of the team and from 1988 onwards La Vie Claire was no longer a sponsor. The jersey was redesigned in 1990. The Toshiba team continued until the end of the 1991 season.
La Vie Claire was among the first to use carbon fiber frames in the Tour de France
. The team switched in 1986 from their previous supplier, Hinault, to carbon fiber frames and forks by TVT. In 1989 the team rode a carbon-fiber frame/fork manufactured by LOOK and fitted with titanium components. In the same year, the team began to use heart rate monitors in training and racing, a technology that the traditional training culture in cycling at first resisted.
"a huge movement" towards doping began in Italy around the early 1990s. Many riders suddenly found themselves out of competition and a large number of riders unwilling to participate in "the doping culture" began to retire. LeMond said in 2001 that: "Every rider on La Vie Claire was clean; that was Paul Keochli's big deal to make sure he had a clean team." He added that his American and Canadian teammates, Andy Hampsten and Steve Bauer
, "made it through clean." Whether through coincidence or not, Paul Koechli and Steve Bauer drifted out of the sport, somewhat prematurely, around the same time that EPO began to be widely abused. Many think that it was due to their steadfast refusal to become complicit in the new "EPO
culture" which was establishing itself in professional cycling around this time.
and coach Paul Koechli asked him to slow down, saying Hinault, who had won four Tours and was going for his record-tying fifth (since eclipsed by Lance Armstrong
), was right behind. LeMond kept waiting until he realized he'd been tricked; Hinault was more than three minutes behind. Hinault went on to win that year's tour, and in return, LeMond was assured by Hinault that he would support LeMond the following year. In 1986, Hinault rode an aggressive race, which he insisted was to deter and demoralize their mutual rivals. He claimed his tactics were to wear down LeMond's (and his) opponents and that he knew that LeMond would win because of time losses earlier in the race. However, LeMond saw this as a betrayal and accused Hinault of reneging on his promise. In LeMond's words, "He totally tried screwing me. But I don't blame him." As the 1986 Tour wore on, loyalties among LeMond and Hinault's teammates split along national lines, with the Americans and British supporting LeMond and the French and Belgians backing Hinault. Andy Hampsten said of the 1986 Tour: "It was rotten being on the team... Steve Bauer and I had to chase down Hinault on the stage into St Etienne. That really sucked." The competition, abandoned promises, and high stakes in the LeMond-Hinault controversy makes it one of the most public and bitter rivalries between teammates in cycling history.
, "Once Was King: An interview with Greg LeMond"
http://www.roble.net/marquis/coaching/lemond98.html
(2) Andy Hampsten: The Interview
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=1202
(3) Inside Cycling with John Wilcockson: Hinault takes a big early lead in dramatic '85 Tour [filed Nov. 28, 2005]
http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/9206.0.html
Road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
team
Cycling team
A cycling team is a group of cyclists who join a team or are acquired and train together to compete in bicycle races whether recreational or professional - and the supporting personnel...
named after its chief sponsor La vie Claire
La Vie Claire (company)
La Vie Claire is a French chain of health product stores. It sponsored one of the strongest cycling teams of all time called La Vie Claire with Bernard Hinault. In 1980, it was bought by Bernard Tapie with a 200 millions francs turnover through 250 stores. In 1996, it generated only 10.6 millions...
, a chain of health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
food
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
stores
Retailing
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
.
History
The La Vie Claire team was created in 1984 by Bernard TapieBernard Tapie
Bernard Tapie is a French businessman, politician and occasional actor, singer, and TV host. He was Ministre de la Ville in the government of Pierre Bérégovoy, a businessman specializing in recovery for bankrupted companies, among which Adidas is the most famous ; and owner of sports teams...
and directed by Paul Koechli. The team included five-time Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
winner Bernard Hinault
Bernard Hinault
Bernard Hinault is a former French cyclist known for five victories in the Tour de France. He is one of only five cyclists to have won all three Grand Tours, and the only cyclist to have won each more than once. He won the Tour de France in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1985...
, and three-time winner, Greg LeMond
Greg LeMond
Gregory James LeMond is a former professional road bicycle racer from the United States and a three-time winner of the Tour de France. He was born in Lakewood, California and raised in Reno, Nevada....
, as well as Andrew Hampsten
Andrew Hampsten
Andrew Hampsten is an American former professional road bicycle racer who won the 1988 Giro d'Italia and the Alpe d'Huez stage of the 1992 Tour de France.-Career highlights:...
and the Canadian Steve Bauer
Steve Bauer
Steven Todd Bauer, MSM is a former professional road bicycle racer from Canada. He is an Olympic medallist and winner of several professional races.-Cycling career:...
. With Hinault winning the Tour in 1985
1985 Tour de France
The 1985 Tour de France was the 72nd Tour de France, taking place June 28 to July 21, 1985, over 4109 km in 22 stages and a prologue.Bernard Hinault would attempt to equal the records of Jacques Anquetil and Eddy Merckx who had each won the Tour de France five times. Hinault was unable to...
, and LeMond winning in 1986
1986 Tour de France
The 1986 Tour de France was the 73rd Tour de France, taking place July 4 to July 27, 1986. The total race distance was 4094 km, distributed over 23 stages and a prologue. It was won by Greg LeMond, the first American to win the Tour...
, plus winning the team trophy both years, La Vie Claire cemented their place in cycling team history.
The team formed after Bernard Hinault
Bernard Hinault
Bernard Hinault is a former French cyclist known for five victories in the Tour de France. He is one of only five cyclists to have won all three Grand Tours, and the only cyclist to have won each more than once. He won the Tour de France in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1985...
had a dispute with his former directeur sportif
Directeur sportif
A directeur sportif is a person directing a cycling team during a road bicycle racing event...
Cyrille Guimard
Cyrille Guimard
Cyrille Guimard is a French former professional road racing cyclist who became a directeur sportif and then a television commentator...
of Renault-Elf-Gitane
Renault-Elf-Gitane
Renault-Elf-Gitane was a French professional cycling team that existed from 1978 to 1985 and which cycled on and promoted Gitane racing bikes.-History:...
with whom Hinault had won four editions of the Tour de France. After Hinault's teammate Laurent Fignon
Laurent Fignon
Laurent Patrick Fignon was a French professional road bicycle racer. He won the Tour de France in 1983 and in 1984. He missed winning it a third time, in 1989, by 8 seconds, the closest margin ever to decide the tour. He also won the Giro d'Italia in 1989, after having been the runner-up in 1984,...
won the 1983 Tour de France
1983 Tour de France
The 1983 Tour de France was the 70th Tour de France, run from 1 to 22 July 1982 in 22 stages and a prologue, over a total distance of 3862 km., won by French rider Laurent Fignon. Sean Kelly of Ireland won the green jersey, and Lucien Van Impe of Belgium won the polka dot jersey...
while Hinault was injured, Fignon became the designated leader of the team. Hinault formed the La Vie Claire team with Tapie and Koechli and steadily built up his form. During the 1984 Tour de France
1984 Tour de France
The 1984 Tour de France was the 71st Tour de France, run over 4020.9 km in 23 stages and a prologue, from 29 June to 22 July 1984.French rider Laurent Fignon won his second consecutive Tour, beating former teammate Bernard Hinault by over 10 minutes. Hinault was pursuing his fifth Tour...
, the Renault-Elf-Gitane
Renault-Elf-Gitane
Renault-Elf-Gitane was a French professional cycling team that existed from 1978 to 1985 and which cycled on and promoted Gitane racing bikes.-History:...
dominated the race with 8 stage wins including the Team time trial
Team time trial
A team time trial is a road-based bicycle race in which teams of cyclists race against the clock .Teams start at equal intervals, usually two, three or four minutes apart...
as well as having the yellow jersey from the 5th stage onwards with Vincent Barteau
Vincent Barteau
Vincent Barteau is a former French road racing cyclist. He is best known for wearing the yellow jersey in the 1984 Tour de France and winning the stage on Bastille day in the 1989 Tour de France.- Palmarès :1984...
and Laurent Fignon
Laurent Fignon
Laurent Patrick Fignon was a French professional road bicycle racer. He won the Tour de France in 1983 and in 1984. He missed winning it a third time, in 1989, by 8 seconds, the closest margin ever to decide the tour. He also won the Giro d'Italia in 1989, after having been the runner-up in 1984,...
. Fignon won the Tour with over ten minutes on Hinault. In addition with World Champion Greg LeMond
Greg LeMond
Gregory James LeMond is a former professional road bicycle racer from the United States and a three-time winner of the Tour de France. He was born in Lakewood, California and raised in Reno, Nevada....
the Renault team also finished third overall in that Tour and LeMond won the Young rider's jersey. After this dominance by the Renault-Elf-Gitance team, Tapie and Hinault approached Greg LeMond after the 1984 Tour with a one-million dollar contract offer - the first in cycling history - to leave Renault-Elf-Gitane
Renault-Elf-Gitane
Renault-Elf-Gitane was a French professional cycling team that existed from 1978 to 1985 and which cycled on and promoted Gitane racing bikes.-History:...
and join Hinault at La Vie Claire. LeMond accepted, and forever changed the salary structure in bicycle racing. With Hinault and LeMond the team won the 1985
1985 Tour de France
The 1985 Tour de France was the 72nd Tour de France, taking place June 28 to July 21, 1985, over 4109 km in 22 stages and a prologue.Bernard Hinault would attempt to equal the records of Jacques Anquetil and Eddy Merckx who had each won the Tour de France five times. Hinault was unable to...
and the 1986 Tour de France
1986 Tour de France
The 1986 Tour de France was the 73rd Tour de France, taking place July 4 to July 27, 1986. The total race distance was 4094 km, distributed over 23 stages and a prologue. It was won by Greg LeMond, the first American to win the Tour...
. At the end of 1986, Hinault retired and in spring 1987 LeMond was injured in a hunting accident. Hampsten who had finished fourth in the 1986 Tour de France
1986 Tour de France
The 1986 Tour de France was the 73rd Tour de France, taking place July 4 to July 27, 1986. The total race distance was 4094 km, distributed over 23 stages and a prologue. It was won by Greg LeMond, the first American to win the Tour...
and best Young rider left the team at the end of 1987. Jean-François Bernard
Jean-François Bernard
Jean-François Bernard is a former French professional road bicycle racer. He turned professional in 1984 for La Vie Claire, led by Bernard Hinault...
was seen by some as a successor to Hinault in stage races and became the leader of the team. Bernard wore the maillot jaune and finished the 1987 Tour de France
1987 Tour de France
The 1987 Tour de France was the 74th Tour de France, taking place from July 1 to July 26, 1987. It consisted of 25 stages over 4231 km, ridden at an average speed of 36.645 km/h...
third overall and wore the maglia rosa
Maglia rosa
The pink jersey is awarded to the leader of the General Classification at the Giro d'Italia. The leader of the GC is the rider who has the fastest time when all the stage results are added together, taking into account time bonuses for high finishes and intermediate sprints...
in the 1988 Giro d'Italia
1988 Giro d'Italia
The 1988 Giro d'Italia was the 71st edition of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours.The Giro started off in Urbino on 23 May. The route included notable climbs such as the Passo di Gavia, the Campitello Matese, the Chiesa in Valmalenco, and the Passo san Marco...
but then never regained the form to perform in the grand tours for the team. The team itself was undergoing further changes - LeMond and Bauer left the team at the end of 1987 and Koechli and Tapie stopped directing the team in 1988 and 1989. During the latter years of the team, Laurent Jalabert
Laurent Jalabert
Laurent Jalabert is a French former professional road racing cyclist, from 1989 to 2002. Affectionately known as "Jaja" , he won many one-day and stage races and was ranked number 1 in the 1990s...
and Tony Rominger
Tony Rominger
Tony Rominger is a Swiss former professional road racing cyclist who won the Vuelta a España in 1992, 1993 and 1994 and the Giro d'Italia in 1995.He began cycling late, allegedly spurred by competition with his brother...
were team leaders and earned success for the team.
Jersey
The La Vie Claire colors (red, yellow, blue and gray) were based on the artwork of Piet MondrianPiet Mondrian
Pieter Cornelis "Piet" Mondriaan, after 1906 Mondrian , was a Dutch painter.He was an important contributor to the De Stijl art movement and group, which was founded by Theo van Doesburg. He evolved a non-representational form which he termed Neo-Plasticism...
, giving them a unique appearance in the peloton
Peloton
The peloton , field, bunch or pack is the large main group of riders in a road bicycle race. Riders in a group save energy by riding close near other riders...
during the 80s Tours de France.
The La Vie Claire jersey, originally designed by Benetton
Benetton Group
Benetton Group S.p.A. is a global luxury fashion brand, based in Treviso, Italy. The name comes from the Benetton family who founded the company in 1965. Benetton Group is listed in Milan....
, went through at least five major revisions between 1984-1988 as the team partnered different sponsors (Radar, Wonder, Toshiba, LOOK (and Red Zinger and Celestial Seasonings when racing on American soil)). The design (sleeves: yellow and grey; chest: pattern of rectangles in different sizes and colors) is considered one of the most memorable jerseys in cycling. In spring 2007, the clothing retailer Urban Outfitters
Urban Outfitters
Urban Outfitters, Inc. is a publicly traded American company that owns and operates five retail brands: Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, Terrain, and BHLDN....
introduced a women's T-shirt design named "Floating Squares" nearly identical to the La Vie Claire jersey with the sponsors' logos removed. From 1987 Toshiba became the main sponsor of the team and from 1988 onwards La Vie Claire was no longer a sponsor. The jersey was redesigned in 1990. The Toshiba team continued until the end of the 1991 season.
Technology
Also strongly associated with La Vie Claire was the French company LOOK, which made the first clipless pedals.La Vie Claire was among the first to use carbon fiber frames in the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
. The team switched in 1986 from their previous supplier, Hinault, to carbon fiber frames and forks by TVT. In 1989 the team rode a carbon-fiber frame/fork manufactured by LOOK and fitted with titanium components. In the same year, the team began to use heart rate monitors in training and racing, a technology that the traditional training culture in cycling at first resisted.
Was La Vie Claire clean?
La Vie Claire's victories came at a critical juncture in cycling. According to Greg LeMondGreg LeMond
Gregory James LeMond is a former professional road bicycle racer from the United States and a three-time winner of the Tour de France. He was born in Lakewood, California and raised in Reno, Nevada....
"a huge movement" towards doping began in Italy around the early 1990s. Many riders suddenly found themselves out of competition and a large number of riders unwilling to participate in "the doping culture" began to retire. LeMond said in 2001 that: "Every rider on La Vie Claire was clean; that was Paul Keochli's big deal to make sure he had a clean team." He added that his American and Canadian teammates, Andy Hampsten and Steve Bauer
Steve Bauer
Steven Todd Bauer, MSM is a former professional road bicycle racer from Canada. He is an Olympic medallist and winner of several professional races.-Cycling career:...
, "made it through clean." Whether through coincidence or not, Paul Koechli and Steve Bauer drifted out of the sport, somewhat prematurely, around the same time that EPO began to be widely abused. Many think that it was due to their steadfast refusal to become complicit in the new "EPO
Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin, or its alternatives erythropoetin or erthropoyetin or EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production...
culture" which was establishing itself in professional cycling around this time.
Intra-team rivalry
In the 1985 Tour, LeMond was far ahead of the pack when the team boss Bernard TapieBernard Tapie
Bernard Tapie is a French businessman, politician and occasional actor, singer, and TV host. He was Ministre de la Ville in the government of Pierre Bérégovoy, a businessman specializing in recovery for bankrupted companies, among which Adidas is the most famous ; and owner of sports teams...
and coach Paul Koechli asked him to slow down, saying Hinault, who had won four Tours and was going for his record-tying fifth (since eclipsed by Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
), was right behind. LeMond kept waiting until he realized he'd been tricked; Hinault was more than three minutes behind. Hinault went on to win that year's tour, and in return, LeMond was assured by Hinault that he would support LeMond the following year. In 1986, Hinault rode an aggressive race, which he insisted was to deter and demoralize their mutual rivals. He claimed his tactics were to wear down LeMond's (and his) opponents and that he knew that LeMond would win because of time losses earlier in the race. However, LeMond saw this as a betrayal and accused Hinault of reneging on his promise. In LeMond's words, "He totally tried screwing me. But I don't blame him." As the 1986 Tour wore on, loyalties among LeMond and Hinault's teammates split along national lines, with the Americans and British supporting LeMond and the French and Belgians backing Hinault. Andy Hampsten said of the 1986 Tour: "It was rotten being on the team... Steve Bauer and I had to chase down Hinault on the stage into St Etienne. That really sucked." The competition, abandoned promises, and high stakes in the LeMond-Hinault controversy makes it one of the most public and bitter rivalries between teammates in cycling history.
Sources
(1) Bryan MalessaBryan Malessa
Bryan Joachim Malessa is an American novelist. He is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley , and the Oscar Wilde Centre at Trinity College, Dublin...
, "Once Was King: An interview with Greg LeMond"
http://www.roble.net/marquis/coaching/lemond98.html
(2) Andy Hampsten: The Interview
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=1202
(3) Inside Cycling with John Wilcockson: Hinault takes a big early lead in dramatic '85 Tour [filed Nov. 28, 2005]
http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/9206.0.html