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Sad News: Fignon is fighting Cancer 
PostPosted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 1:35 pm Reply with quote
tosterbe
Joined: 27 Dec 2007
Posts: 31
I saw this article and wanted to pass it along.

http://velonews.com/article/93220/fignon-facing-cancer-fight
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Too bad... 
PostPosted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 6:55 pm Reply with quote
verktyg
Joined: 14 Jan 2007
Posts: 2814
Location: SF Bay Area
That's bad news to hear. Cancer in the pancreas is frequently fatal.

This is a good reason for getting a colonoscopy examination when you turn 40 and every 5 or 10 years afterwards.

Chas.
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:39 pm Reply with quote
nicolas
Joined: 13 Mar 2006
Posts: 543
Location: Paris, France
We lost my father in law last year due to that illness...in a matter of a few months.

I'm in a shock...don't know what to say.

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 12:33 am Reply with quote
Wisey
Joined: 19 May 2009
Posts: 631
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Best wishes Laurent. Fight the good fight.
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 3:20 am Reply with quote
nicolas
Joined: 13 Mar 2006
Posts: 543
Location: Paris, France
Don't want sound un-sensitive, but that question haunts me :

If someone told you that there's a 100% chance that your cancer is a consequence of doping...was it worth it ???

I'd like to hear him speak about that...that might change a few people's minds and make a difference. I hope we get something like that from his book.

There was a rumour about the title of the book and the fact that it was dealing with doping, I was very surprised given that Fignon had not talked about it that much...now it all makes sense.

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 4:37 am Reply with quote
sandranian
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Location: Southern California
Let's not jump to conclusions regarding the whole "doping" thing. Until one of us reads his book and knows just what he took, any speculation about doping as a cause is premature. Also, I would point out that the stuff these guys were taking back then wasn't nearly as "sophisticated" and possibly deadly as the stuff that is available to athletes today.

Fignon has always been my favorite rider. I am sad to hear that he has been so afflicted.

******************************


Fignon suffering from cancer

Cycling legend Laurent Fignon made public the news that he is suffering from an advanced form of intestinal cancer on Thursday. The Frenchman who won the Tour de France twice, and had the dubious honour of being the rider to finish second to Greg LeMond in the closest Tour in history in 1989, has already begun treatment for the disease .

"I am undergoing chemotherapy already and have been for 15 days," he said in a radio interview with the Europe 1 show "7 à 8". "I did the second session a few days ago. Things are going pretty well, I feel good. Right now, I don’t know more than you. Everything is going well."

"They've detected cancer in my digestive tract, but it's not clear where exactly. It is bad news," said Fignon, 48.

"My cancer is an advanced cancer, and since it has already spread, it is almost certainly involving the pancreas. Therefore I do not know how long I have to live. One cannot say what will happen, but I am optimistic. I'm going to fight, and I will succeed in winning this fight."

Fignon's diagnosis comes on the eve of the release of his book, "Nous étions jeunes et insouciants" (We were young and carefree) in which he reveals the use of performance-enhancing drugs during his career. He admitted to taking amphetamines and cortisone, but said that his cancer was not caused by his past doping.

"I candidly explained (to my doctors) what I had done in my career, and they said it can not be that. It would be too simple."

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 1:37 pm Reply with quote
Wisey
Joined: 19 May 2009
Posts: 631
Location: Brisbane, Australia
nicolas wrote:
If someone told you that there's a 100% chance that your cancer is a consequence of doping...was it worth it ???


In addition, you must factor in that the person making this decision is a 22 year old kid who is being told by his director, team-mates, and team doctor that it really isn't cheating if we stay below the legal limit, and giving them no information on possible long term health risks. These kids are far too inexperienced to be making balanced decisions that may affect the rest of their lives. Having said that, we let them drink, drive, fight wars and vote....... My point still stands.
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 1:23 am Reply with quote
Gtane
Joined: 14 Sep 2007
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Location: UK
All good wishes to 'Le Professeur' and his family.

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'Le Professeur' 
PostPosted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 10:34 am Reply with quote
verktyg
Joined: 14 Jan 2007
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Location: SF Bay Area
'Le Professeur' brought a sense of excitement and light heartedness to professional cycling with his looks and attitude.

Chas.
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 10:46 pm Reply with quote
nicolas
Joined: 13 Mar 2006
Posts: 543
Location: Paris, France
Update :

Laurent Fignon's book was not available yesterday but it's a matter of days.

He was interviewed on sunday evening :

http://sport.france2.fr/stade2/?date=2009/06/14&id_article=1349

Mr Fignon says that his book was finished before he was diagnosed with cancer. He also says that he had a great life and he is not afraid of death, which pretty much answers my question.

I'm looking forward to this book and will try and give you updates...

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PostPosted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 12:19 am Reply with quote
Wisey
Joined: 19 May 2009
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Location: Brisbane, Australia
Does he have a family?
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 12:30 am Reply with quote
nicolas
Joined: 13 Mar 2006
Posts: 543
Location: Paris, France
Not sure.

He's been married more than once and I'm pretty sure he had at least one kid with his first wife...but I can't confirm.

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PostPosted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:38 am Reply with quote
sandranian
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Joined: 27 Feb 2006
Posts: 2701
Location: Southern California
Just received a response from the Fignon training center:

************************************
Bonjour,

Laurent est très touché par vos différents messages.

Merci pour votre soutien...

Amicalement,

Alain LAGUERRE
Directeur du Centre Laurent FIGNON

----- Original Message -----
From: sandranian
To: contact@centrelaurentfignon.com
Sent: Friday, June 12, 2009 2:44 PM
Subject: Best Wishes from GitaneUSA.com


Best wishes to a full and speedy recovery, Laurent!

From all of your fans at GitaneUSA.com

www.GitaneUSA.com

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PostPosted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:35 am Reply with quote
Gtane
Joined: 14 Sep 2007
Posts: 681
Location: UK
Stephan,

That's a really nice touch. Thank you for the contact on our behalf and the publication of your correspondence.

Tim

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PostPosted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 8:55 pm Reply with quote
nicolas
Joined: 13 Mar 2006
Posts: 543
Location: Paris, France
Thanks Stephan for doing this...

I began reading Mr Fignon's book last night and here's what i learnt so far :

Chapter 1 is called "8 secondes" so you all guess what it's about. Laurent Fignon is clearly still bitter about this one, in short. What's disappointing is that, like Hinault when he speaks in a book, he focuses on how LeMond abused him rather than on the mistakes he made...doesn't question himself that much. And I understand why : both riders lost because they were natural born attackers but beating LeMond required a more subtle approach...anyway :
-LeMond is a sucker (litterally "suceur de roues"), never attacks and lets other people do the job (I reckon there is some truth there but the big picture isn't quite this)
-LeMond cheated with the aero bars that were not allowed
-Guimard & Fignon were offered the same aero bars by their supplier before the tour and ruled out using them because 1/They hadn't properly tested them and 2/(he insists on that) it was against the rules and they always went by the rules, which is a little funny coming from the team who invented the "appui-lombaires" in 1986 and winning the Tour prologue with it and coming from a rider who will later confess he was using dope at the time.
-Fignon thinks he missed 2 opportunities : attacking too late in l'alpe d'huez (but he was "cooked") and not trying to escape in the aix les bains stage where he felt great, but was confident 50 seconds were enough.

He never mentions that he probably got hurt because he attacked too much and went beyond his possibilities...

Fignon says that, in the end, LeMond would never have won if it weren't for the aero bars. It's probably true when you look at the figures, but it's the same with Delgado losing 7 minutes in the first 3 stages of the race : if that had not uccured, the tactics would definitely not have been the same...and then who knows ?

Fignon then focuses on the aftermath and you can't help but feel sorry for him...going to criteriums with LeMond in yellow, kids shouting jokes about 8 seconds...

Chapter 2 is about his childhood : started bike at 16 and winning his first race...

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Sad News: Fignon is fighting Cancer 
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