And Hinault was, he was so physically capable I think that early on in his career, you know he realized he could win big races and he was quite aggressive.
And Hinault allegedly promised him that he would help him the following year which was Hinault's final tour in '86.
Whereas Hinault is very cold and coarse and short.
But Hinault is the person that really seems to fascinate people.
Barack Obama and hinau are having um their their Summit in Washington and
" So with Hinault this kind of stuck.
And that sums up Hinault to a T. He grew into that nickname, and it caught on.
Such a contrast to Hinault.
And I think Hinault kind of on some level realized that.
I think if Hinault can rationalize that, I think that's probably what he did.
And it's interesting cause Hinault retired, I'm sorry, Merckx retired in 78', the year that Hinault won his first Tour de France.
But he's kind of softened to Hinault over the years.
Because I think he understands now why Hinault did it.
The previous year in 85', Hinault had won his fifth tour.
He was this kinda young prodigy who wasn't streetwise in the way that Hinault was, he was just hugely, hugely talented.
He's become more, because Hinault you know did subject him to a very horrendous experience during that tour.
I don't think, I think for Hinault to have been seen to be just basically riding in the service of LeMond I think it would've damaged Hinault 's legacy.
Daniel: So you've written a book called "Slaying the Badger." Now "the badger" is Bernard Hinault.
"Let's get this done, let's just do it." Hinault was the same right?
But of course as the '86 tour approaches, people are starting to question whether Hinault will honor the pledge.
It was, we thought this guy is the new Merckx or Hinault or somebody, he's just so so talented.
And there was the Anquetil era, followed by the Merckx era followed almost directly afterward by the Hinault era.
And in the dead of night, after the Germans had done their stories for the next day Hinault orchestrated this exit which didn't go down very well for journalists.
And LeMond probably had his chance to win that tourney, he held back on team orders in order to help Hinault.
And as it began, and as it went into its first week and then hit the tourneys, it became very very obvious to everybody, especially LeMond that Hinault was not going to help
Daniel: Two very contrasting characters, but you had two very contrasting experiences of Etienne, talk a little bit about them >>Richard: Yeah, I mean Hinault.
And I went into LeMond, you know the book is, it's funny because the book is about LeMond and Hinault.
Richard: I think the self-doubt thing, it can be the difference between you know you start with Ullrich and Armstrong's, or any, LeMond Hinault.
And he should be, we should be talking about Contador had things panned out differently in the same tones that we talk about Merckx and Armstrong and Hinault, greatest stage