Tour de France-Winning Cyclist Greg LeMond Receives Congressional Gold Medal

During a ceremony in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) called LeMond ‘a model of sportsmanship excellence and integrity.’

U.S. cyclist Greg LeMond after dropping out of the sixth stage of the 81st Tour de France cycling race, between Cherbourg and Rennes, France, on July 8, 1994. Pascal Pavani/AFP via Getty Images

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) awarded the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal to cycling legend Greg LeMond on July 9.

LeMond, 64, was the first American to win the Tour de France, taking the title in 1986, 1989, and 1990. He finished third in 1984 in his first Tour de France.

Lance Armstrong, another American who won the race seven consecutive times (1999 to 2005), was stripped of his titles in 2012 for having used performance-enhancing drugs.

During a ceremony in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol, Johnson called LeMond “a model of sportsmanship excellence and integrity.”

“The LeMond years stirred something deep in [the] American cycling community, and his improbable victory charted a path of future enthusiasts to grow and expand the sport,” Johnson said. “Greg personified the no-ego, never-quit spirit that distinguishes America’s great athletes.”

In 1980, at age 18, LeMond was the youngest cyclist ever to be selected for the U.S. Men’s Olympic Team.

But he did not get to compete because of the U.S. boycott of the Summer Olympics, held in Moscow following the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. That year, he was the first American to win a major European professional cycling event, the Circuit de la Sarthe.

LeMond experienced a setback in 1987, when he was accidentally shot with pellets while hunting. This took him out of the Tour de France for two years.

“We’re gathering to celebrate not just a champion of a sport, but a champion of perseverance, integrity, and the American spirit, really a modern-day sporting pioneer,” former Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ga.) said during the ceremony.

“He’s a symbol of what it means to rise, to get knocked down, oftentimes by life, and to rise again, stronger and stronger than ever.

“Greg, your victories have inspired millions, but your courage, especially after your accident, showed us all what true American grit really looks like.”

Congress voted in 2020 to give LeMond its highest civilian honor, but the COVID-19 pandemic put the ceremony on hold. President Donald Trump signed the measure that year to give him the award.

“Greg LeMond represents the best of American sportsmanship,” Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), who introduced the bill in 2019 to give LeMond the medal, said in a statement, calling him “one of [the United States’] greatest athletes.”

“Throughout his career, Greg repeatedly exemplified the principles of healthy competition, honesty, and selflessness, putting team success ahead of his own,” Thompson said. “In retirement, he’s dedicated his life to serving and supporting children, veterans, medical research, and other causes through his charitable work.”

During the ceremony, Thompson called LeMond “the greatest cyclist of the 21st century.”