Paris Winner Interview: The Tour de France didn’t end in Paris this 12 months (2024), however the Olympic Video games highway races do. We glance again to 1987 with Ed Hood. Jeff Pierce is one in all solely two US riders to have gained the ultimate stage of the Tour de France on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. The opposite is Greg LeMond who gained in 1989, Pierce took his victory two years beforehand, simply forward of Canada’s Steve Bauer.
“I’m by no means happier than after I’m writing.”
~ Ed Hood, as spoken to Martin Williamson from the passenger seat, driving alongside a stage route on the Tour de France.
Expensive Readers – Our beloved colleague and good friend Ed Hood suffered a critical stroke in February. We don’t anticipate Ed will make it again into our bunch, so we’ve began a GoFundMe web page to assist Ed along with his future. Learn the total submit right here – and please take into account donating.
** Click on this hyperlink to donate to the GoFundMe web page to assist Ed **
We’ll be posting a choice of Ed’s work from the previous 16 years, as a result of nice story-telling by no means will get outdated.
Jeff Pierce? Isn’t he that dude from the 7-Eleven group who gained the final stage of the Tour de France again within the 80’s? That’s the man! However there’s somewhat bit extra to the person than that in a profession which lasted some 22 years. . .
PEZ: Your first worldwide experience was within the robust novice ‘Milk Race,’ Tour of Britain in 1980?
Jeff Pierce: Yeah, my first time on a aircraft, too! Eddy Borysewicz our Nationwide Coach noticed us off on the airport and mentioned to me; ‘you skinny man, should make high 20 end otherwise you off group!’ The race was completely brutal with the Russians unbelievably good, they only smashed everybody, a complete means of attrition. The Russians have been first, second, third, fourth and sixth on last GC while I completed thirty seventh @ 1 hour 6 minutes, however remained on the nationwide group.
PEZ: You have been third general within the Coors Basic in 1984 however is it truthful to say your ‘breakthrough’ experience got here within the ’85 Coors while you gained that mountain stage?
I feel so, Stage 10, Vail to Copper Mountain over Battle Mountain, Tennessee Go and Fremont Go which was at 11,316 ft above sea degree. I bought away with the Colombian guys Cabrera and Lopez on the primary climb then dropped them on the final climb – not a nasty outcome for a ‘crit man’ from Detroit! Sure, a giant breakthrough.
1996 – His last season
PEZ: And also you gained the Tour of Berlin that 12 months too?
Sure, that was a ‘preparation’ race for the US Milk Race group – I keep in mind circuit races and many cobbles. Within the Milk Race that 12 months, I bought on the rostrum twice with a second and third place on phases; and Roy Knickman took the jersey for a brief spell, which was a giant deal for us. Sadly, 4 of our group had crashed out so it was troublesome to defend; I keep in mind on one stage, when Roy was within the break, the group supervisor saying to me; ‘it’s a must to block for Roy.’ In order that was what I used to be doing, then he comes again to me and says; ‘OK, now I would like you to get throughout to the break to assist him!’
The ultimate stage of the 1987 Tour de France
PEZ: Professional with Schwinn for 1986 however you rode the Tour de France for 7-Eleven?
With Schwinn I wasn’t technically a professional, it was a sort of midway home and so they let me away to experience the Tour with 7-Eleven. We have been truly meant to experience the Vuelta that 12 months – it was within the spring again then – however one thing occurred on the worldwide stage that was going to fire up lots of anti-American feeling. We have been on the airport, able to fly to Spain after we acquired the decision from Jim Ochowicz that we weren’t going, it might have been too harmful.
PEZ: The US home scene to le Grande Boucle, that’s fairly a soar?
We’d all had some massive outcomes on the home scene, 85/86 however we didn’t know a lot in regards to the Continental scene. We have been fairly good riders and eager to see how we’d measure up towards the Europeans. It was completely brutal – after week one we have been in ‘survival mode’ however that mentioned, for guys who’d by no means ridden a 3 week tour, 5 of us bought to the end, Alex Stieda had the yellow jersey and Davis Phinney gained a stage so we placed on a reasonably good displaying.
7-Eleven group of 1987
PEZ: Milan-Sanremo in 1987?
I keep in mind Etienne, our soigneur telling us that the Classics have been ‘no joke’ – he was proper and that was one fairly lengthy ass race! The Italian type of racing took a little bit of getting used to, they’d simply roll alongside for the primary 4 hours then the final couple of hours can be ‘full gasoline’ at 110% – the Italians didn’t like if you happen to attacked early. Bob Roll and I used to go from the gun and so they’d should chase, that actually upset them, they’d be yelling at us however Bob and I had a lot enjoyable. . .
The Tour win in Paris
PEZ: ‘That’ Tour, ’87. . .
It was ‘survival’ once more; however Davis gained the Bordeaux stage and Dag Otto Lauritzen gained the stage to Luz Ardiden. On the ultimate stage we had the inexperienced caps as greatest group on factors and wished to hold on to them; we have been driving for Ron Kiefel, our greatest sprinter and making an attempt to set it up for him. With a few laps to go, two guys took off, bought a spot and I went with them, guys got here throughout and with a lap to bought there have been perhaps 12/13 of us away and I felt it may ‘stick’ – I used to be a climber however I may dash a bit and thought I may beat a lot of the others and a high 10 on the ultimate stage can be cool. Somebody attacked on the descent of the Champs, the remaining hesitated; I slammed it into my largest gear and went with him. It was a superb place to go as a result of the break was considering we’d be caught and the peloton eased somewhat as a result of they thought the catch was made. Steve Bauer was within the break and he noticed what was occurring and got here after me however burned all his gasoline to stand up to me and I knew I needed to have that final little little bit of vitality to outlive – which I clearly did. It wasn’t till a number of years after after I watched a video of the end that I realised how cunning Bauer was – after I regarded over my left shoulder he went proper after which after I regarded over my left shoulder he went proper! However like I mentioned he had nothing left as soon as he bought to me.
PEZ: And also you have been on the legendary Hampsten 1988 Giro successful 7-Eleven group; how was the Gavia for you?
We’re nonetheless the one US group to win the Giro – we went in very properly ready and Andy was in nice form. I’m from Michigan so I’m used to snow however that day the descent off the Gavia it wasn’t like a highway, it was like a toboggan run. Inside quarter-hour, I couldn’t really feel my legs from the thighs down and keep in mind considering; ‘how am I pedalling?’ My brakes didn’t work and I couldn’t see – there are sections I’ve no reminiscence of. The subsequent factor I used to be in a trailer on the end having dry garments placed on me and consuming scorching tea and whisky – it was surreal.
PEZ: Giro, Suisse Tour and Tour de France in 1988, that’s fairly a workload.
And the Coors Basic too, I feel I raced one thing like 80 out of 100 days in that a part of the ’88 season.
PEZ: Inform us about your 1989 Tour of the Basque Nation stage win.
That was a enjoyable day, there was a break of perhaps 20 away with me, Ron Kiefel and Andy Hampsten – Ron attacked, they introduced him again then it was Andy’s flip, he got here again and I went. There have been two Spanish guys with me and I may see them speaking and slicing a deal, they didn’t know me and I acted like I used to be empty. On the end, the one man lead out the opposite, I sat on and went straight previous – they shouldn’t have beneath estimated me!
7-Eleven 1988 group
PEZ: The ’90 Giro was your final Grand Tour?
Yeah, I used to be all the way down to experience the Tour as a result of Davis Phinney was ready on Connie giving delivery to Taylor. However she gave delivery earlier than the Tour and Davis flew out so the 1990 Giro was my final Grand Tour of seven.
PEZ: Again racing within the US for 1991?
There have been plans for a US 7-Eleven group which might additionally race in Europe however that fell by means of and 7-Eleven grew to become Motorola – time to maneuver on. . .
Chevrolet-LA Sheriffs
There was a man beginning a brand new group, Chevrolet-LA Sheriffs and I joined up. The primary 12 months wasn’t nice however 12 months two we had the likes of Malcolm Elliott on board and we went on to be the dominant group within the USA. We had the bases coated, if it was a subject dash we had Malcolm and if not then we all the time had playing cards to play. The group lasted six years with ’96 my final 12 months.
PEZ: You have been 1995 US Madison Champion with Steve Hegg?
I grew up on the monitor and was making an attempt to make the Olympic group, ‘Mission 96’ for the factors race, it was a two day trial, we gained the madison however I did not make the group – it was a superb run although, a 22 12 months profession on the bike.
PEZ: Civilian life?
I retired on the finish of ’96 and went again to my home and boat in San Diego and January 2nd ’97 I moved to a job in publishing in New York – Bicycling journal and Rolling Stone. The I labored with GT bikes in sports activities advertising and marketing, BMX and MTB however then they mentioned; ‘we’d prefer to put our highway bikes within the Tour de France – this 12 months!’ This was in April so clearly all of the groups have their bike offers in place. However we heard that Lotto didn’t have a fantastic take care of ALAN, we met with them and hammered out a deal. I delivered them three days earlier than the beginning of the Tour; there was lots of resistance from the riders however I assured them they’d love the machines and certain sufficient, they began coming to me and thanking me, saying the bikes have been stiff and super-responsive. Then I labored with US Biking and employed Jim Miller who took over after I left to go to T-Cell. I used to be with them for 15 years on gross sales and advertising and marketing and when Jim left US Biking I got here again. I like it, it’s by no means straightforward nevertheless it’s my ardour; ultimately you simply should do your greatest.
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