This is an I-Heart podcast.

This is Lee Habib, and this is Our American Stories, the show where America is the star

and the American people.

In July of 1986, Greg Lamont stunned the sporting world by becoming the first American to win

the Tour de France, the world's preeminent bicycle race, arguably the most grueling athletic

contest in the world.

After his comeback victory in 1989,

Lamont's celebrity reached heights no one thought possible for a cyclist.

He made the cover of Sports Illustrated and was named their sportsman of the year,

a first for any cyclist.

Let's take a listen to the story, starting with the man himself, Greg Lamont.

Our backyard was like the Alps.

I was wild and into the wild.

When I was eight years old, I discovered hiking, fishing, downhill skiing. Coaches said, you know, the best thing for skiing is cycling.

I got to get a bike.

Cycling was a counterculture sport.

I kind of tend to not do what everybody else is doing.

My dad bought one too.

So we started riding together.

There was magic to riding.

Even by the end of August we did a 100k ride and my dad and I got to talk and we were like best friends,

like teammates.

...