HISTORIC CYCLING EVENT VIDEO RELEASE

GREG LEMOND AT 18 LEARNING FAST ON A 125-METER INDOOR TRACK

Michael Aisner (former director of the Coors Classic, and its predecessor, the Red Zinger Classic) sent me this video release recently. It was an amazing thing to have in Denver in 1979 inside the Coliseum where the annual stock show is held. It is cool that I figured a lot of you would love this.

Here’s the link to the 42-minute video entitled: "HIGHLIGHTS! Historic '79 Indoor Cycling Classic -- Recipe for Disaster?. It is narrated by none other than Phil Liggett!

Forty-five years after the International Indoor Cycling Classic aired as the first cycling event ever broadcast on the then brand new all-sports cable channel ESPN, new technology has allowed a restoration of the original 1979 broadcast.  The legacy 40-minute select highlights is introduced by veteran cycling commentator Phil Liggett. The program features a rare glimpse into the emergence of one of cycling's greatest racers, Greg LeMond who at just 18 competed having never ridden the indoor tiny arena-sized track before, considered one of the most challenging cycling disciplines. And dangerous.

Greg Lemond, a junior at the time, trying track racing for his first time—with seasoned track riders on a tiny, 125-meter track (half the length of today’s standard velodromes)!

The two-day Denver event was a co-promotion of the biggest stage race in America, the Red Zinger Bicycle Classic with owners of the smallest cycling track in the country, Madison Velodromes from Detroit.  The event was prompted by the Zinger promoter's interest in providing more exposure for its rising road stars to capitalize on the growing popularity of cycling in Colorado.  The answer was to take it indoor, off-season, for a winter competition they placed on a portable track built into the Denver Coliseum.  

Three semi-loads of 14,000 nails and bolts, and three houses worth of marine-grade plywood arrived in November, 1979 for a two-day small board track competition, reminiscent of the hey day of six-day racing so popular, not only in Europe but at the turn of the century in America.  

The Madison velodrome, designed by Dale Hughes, wedged itself into a sports arena, just the size of a football field but by cycling standards was the smallest ever created as just a 125-meter oval.  Average velodrome distances are at least twice as long.  Racers on the tiny Madison board track go from 20° straight-aways to 50° banking at the turns, attaining disorienting G-Forces of two and a half times their body weight, every four seconds, while elbow to elbow in a pack of cyclists.

The IICC Denver event had several historic milestones for the sport, as the first cycling and first rights fee the channel ever paid for a non-league broadcast.  The event’s unusual roster makeup had a twist, the meeting of seasoned track pros like multi-time US Madison track champions Roger Young and Danny van Haute with far less experienced road racers on a tricky, demanding small track.  

Zinger promoters wanted to showcase the 1979 Red Zinger Classic winner Dale Stetina and the brand new Junior World Road Champion, Greg LeMond.  While Stetina and a few other road racers like young Tom Schuler had a little race time on this track, LeMond was just returning with his gold medal from the Junior Worlds in Argentina, and had never ridden on a 125-meter small track before, no less in any head-to-head track competition.  

Compounding the challenge for road racers too was the equipment.  Unlike 12-plus gears on free-wheel road bikes, track bikes are direct-drive, only one gear and no brakes.  

Video producer Michael Aisner noted that the film restoration process had to wait four decades until software existed that could revive the footage from its original low-grade 1979 video.  “Although this event was chocked full of action, no one would have watched it in its original condition,” Aisner said.  “Using new AI technology we can now enjoy this insane action, plus get a total insight into the early ingredients of the fortitude of what made Greg LeMond the GOAT he became.” 

The racing featured seven two-man teams with Roger Young, Danny van Haute, Greg LeMond, Mike Moale, Les Barczewski, Bobby Allen, David Steed, Wolf & Christoph Meingast from Austria, Ian “the General” Jackson from Australia, Tom Schuler, Dale and Joel Stetina, and Jon Lee.

To promote the event Greg LeMond, Dale Stetina, Ian Jackson and Tom Schuler joined announcer Dave Chauner for a competitive stationary roller race event at half-time of a Denver Nuggets NBA game.