Bernard Hinault is a former bicyclist from France who is one of only four men to hold the record for number of Tour de France wins. He remains the only cyclist to have one each of the three Grand Tours (Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, Vuelta de Espana) more than once. Hinault is one of the most visible retired riders these days, as he works for the Tour de France organization and can often be seen helping award recipients on the podium after each day’s race.
Nicknamed “The Badger” for his clenched jaw and aggressive riding, Hinault won both the Tour de France and the Vuelta de Espana at the youthful age of 23. It is very rare to win two Grand Tours in the same year, as they take a huge toll on the body. For several years Hinault was on the same team as the American cyclist, Greg Lemond. The Badger is famous for incurring the wrath of Lemond fans because he agreed that if Lemond would help him to win the 1978 Tour de France, Hinault would help Lemond the following year. In fact, Hinault did not help Lemond, felt that he could win it himself, and took off alone in the mountains. When questioned by the media about his attitude, Hinault’s response was “I race to win, not to please people”.
In an era when cyclists were starting to be heavily tested for doping, Hinault never tested positive and was not accused of illegally enhancing his performances. As of 2014, Hinault is the last Frenchman to win the Tour de France.
To find the correct coordinates, find the information for the letters below:
N 44 AB.CDE
W 124 FG.HIJ
A = placing in the 1985 Tour de France
B = stage number that he won in the 1985 Tour de France
C = number of professional victories in 1987
D = number of times Hinault won the Giro d’Italia
E = number of times he won the World Road Cycling Championship
F = last digit of the year in which Hinault won the Tour de Romandie
G = number of times Hinault won the Tour de France
HI = Hinault turned 6 years old in the year 19__
J = Tour de France PLUS Vuelta de Espana wins
You can check your answers for this puzzle on GeoChecker.com.
Bibliography:
The Story of the Tour de France Volume 2: 1965 – 2007, by Bill and Carol McCann