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Last updated at 4:35 AM, Tue, 31 Aug
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Death of a cycling legend
Fignon won the gruelling event twice
One of France’s best-known and most colourful sportsmen has died at the aged of 50 from cancer.
Laurent Fignon won the Tour de France twice, in 1983 and 1984, and was also just eight seconds behind the winner in 2009.
In latter years a popular TV broadcaster on the race, Fignon wrote a lively autobiography called ‘We were young and carefree’ in which he admitted taking amphetamines and using cortisone injections in his career.
Fignon broadcast on this year’s Tour despite his illness.
‘He was an exceptional champion,’ said sports minister Rama Yade after the cyclist’s death in Paris was announced on Tuesday.