• American cyclist Greg LeMond announced he has been diagnosed with leukemia.
  • Fortunately, the cancer was diagnosed early and his prognosis is good.
  • The three-time Tour de France winner assures fans that LeMond Bikes, his company, will not be impacted by his treatments.

Late last week, American cycling legend Greg LeMond announced that he’d been diagnosed with leukemia, though he added that his prognosis was good. In his statement, posted on Team-Lemond.com, he explained that he’d been diagnosed with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, a type of cancer that’s typically not life-threatening.

The two-time World Champion, three-time Tour de France winner, and founder of LeMond Bikes explained that he’d been suffering from extreme fatigue for a few weeks before going in for a check-up. "Following a series of tests and a bone marrow biopsy, which was completed last week, I received my formal diagnosis last Friday,” he wrote. He’ll begin chemo this week, working with doctors at the University of Tennessee as well as consulting with experts at the Mayo Clinic.

For those new to cycling, LeMond may not be a name that you remember, since he retired in 1996 before starting his bike company. But the man is a living legend, not only due to his many, many wins but because of his unique style and willingness to experiment on the bike.

In 1989, he brought aerobars to road racing during a time trial stage of the Tour. Until then, aerobars were only used by triathletes, but LeMond proved how valuable they could be for road racers as well. He was also one of the first proponents of carbon fiber frames, which are ubiquitous today. And he also made headlines when he was seriously injured in a hunting accident—shot by his brother-in-law—in 1987, but he recovered quickly from that and returned to the pro peloton shortly after.

The type of cancer LeMond has—Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia—is typically found in older men, and is a slow-progressing cancer. It’s an uncommon type of leukemia, according to the Mayo Clinic, and it’s caused by a gene mutation that affects the bone marrow. The chronic stage is the easiest to treat, typically via targeted drug therapies and chemotherapy.

“No one ever wants to hear the word cancer but, admittedly, there is great relief, now, to know why I was feeling poorly,” LeMond added. "I have been told that in a few months, I should be in remission. The long-term prognosis is very favorable.”

He added that his diagnosis and treatment would not disrupt any progress LeMond Bikes is making. “We have a great team at LeMond Bicycles who are being updated about my medical condition as we prepare this statement, and I am confident our work and plans for the near future will not be disrupted in anyway,” he wrote. “I will continue to participate in and support our plans for the summer months ahead.”

The only change, he noted, is that he won’t be able to spectate at the Tour de France this year… Though he’s already making plans for returning in 2023.

The staff at Bicycling are wishing him a speedy recovery—if there’s any man who knows how to get through a tough time with extreme efficiency and dedication, it’s LeMond.