On Tuesday, June 19, 2012 1:54:48 PM UTC-7, RicodJour wrote:
Damn it! Lemond was anemic - it was an iron shot! I don't remember if the lead shot was before or after.

R

Don't know if this is what you're asking ...

According to Samuel Abt's article "1989: Lemond's Comeback", Lemond started taking iron supplements in 1989 during the Giro D'Italia. His condition had so deteriorated prior that "his ADR teammates began criticizing him, even mocking him and his condition."

Lemond, quoted by Abt, stated his masseur noticed that Lemond's face was grey which Lemond then associated with an iron deficiency. Even when his riding improved Lemond was "still refusing to believe that the iron injections would make a permanent improvement."

The article is reprinted in Samuel Abt, __In High Gear__ (1990, 2nd edition, Bicycle Books, San Francisco), pp 190-191.