Ronan Pensec (1986)

The 73rd edition of the Tour de France saw entry of the very first American team, 7-Eleven Hoonved, with a roster culled from the cream of contemporary North American talent - excepting, of course, eventual Tour winner Greg Lemond, climbing specialist Andy Hampsten, and Canadian Steve Bauer, all of whom happened to ride for powerhouse La Vie Claire that year which as a team would lay claim to four of the top ten Tour placings including first, second, fourth, and seventh. 1986 would also prove to be the last year for team Peugeot-Shell before it morphed ever so briefly into Z-Peugeot, and their top finisher in the Tour was Ronan Pensec seen here competing in stage 23 (Cosne-sur-Loire - Paris Champs-Élysées) on the final day of the 1986 Tour de France. Pensec would finish at sixth place in the general classification, 25 minutes and 59 seconds back of Lemond.