The American dream comes in many forms, and for California-born Greg LeMond, it came in the shape of competitive cycling. “As an American, I believed that if I worked hard enough, anything was possible. So I set my dream of becoming the best cyclist in the world,” and that’s exactly what LeMond did. Despite European cyclists dominating the Tour de France in the 70s and 80s, LeMond wanted to do it the American way.

“I brought an American attitude to the world of cycling. I was open to new ideas, bringing innovation and technology to a very traditional sport, and that was a huge competitive advantage,” said the first American to win the cycling’s biggest race in 1986. He then scripted history two more times in 1989 and 1990. Now, nearly four decades after his first Tour victory, the Trump administration has honored the American cycling hero.

On Wednesday, the Wooster High alum received the Congressional Gold Medal. “It is the highest honor that we can bestow in this institution,” Republican U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said, as per 2 News Nevada. “The honor is more than I ever expected, and I accept it with deep gratitude and also with a profound sense of humility,” the Tour de France winner said during the moment five years in the making.

You see, awarding the three-time Tour winner the Congressional Gold Medal was Rep. Mike Thompson’s initiative. Five years ago, in November 2020, Thompson announced that the Senate had passed his bipartisan legislation to award a medal and awaited President Donald Trump’s approval. Although the POTUS did approve, things hit a roadblock thanks to COVID-19 restrictions.

Now, nearly five years later, the highest honor finally made its way to Greg LeMond’s hands. “Today isn’t just about reflecting on my own journey. It’s about honoring the people, places, and the moments that shaped it,” the American Sports icon said on Wedensday. “His victories put the United States on the world cycling map,” Rep. Thompson said back in 2020, and he wasn’t exaggerating.

The Tour de France winner’s iconic journey

Greg LeMond’s 1986, 1989, and 1990 wins didn’t just put American cycling on the map, but continue to hold relevance even today. Lance Armstrong later broke LeMond’s three-win record, with a monumental seven wins. Yet, his shocking doping violations, disqualification, and subsequent stripping of all seven titles mean today the Californian is the first and only American to win the Tour de France, and that too three times.

What’s even more impressive is the story of resilience that led Greg LeMond to his 1989 and 1990 titles. A year after winning his first Tour de France title, he suffered a broken wrist and collarbone, and while recovering from the injuries, he took a hunting trip. Unfortunately for the cyclist, that trip nearly turned fatal after he was accidentally shot.

As per 2 News Nevada, LeMond’s turkey hunting trip ended in the ICU, where doctors removed 40 shotgun pellets from his abdomen. Yet, just two years after suffering broken bones and nearly dying, LeMond was back in France to compete in the 2,000-mile race. And if you thought that winning the Tour was his only historic feat, then you’d be wrong.

At just 18 years old, Greg Lemond became the youngest athlete in history to make the U.S. men’s Olympic team. So it’s no wonder Rep. Mike Thompson took the initiative to honor a bona fide U.S. sporting legend. In fact, with the 2025 Tour underway, Thompson celebrated the occasion ahead of Wednesday with a special bike expo. “Greg LeMond isn’t just a world-class athlete — he’s an American icon,” added Thompson.