The closest Tour de France ever

07/25/19 • 8 min

In 1989, American Greg Lemond won the Tour de France by just eight seconds – the narrowest margin in the 100-year history of the race. Lemond took victory by beating local hero Laurent Fignon in the final time trial on the Champs-Elysees. Greg Lemond talks to Ashley Byrne. The programme is a Made-In-Manchester Production.

PHOTO: Greg Lemond during the 1989 Tour (Getty Images)

PHOTO: Greg Lemond during the 1989 Tour (Getty Images)

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The football war

The World Cup qualifiers that preceded a brief but bloody conflict between El Salvador and Honduras in the summer of 1969. The war between the Central American neighbours was over land rights and a long-running border dispute. Mike Lanchin has been hearing from the former captain of the Salvadorean football team, Salvador Mariona.

Photo: Salvador Mariona shows a picture of the El Salvador national team during the World Cup Mexico 1970 (MARVIN RECINOS/AFP/Getty Images)

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Football glory unites Iraq

In 2007, the Iraqi football team sparked wild celebrations throughout the country after winning the Asian Cup in a tense final against Saudi Arabia in Jakarta. The Iraqi players were semi-professionals who were forced to prepare the tournament in Jordan because of a security crisis at home that was claiming tens of thousands of lives every year. Their shock semi-final victory over South Korea was marred by a suicide-bomb attack on celebrating supporters in Baghdad which kills dozens. Steve Hankey talks to Iraqi defender, Haider Hassan, and football journalist, Rafeq Alokaby. The programme is a Whistledown Production.

PHOTO: Iraqi captain, Younis Mohmoud, celebrates (AFP/Getty Images)