Trek seeks to sever ties with cycling champ LeMond

The long-standing allegations of drug use that have sullied the world of professional bicycle racing have led to a public falling out between Tour de France winner Greg LeMond and Trek Bicycle Corp. over seven-time tour winner Lance Armstrong.

Both LeMond, a biking legend who lives in Medina, and Trek, a leading bicycle maker, have asked courts in Minnesota and Wisconsin to allow the two parties to determine if there has been a breach of agreement in their relationship, which principally includes the sale and marketing of a LeMond line of upper-end road bikes.

LeMond contends in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that the company is not doing its part to sell the $1,000 bike and wants an injunction to stop Trek from ending its sales relationship with him.

Trek asserts in its own lawsuit, filed Tuesday in federal court in Madison, Wis., that LeMond's words about Armstrong and performance-enhancing drugs are bad for its business. It wants to end its association with LeMond.

The language in the suits is anything but flattering.

Trek argues that some customers have been put off by LeMond's comments about Armstrong and other racers. According to its suit, one customer wrote to Trek in an e-mail: "Has Greg always been a sniveling, insecure jerk who needs to denigrate others' accomplishments in order to boost his own self-esteem?"

In a prepared statement, LeMond's attorneys fired back: "Mr. LeMond has been, and continues to be, an outspoken critic of doping in professional cycling, which should be consistent with what Trek touts as 'family values.'"

In a teleconference, Trek president John Burke said LeMond "made accusations that hurt retailers and hurt the company."

LeMond's lawsuit was filed in Hennepin County District Court and seeks to salvage a 13-year licensing agreement with Trek.

"Mr. LeMond is a worldwide leader in the anti-doping crusade," said attorney Christopher Madel of the Minneapolis firm Robins, Miller, Kaplan & Ciresi. "It's pretty clear Trek is upset with Greg LeMond's anti-doping stand."

"Trek's representatives have characterized Trek as 'in the middle' of an alleged dispute between Mr. LeMond and Mr. Armstrong that began in 2001," the LeMond suit adds. "Mr. Armstrong, perhaps in part due to his close association with individuals known to have used or supported the use of performance-enhancing drugs, has been under constant scrutiny regarding his own record with respect to the use of performance enhancing drugs."

LeMond was not available for comment.

Armstrong denies doping

In 2001, LeMond was quoted criticizing Armstrong's association with an Italian doctor who had been linked to the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Trek provides sponsorship in cycling events for Armstrong, who has long denied accusations of engaging in blood doping.

LeMond later apologized for those remarks, saying they were taken out of context. But in 2006 he alleged that Armstrong threatened him after LeMond agreed to testify in a legal dispute involving Armstrong. Armstrong said LeMond "is just not in check with reality."

In its lawsuit, Trek accuses LeMond of breach of contract and asked the court to terminate the deal, which goes until 2010.

Burke said Trek sells about 12,000 LeMond-style bikes a year, equal to about $15 million out of total company revenues of $700 million. According to the lawsuit, Trek has paid LeMond more than $5 million in royalties and fees since 1995.

In his suit, LeMond accuses Trek of failing to live up to terms of the licensing agreement, including promoting sales in countries where LeMond remains popular.

Trek officials said termination of their agreement with LeMond was a business decision about a product line that had "flattened out" and was not growing as fast as other lines of bikes. The LeMond brand grew from zero to $9 million in sales by 1998. By 2007, sales of the LeMond brand stood at $15 million, the company said.

But LeMond's attorneys view it as retaliation for LeMond's outspoken opposition to doping in events such as the Tour de France, which he won in 1986, 1989 and 1990. LeMond's suit said Trek officials tried to get him to restrain his comments about Armstrong.

David Phelps • 612-673-7269