ANDY HAMPSTEN'S GIRO-WINNING LAND SHARK BUILT "HUFFY" FEATURED ON CYCLINGNEWS.COM

Our friends at Cyclingnews.com recently caught up with Andy Hampsten, the only American rider to win the Giro d'Italia, and talked about the bike he rode to that historic victory in 1988.

It's ironic that the most famous Land Shark ever built, and arguably one of the most famous race bikes from any US builder, doesn't even have Land Shark decals.

Cyclingnews.com explains: "Though it wore the red, green and white livery and labels of official team sponsor Huffy, Hampsten's bike was actually a custom-made rig crafted to his specifications by famed US builder John Slawta of Land Shark after a team-issued frame broke beneath him earlier that spring at Fleche-Wallone."

The Huffy-stickered Land Shark looks dated compared to Land Shark's cutting-edge ProCarbon, but Slawta has been known to make replicas of the 7-Eleven team bike using modern tubing and geometry.

Hampsten recounts details about the bike, his epic snowy ride up the Gavia Pass that clinched his overall Giro victory, and his days racing for 7 Eleven, in the full interview. Read the whole thing (and check out more images) at Cyclingnews.com