AFP - Two-time Tour de France winner Laurent Fignon has died aged 50 following a battle with cancer, France 2 television reported on Tuesday.

The French rider won the Tour de France in 1983 and 1984, and was runner-up in 1989 when he lost by just eight seconds, the smallest margin in the history of the race, to American Greg LeMond.

Fignon achieved 76 victories during his career.

His first victory in the world's most famous cycling race in 1983 was helped by the fall of the yellow jersey rider Pascal Simon, but he showed this win was no fluke by going on to win five stages and the race the following year.

He showed his skill in all categories - the classics and the road races - winning the prestigious Milan-Sanremo twice before finally winning the Tour of Italy in 1989, five years after finishing runner-up.

A consultant with French Televisions he was present at the Tour de France in 2009 and 2010 despite the treatment he was undergoing for his illness.