It’s a classic tactic. The day’s break is caught and before anyone has time to decide what to do about it, you counter-attack. Already tired from chasing the break, maybe – just maybe – the suckers you tricked into pulling for you will let you get away.
That was Beccia’s plan in the 1986 Milan-San Remo. He attacked right as the break was caught on the Poggio and Greg LeMond – America’s greatest-ever cyclist – went with him. The Poggio’s big-ring gradient must have suited LeMond’s powerful style perfectly and riding with the weaker Beccia, he must have felt almost assured of notching what would be the first American win in a monument.
A quick check over the shoulder to make sure no man is bridging up. Sure enough; no man is coming, but that doesn’t mean you’re not being overtaken. That’s Sean Kelly – half man, half bear, and half pig – doing his best to crack his bottom bracket on his one-race-per-frame Vitus.
That’s three big rings and three hard men, but only one has managed to scare the mud off his forehead. Spoiler alert: the finish line photo shows Kelly with spotlessly clean face.
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
View Comments
BTW just kidding I like Cuddles, though I was like Marcus said (ashes in my mouth) I was more ambivalent towards him before he started his worlds/Giro et al purple patch. The only thing I can recall before that was feeling sorry for him in GTs being with Lotto. (See content of above video not related to dogs)
@lonewheel No, he didn't ride a different one every race. But he sure killed a few every season...
@lonewheel
No it's not a fact, but he did break a lot in a year, I heard him talking them up only this year commentating on MSR, saying what he rode was every bit as light in the 80's with ali frames and titanium hubs etc. The days when you couldn't buy what eeh pro's rode at your LBS. The man's a legend, my no 2 ride is 979, I only ride it in full KAS regalia, signed by the man himself, breaks all sorts of rules but as a Tipp man it feels good (yes I know he was from Waterford).
Lots of talk here about Kelly being the undoubted hardman that he was/is. Lots of chatter doing he rounds about Wiggo's meticulously planned training schedule. I'm a big fan of being well-rounded and well-read. Here's a link to one of the most incredible athletes of all time; Emil Zatopek. Not a cyclist, but a name all should know. His training regimen beggars belief. Add to his success his amazingly personality and strength of character, and it's well worth couple of minutes of our time. It's from the Guardian and the rest of the articles in the series are a joy to read too.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/jun/22/50-olympic-stunning-moments-emil-zatopek?INTCMP=SRCH
@frank Sorry for the delayed reply... the current round of allegations against Armstrong and Bruyneel seem like bullshit to me. Armstrong was tested over 300 times as a professional and never came up hot. Now, more than two years after his last test as a pro cyclist (he is still being tested as a Triathlete- once again, no positives) he is under investigation. Based on what? The allegations of riders that were not and never will be as good as him. I agree that this is like Lebron James vs. Michael Jordan, BUT I think anyone who claims to definitively know that Armstrong was a doper is full of shit.
My mate and Cycling Sensei has had the pleasure of being chased by Sean Kelly (two years ago on the Etape Hibernia when King Kelly acknowledged his effort for bridging a gap and taking Mr Kelly with him!) and riding the Poggio, but unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on what way you look at it) not a combination of the two. He did have me chasing him up the Poggio, which I imagine doesn't have quite the same effect.....
Great section of road - you can really feel the history!
@Ali McKee I think that's one of the things that keeps me a Kelly fan is that he is still so involved on a grassroots level. This isn't case of showing up for the occasional Gran Fondo, but it seems like he rides these events very regularly. He truly loves riding the bike and staying involved. I mean, how many folks can say they shot some hoops with Jordan, or played a round with Tiger? Damn few.
While I'm at it, another great thing about our sport, as Ali suggests, is our ability to ride the very same roads as our heroes. We can have that connection and, if we're lucky, ride beside one. How many folks can say they hit some fly balls at Yankee Stadium or drove at Indy? There a certain disconnect there that doesn't apply to us.
Thanks guys. Interesting. I used to ride one of those 979's myself (complete with Mavic assembly as close to Kelly's as I could afford), and even as a 60KG mountain climbing junior, I could make the thing flex like a noodle. I upgrade to a custom Reynolds 753 and never looked back!
@wiscot
Totally agree with you on both points. And by all accounts he doesn't just turn up and roll along easy. Apparently the pace at the Etape that year was tasty and Kelly was right in the middle of it for the majority of the ride. Legend!
What amazed me on the Cipressa and the Poggio was the atmosphere I felt riding up them.
It should be some sort of Velominati challenge to rank the top ten sections of road on the pro circuit and then ride as many as possible in a year or two. Not easy for our American brothers mind you!