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
"Greg LeMond - America's greatest-ever cyclist..."
Nice. I believe I'll start using that one, too.
@Cinghiale
cause it's the truth.
Errr, Frank. The "Finish Line" photo that appears if you click on "1986 Milan San Remo" shows a picture from 1992 when Kelly was riding for Festina and won M-SR after catching Argentin on the descent of the Poggio. It was a much less dirty race than 86 hence the clean face.
Man, that is a great photo. Seeing Kelly coming up, that must be the worst sight, even for Lemond. This one must have been taken thirty seconds later, assuming Sean just f'ing steamed past the two of them.
@wiscot
Its the correct result, I can't really control what picture milansanremo.co.uk puts on there now, can I? The link is for the race, and has nothing to do with the joke. But since it allowed you to miss the point, I have removed the link before it happens to more people.
Boy, I'd hate to look back and see Kelly bearing down on me. Soul crushing.
@RedRanger
And definitely one of the nicest. Just think - the COTHO could have been that guy, but the dope's made him a humongous arsehole.
Man, I love the fact that GC men like LeMond and Fignon went out to win MSR in the '80s. Probably a lot of the reason I'd love to see Nibali pull off a win there.
@scaler911
Just ask Moreno Argentin (this is the 1992 San Remo finale @wiscot refers to). It's well worth watching the whole thing but the answer to your question starts unfolding at about 6:00 in.
@frank Sorry. Crappy day at work. Sense of humor lacking today.
@Gianni
Yeah, love this pic. LeMond looking at his legs and demanding more power and coming up with . . . zilch.
You know, I don't know if it's climate chance or what, but races are so much cleaner these days - in the non-doping sense that is. I think they're cleaner in the doping sense too.