I’m not particularly fond of this photo, but it certainly tells you a thing or two about Le Blaireau. A man more comfortable speaking with his appendages than with words, he was patron of the last peloton that truly represented the working class sport that cycling originally was; one where riders escaped a tough life of manual labor and meager means by pursuing life on the bicycle (one of tough labor and meager means). The hardest man of a generation of hard men, the Badger was as cuddly as a fistful of rusty nails.
By my last count, there are more images on The Googles – both old and new – of Hinault assaulting people than there are of him riding a bike. A fiercely proud man, he once threw a young Phil Anderson’s bidon to the roadside after Phil deigned to offer it to him in a sporting gesture. In his first grand tour of his career, he lead a rider’s protest because they felt mistreated. A few years later, at the 1984 Paris-Nice, he beat up a guy (pictured) for leading a protest by shipyard workers who felt mistreated. He’s been tackling people ever since.
He was also, as most champions are, fiercely competitive. As team leader, he forced LeMan to wait for him in 1985 when he faltered and his young American teammate was up the road in the winning break, threatening to take the race lead. In return, he promised to work for Greg the following year. Then, in the 1986 Tour, when it suddenly appeared he might be strong enough to win for a record sixth time, he promised to work for LeMond so long as he beat him first. Not exactly a man of his word, then.
So here’s to Bernard Hinault, a fucking asshole. But an awesome asshole. And, while not pretty, lets remember that assholes perform a vital function.
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Epic.
Remember V. D'Onofrio's pet badger in The Salton Sea flick? It's name: Captain Stubing. :)
Now, I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that punch, but I think a cyclist that learned to kick properly could do a whole lot more damage than one that just punches.
Hey, look who's in the middle of that picture... it's Uncle Phil!
great one Frank.
whereas many think of most cyclists as pussies, one look at this foto reconciles that for many. and whereas I wouldn't necessarily advise many to do this, for the right asshole, it may just work out. It particularly did for me this past year, a young punkass took a swerve at me in his car head-on, i told him he was number one as he passed, and he turned around....yeah..great, i knew what was coming a quartermile away, as we are on a lonely country road in the middle of nowhere. I stopped and tossed my girl in the ditch pissed, he stopped, he's cussing, i leaned in the window and he was drunk...and yep-game on, we end up in the ditch duking it out. The best part is, at the end, we shook hands, he apologized, and i rode off 50k home.
not advised by any measure, and thats the only time I have done it, but some dumb assholes like me need a good scrap once in a while and at this pace I'll be ready for another when i am 80, otherwise if you nice like most its best to just ride on and let by-gones be by-gones.
The badger never learned that
Gives new meaning to his "and so the first pedal has been turned in anger" quote. God I love that guy's commentary...
I put this photo up on my faceplant account around 10 days ago to illustrate the point that not all cyclists are spaghetti-armed whimpets! One person thought the he was decking an old lady at first, which I have to admit, when I first saw this photo I also thought it was a woman that he was smacking-down!
btw, I LOVE this photo! Totally embodies The Badger: Intense, fierce, an asshole and no one to fuck with!
Hard for me to consider B.H. an a-hole. I think he just called what's what: cycling = alpha-male brawl on two wheels. Throw punches, keep the Yankee wanker kid under thumb, cut cruel deals, cage fight the whole sordid mess out to it's ugly fullest. It would be much easier for me to take today if the post-hardman generation had done likewise. If it's ugly, let it be so.
Everyone's too chicken these days... and out of that fear cop a pretentious douche-y feel.
His best look was after the crash in 85. Then he looked like a beaten prize fighter.
"As long as I have two arms and two legs, it will be difficult for the rest of them." - B. Hinault.
Arrogant poetry.
The Force has a "Dark side", which feeds off emotions such as anger, jealousy, fear, and hate...