Anatomy of a Photo: Allez le Douze

Davis Phinney crashes into a car during Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Photo: Graham Watson

A mechanical of any kind thrusts a professional cyclist into a kind of paradoxical isolation; swarmed by cars and motorcycles, yet they are often left alone to find their way back to the peloton by their own strength.

But this isn’t their first rodeo, and these aren’t cowboys. Put it in the Big Ring, set the lazy-lever to 12, put your head down, and get on with it. The downside is that when the legs are yelling “Allez le Douze”, the eyes have a tendency to check out the guns instead of paying attention to the direction of travel. A pity, that.

The irony that Davis Phinney’s isolation was ended by the rear glass of a car bearing the logo of a company called “Isoglass” is not lost on me.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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cantona says:

Sep 19 2011 at 2:41 pm

@frank

Thanks, Frank.
I used to live in Vancouver so I know the beauty of the Pacific Northwest very well -- can't wait for the trip. Thanks for your help -- don't make too much of an effort. I was just wondering if you knew of anything offhand.
Thanks again.
scaler911 says:

Sep 19 2011 at 3:36 pm

@cantona

@frank
Thanks, Frank.
I used to live in Vancouver so I know the beauty of the Pacific Northwest very well "” can't wait for the trip. Thanks for your help "” don't make too much of an effort. I was just wondering if you knew of anything offhand.
Thanks again.

Vancouver Canada, or Vantucky US of A? Just wonderin since I live in the latter.