Anatomy of a Photo: And He Parted The Waters

De Vlaeminck parts the waters in the Trouée d'Arenberg.

No double wraps of bar tape. No arm warmers or bandages for an injured left arm; just some wrappings borrowed from an Egyptian mummy he sent back to the underworld earlier in the morning. Nothing special for Roger on a typical race day in Hell. Just unmeasurably enormous helpings of Rule #5.

The most remarkable thing about this photo? He did that to the water before he rode through it.

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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Mikel Pearce says:

Nov 7 2011 at 9:15 am

Note also that he is not actually sitting on the seat. And that it doesn't seem to matter to him in th slightest.
Nate says:

Nov 7 2011 at 9:18 am

@Noel
Search the archives for "microtex" (as in Fizik Microtex, a preferred brand of tape) and you will find ample discussion of wrapping technique.

@Mikel Pearce
Don't think it would work too well for bike or undercarriage to sit heavy on the saddle on stones like those!
Ron says:

Nov 7 2011 at 9:19 am

Looks like Cuntador will be dancing the Macarena for awhile...
http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/11/news/alberto-contador-marries-macarena-pescador_197152
Gianni says:

Nov 7 2011 at 9:43 am

Great shot. He jumped the puddle because the front edge is untouched. Maybe the rear wheel caught the puddle as he landed. Even the wheels look a little out of tracking alignment like he just landed his bike, all at 40km/hr, head up, looking up the road. No gloves either? Oh they were tough buggahs back then. We so need a nasty wet Spring Classic season in 2012.
paolo says:

Nov 7 2011 at 9:55 am

@Ron

Looks like Cuntador will be dancing the Macarena for awhile...http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/11/news/alberto-contador-marries-macarena-pescador_197152

The joke works much better if you say "Contador will be doing the macarena for a while"
Cyclops says:

Nov 7 2011 at 10:08 am

@Noel

Okay, this doesn't really pertain to this awesome photo, but can anyone direct me to some good tutorials on how to wrap bars in some manner other than the crappy one I use? I've only done it a half dozen times or so and have yet to be successful. Fully rule compliant except for this (is A+ bar tape even a rule?). Frank, maybe you could film a tutorial? You certainly seem to be a master at it.

Click Here

It takes a few seconds for the video to load so be patient.
Souleur says:

Nov 7 2011 at 10:38 am

hmmm...why one arm warmer??

love the pic, he is definitely in the zone and couldn't care less what the Norde throws his way, he's above it.

but why one arm warmer?? any hints?
brett says:

Nov 7 2011 at 10:41 am

@Gianni

Great shot. He jumped the puddle because the front edge is untouched. Maybe the rear wheel caught the puddle as he landed. Even the wheels look a little out of tracking alignment like he just landed his bike, all at 40km/hr, head up, looking up the road.

And in the drops...
itburns says:

Nov 7 2011 at 10:55 am

@Souleur
I assumed the "mummy" commentary was actually about his right arm - that it was injured and started out wrapped in bandages but by this point the bandages were long gone.
Souleur says:

Nov 7 2011 at 11:14 am

@itburns: thanks!

I assumed it was wool, one down, one up, and he didn't care. but that just takes this one more V deeper in that he is riding w/bandages!

man...