Anatomy of a Photo: Col de la Croix de Fer

The Col de la Croix de Fer. Photo: Offisde/L'Equipe

Today’s stage of the Giro finished on a steep dirt road. But when we talk about dirt roads – even the ones in of the Strade Bianchi – we are still generally talking about well-maintained roads. Leafing through CycleSport this morning after the stage, I noticed this shot of the Croix de Fer.

Before jumping instinctively to your inevitable conclusion, have a look at the full-size shot. We’ve got it all: 16 kilo bikes, riders with tires tied round their shoulders, big rings, loose chains, primitive derailleurs, and thick, sloppy mud. It looks like the road was cleared the day prior by a bulldozer with a bent blade and one track.

I rode the Croix for the first time in the late eighties; they’d just rerouted the road to roll along a reservoir about halfway up (coming from the Bourg d’Oisan side) and even with beautiful fresh pavement, I arrived at the top a few centimeters shorter.

This photo makes me die a little bit.

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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View Comments

Pedale.Forchetta says:

May 22 2011 at 1:02 pm

Luison Bobet and Gino Bartali!
il ciclista medio says:

May 22 2011 at 4:26 pm

Just a great photo frank. Makes me feel kinda insignificant.
brett says:

May 22 2011 at 4:37 pm

Looks like Bartali's bike doesn't even have a "primitive derailleur"!
Collin says:

May 22 2011 at 5:35 pm

I wonder if ever we can claim a current rider to be a "hard man" when you see what the races used to be. We are all so coddled and well-lubed. Perhaps modern riders simply suffer faster? Of course, you can only race as hard as the current conditions will allow. If the climbs are paved? Well you ride on pavement. The topic requires further meditation.
sprider says:

May 22 2011 at 6:15 pm

That's what inspires me! Nobody ever told these guys to HTFU!
frank says:

May 22 2011 at 10:10 pm

@brett
Sharp eye, Brett! Is that a fender on Bobet's front fork? I bet he had his bidons on his bars in those empty cages, but moved them into his jersey so he could climb. He probably taught Anquetil that trick.

I also note with satisfaction that there are no shirtless dudes, no one wearing a the slingshot, and no one in sumo wrestler suits along the roadside. Aside from the mud, that photo is refreshing on several levels.
frank says:

May 22 2011 at 10:20 pm

@Collin

I wonder if ever we can claim a current rider to be a "hard man" when you see what the races used to be. We are all so coddled and well-lubed. Perhaps modern riders simply suffer faster? Of course, you can only race as hard as the current conditions will allow. If the climbs are paved? Well you ride on pavement. The topic requires further meditation.

It does require further meditation. I think on some levels there were many more hardships for the riders than there are today. But they also didn't have the pressure they have now.

They are better trained, better "prepared", better supported. But suffering is suffering. Riding at your limit is riding at your limit. But they used to suffer for longer, and that's a difficult thing. Hm. More mediation required, indeed.
Oli says:

May 23 2011 at 3:49 am

brett:
Looks like Bartali's bike doesn't even have a "primitive derailleur"!

Bartali's running a Vittoria Margherita derailleur system.
razmaspaz says:

May 23 2011 at 6:48 am

frank:
But they used to suffer for longer, and that's a difficult thing. Hm. More mediation required, indeed.

I don't know, yesterday's stage looked like a lot of suffering for a long long time. That was a lot of climbing.

I think my balls shrunk a little bit watching Anton while he channeled testosterone from anywhere he could get it on those last 3k.
GottaRideToday says:

May 23 2011 at 9:05 am

@frank
Pressure?? The only pressure I feel is getting all of my "yard work" chores done in time so I can go riding when the weather is nice. Too often that means getting the weed eating and grass mowed while the sun is shining, and then going off to ride with the thunderstorm looming on the horizon. Of course I have a day job so when I do race its for a pair of socks or something.