Categories: Anatomy of a Photo

Anatomy of a Photo: Depletion

One eye open and dreaming; were the building on fire, I suspect this shell of a man could hardly be bothered to move from his bench.

As a Cyclist, the enormous weight of the total exhaustion felt by LeMond at this moment fills my spirit with equal measures of dread and envy.

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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frank says:

Feb 18 2012 at 9:29 am

@ChrisO

@roche kelly

Rockin on RockShox!

I'm sure I've seen this photo before and it's been discussed here but I've only just noticed the bars.
What's the deal with the drop extensions coming in like that - I can't imagine how you would actually use them or what they add, apart from an extra few grams.

WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THE EXTENSIONS? WHAT'S WITH THE EXTENSIONS? THEY ARE FOR KICKING ASS, OBVIOUSLY.

Their awesomeness was outmatched only by their flexiness. LeMond later rode a set with a connector and stabilizers. (Look closely at the pic - LeMond is in the bunch behind Pharmy and you can see the sticks going from the bars to the fork.)

They were for tucking in low and aero, and were road-race legal at the time. I had a set, with the same tape and with the Scott stickers. I looked and felt like I was the proper business.
frank says:

Feb 18 2012 at 9:40 am

@roche kelly

@ChrisO
This photo is the whole package of 'good stuff' Chris! Scott bars I don't/ didn't get either, maybe aero tuck pre Cinelli Spinachi's? Only other reason apart from that is being a good place to put the SCOTT sticker so it was photographed.
Steel framed bike Columbus tubing with LeMond stickers & paint job. Giro Air Attack Helmet,Time Equipe pedals, Campy Record C gruppo & rims , steel TA bottle cages,old school Oakley's. The shoes were probably custom made as Greg was supposed to have different sized feet. The shoe stickers say Brancale, but when you saw his shoes up close looked like they were custom & not like anything on sale back then. 3rd rider back in the photo ( light green Tulip top) is Adri Van der Poel, this guy was a neat classics rider in the 80"²s & 90"²s

YES YES YES!! There is something about that era that I just love so Merckxdamn much.

@Roadslave

@Gianni
Give him a couple of years... But Sagan? Geraint Thomas? I'm secretly hoping there'll be a renaissance in pros trying to do more, and becoming less specialised... I remember hearing The Prophet speak (at the Maglia Rosa / Rouleur dinner last year) where he talked about how he managed his weight through the year to optimise his performance... adding +2kg for cobbled classics (of muscle), then -4kg (i.e. 2kg less than 'normal weight) for Grand Tours so could fly in the mountains and take the distances... Very matter of fact, but Inspiring stuff... For him, cycling was his office, and you went to work all year round

Top drawer, Roadie! I hadn't heard that - amazing. Perhaps people are so weight obsessed now that they can't manage that kind of drop?

Another interesting bit I read somewhere was him describing his geometry, which is known for being super stable. He was completely focussed on maximizing his advantage, so he knew he'd always get out-climbed by les grimeur and so his geometry was all about being able to out-descend. Stable at high speed so he could kamakazi down the mountain after the mountain goats. Worked out well for him on several occasions.
BrianG says:

Feb 18 2012 at 10:22 am

Little late to the party, but this photo speaks to me of utter satisfaction and accomplishment. Exhaustion, yes, but moreso I see LeMan saying to himself "that was badass".

Who hasn't completely shelled themselves on an especially tough ride and felt a feeling of satisfaction in the job they had just done?
Pedale.Forchetta says:

Feb 18 2012 at 10:54 am

We are all human.
scaler911 says:

Feb 18 2012 at 11:57 am

Ottavio: Casual, deliberate, wrecked;
frank says:

Feb 18 2012 at 1:01 pm

@Pedale.Forchetta

We are all human.

"I've always tried to be an honest sportsman." Doping has been here a long time, but in those days, no drug could turn a mule into a thoroughbred like they do now.

@scaler911
Not a handsome fellow, was he?
Oli says:

Feb 18 2012 at 1:05 pm

@JC Belgium
Yes, although it was the kidney he was punched in.

And good point about Eric Leman! He had some pretty good palmares, including three Ronde van Vlaanderen...
Pedale.Forchetta says:

Feb 18 2012 at 2:23 pm

@frank My bad, I just wanted to point out that even Eddy Mercx can cry...
Pedale.Forchetta says:

Feb 18 2012 at 2:24 pm

...Merckx...
silkrider says:

Feb 18 2012 at 3:17 pm

There is something amazing about the preternatural ability to push yourself waaaaaaay past any point of normal physical exertion, so when you are done, it feels your whole existence is hanging by a very tenuous thread. It hurts, but there is that rush of going past the edge and making back. That picture is powerful. Looking at the picture of complete and utter exhaustion, I almost feel exhausted myself.