Anatomy of a Photo: Full Gas

This qualifies.

We are just about done with our next book, The Hardmen. At its core is the question: how hard is hard enough when it comes to effort.

None of us really know the answer, but when you can’t stand up after winning a Tour de France stage, even with the help of several adoring fans and staff members, you got pretty close.

Chapeau, monsieur Millar.

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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Ccos says:

Nov 17 2016 at 2:27 pm

@Buck Rogers

@Haldy

I”m going to suggest when they have to give you oxygen and cart you off in an ambulance..you went hard enough…

First thing that I thought of when I saw the subject matter. Just look at the ashen skin tone and the 1,000 kilometer stare. Roche is fucking COOKED here.

AND he still managed to be witty when he was asked if he was ok: "yes, but I am not ready for a woman straight away."
wiscot says:

Nov 17 2016 at 4:21 pm

@JohnB

I listened to Graeme Obree talk to a group of us on Tuesday. 2 things really stuck out that illustrate his mindset when training or going for a main event.

When he failed to get the outright world hour record that first time he was not content with the sea level record so he went again. His mindset was that we was willing to die to give his all. He reckoned that in order to go as hard as you can you must be willing to blow the engine. He says he was never the best rider, he was just willing to dig deeper than the other guy.

When training and welded to his turbo set up he said he would go as hard as he could for 18 minutes. The difference and again being willing to blow the engine, was being able to give absolutely everything humanely possible in that last 2 minutes to 20. It wasn’t the hard 18 minutes that made the difference it was the final 2 beyond that.

A Legend of a Hardman, I hope he’s in your next book @frank. If not, he should be.

I raced against Graeme regularly in the 80s. Toughest rider there ever was - and truly one of the nicest guys. Always had a kind word for his competitors. A legend in his own time.

What was the occasion you met him at?
Oli says:

Nov 17 2016 at 5:52 pm

@Teocalli

Haha!
Cary says:

Nov 17 2016 at 7:31 pm

one of the coolest things about this post is the very first sentence! i cannot wait. TAKE MY MONEY NOW
JohnB says:

Nov 17 2016 at 9:24 pm

@wiscot

Graeme was keynote speaker at day 2 of the grandly titled International Cyclefit Symposium in Manchester. The theme was The Intelligence of Fit.

It was a truly international bunch, some giants of bike fitting there. I think they see themselves as the Keepers of Bikefit.
KogaLover says:

Nov 18 2016 at 12:08 am

@Haldy

Also for consideration…..Sir Chris Hoy used to do efforts so hard on his trainer…he’d collapse on a mat next to it right after the effAort is over. Think about that next time you are suffering on a trainer….

Alas, next to my turbo there's the snow thrower or another couple of bikes and skis. I cannot afford the luxury of dropping off the trainer and take a nap.
RobSandy says:

Nov 18 2016 at 3:13 am

@KogaLover

@Haldy

Also for consideration…..Sir Chris Hoy used to do efforts so hard on his trainer…he’d collapse on a mat next to it right after the effAort is over. Think about that next time you are suffering on a trainer….

Alas, next to my turbo there’s the snow thrower or another couple of bikes and skis. I cannot afford the luxury of dropping off the trainer and take a nap.

That's a great pic. I did a 2x8 minute FTP test on Wednesday, and was close to collapse at the end of the 2nd effort. But the easiest thing is to slump on the bars and spin your legs in some manner until you're ready to not die.

I like to think I can hurt myself pretty well but I can't imagine the effort required to actually collapse like Millar in the lead picture.
Mikael Liddy says:

Nov 18 2016 at 5:02 am

@Cary

one of the coolest things about this post is the very first sentence! i cannot wait. TAKE MY MONEY NOW

they will, but it will be eons before the product arrives...
KogaLover says:

Nov 18 2016 at 7:18 am

@Cary

one of the coolest things about this post is the very first sentence! i cannot wait. TAKE MY MONEY NOW

Available on Amazon on pre-order The Hardmen
Teocalli says:

Nov 18 2016 at 7:39 am

@KogaLover

@Cary

one of the coolest things about this post is the very first sentence! i cannot wait. TAKE MY MONEY NOW

Available on Amazon on pre-order The Hardmen

Lunch is June/July according to the session in London.