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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View Comments

Brent says:

Nov 16 2016 at 10:10 pm

Sent you an email, and this is not related to this post, but when is the gear getting shipped? Still says September/October.
Brent says:

Nov 16 2016 at 10:12 pm

Ok, August/September.
Haldy says:

Nov 16 2016 at 10:39 pm

I"m going to suggest when they have to give you oxygen and cart you off in an ambulance..you went hard enough...
Buck Rogers says:

Nov 16 2016 at 10:54 pm

@Brent

Ok, August/September.

Ya, but is that 2015 or 2016 (maybe 2017)??? (wink)
Buck Rogers says:

Nov 16 2016 at 10:56 pm

@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.
Cary says:

Nov 16 2016 at 10:59 pm

@Haldy

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

Roche! nice memory. i think Phil Liggett was in similar oxygen debt at the conclusion of this stage to La Plagne. i remember similar Liggett histrionics when Sean Kelly hunted down Moreno Argentin descending the Poggio in '92.
Buck Rogers says:

Nov 17 2016 at 1:07 am

@Cary

Such a famous stage. Just HAVE to love Auntie Phil!
Cary says:

Nov 17 2016 at 1:26 am

dude i love Phil Liggett. in the age before cable TV and the internet, Phil was THE voice of european cycling to us statesiders. it is upon these scribes of myth: Liggett, Leth, Abt, etc, that the very legends of the Velominati were built. one who never had cycled could get a vague idea of the intensity of what they were watching by just listening to Liggett. if not for he and those like him, how would an average viewer have any idea what's really going on? you only have an idea of the OPERA of suffering and torment housed in a rider like Fignon, Criquelion, or Mottet, if you've ridden before yourself. i had never turned a pedal in competition, and the hair on my arms stood up listening to Liggett describe Robert Millar chasing down Hinault on the Peyresourde descent in '86. i said DAMN. that's what i've been looking for!
Teocalli says:

Nov 17 2016 at 1:41 am

Or just loosing........
davidlhill says:

Nov 17 2016 at 2:12 am

@Buck Rogers

@Brent

Ok, August/September.

Ya, but is that 2015 or 2016 (maybe 2017)??? (wink)

I'm just hoping (against hope, naturally) that the winter gear I ordered in the height of summer will arrive before winter is out. [sigh.]