Anatomy of a Photo: It’s All About the Shoes

Chucky Mottet wins the '86 Eddy Merckx Grand Prix. Photo: Winners & Champions, V5

It’s been said before, but it bears repeating: the shoes say an awful lot about the rider. More than they’d like them to in retrospect, I’m guessing. Here we have the Prophet, looking mighty dapper, congratulating the unexpected victor in the form of Charley Mottet in the Grand Prix of his own name.

A first glance at the photo reveals a few gems: we witness the first hints of the death of the Cycling Cap at the hands of one of the worst examples of a “baseball cap” in existence. We also have a Kwantum rider whom I suspect had a time of it getting comfortable on his TT bike with that rod shoved up his ass. Whatever works, although that’s more Rule #5 than I’m equipped to deal with in a productive way. The rider who got third, whom I’m assuming is Italian based on his kit and impeccable style, is the only magnificent example of a cyclist in the photo. Aside from Merckx, obviously.

And the shoes. Again I point to the Italian with my “that’s how you do it” finger, and give a brisk wag of the “oh no you di-int” thumb at the other two. Loafers for Kwantum and a pair of what-the-fucks for Chuck. Not good.

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

Oli says:

Jun 17 2011 at 3:33 pm

I hope you mean that it smells great!
xyxax says:

Jun 17 2011 at 4:32 pm

Italian (team) style with a Velominati name-check in the comments over at BRR.
RedRanger says:

Jun 17 2011 at 4:44 pm

@frank

@Beppe, @mcsqueak

Italians just know what they are doing when it comes to cycling, clothes, cars, art, food etc.

@Beppe
You forgot coffee. Er I mean espresso.

...and wine, relaxing, living, throwing a classy hissy fit, wacking people...they pretty much have it covered on all angles.

Spent 6 months in Sicily last year. Let's just say I have a different take on it. And the beer is rubish. But they got cycling on lock.
RedRanger says:

Jun 17 2011 at 4:52 pm

I think we need a rule on cycling caps on the podium. If I ever start racing it's strictly cycling caps for me.
mouse says:

Jun 17 2011 at 5:43 pm

@frank

Mottet was one of my favorites for ever. I spent about three years riding like him dropping my shoulders straight down to the bars with every stroke. My brother called him Chuck Flop because of that. Didn't matter to me, he was my hero, thus I was going to imitate him 100%.

+1 to that.

He was my hero about that time as well. The absolute flat back and the power that emanates from the photos I would find in Winning magazine were the images that drove me to push harder in my training and racing.
frank says:

Jun 17 2011 at 6:42 pm

@mouse
That picture is pure, 100%, unadulterated class, right there. A+1. Winning Mag was a work of art. The large format, the pictures...amazing. Kick's Velosnooze's ass. Shame it didn't last. Gianni lent me his Winning books, though, which is where the main pic was pinched from. Awesome stuff.
il ciclista medio says:

Jun 17 2011 at 9:21 pm

Nice little post frank.

Trying to figure out if the Prophet is smiling for the photo or at Mottet's get up or both? He does seem to be eyeballing the cap.

Worre - "You're not fucking serious are you? Those white WTF's and that cap? Come on...."

@mouse
great photo as well
Nate says:

Jun 17 2011 at 10:35 pm

@RedRanger
You'll find extensive discussion of this topic in the archives.
mcsqueak says:

Jun 17 2011 at 10:42 pm

@RedRanger

Yeah there has been discussion about that in the past. Not only is a BASEBALL cap horribly out of place, nothing looks worse than a pan-flat bill. Ugh.
Markp says:

Jun 18 2011 at 12:46 am

@Pedale.Forchetta - 2nd Place to Nico Emonds (BEL). Got to love that Colnago!