Anatomy of a Photo: Just Go Faster
This photo of Phil Anderson’s genuine surprise at the gap between himself and the guy who won at losing reminds me of a story my dad tells of a crewmate from his boat at Laga. My dad was the stroke in a boatful of guys who went on to the compete in several World Championships and the Olympics, some of whom actually won medals there.
Two of the guys even became World Champion in the double one year, winning the race by a few boat lengths. During his post-race interview, one of the two was asked what the secret was to their dominating win. In all seriousness, he responded as follows:
For an important race like this, I’m a little surprised the other guys didn’t pull on the oars harder.
I loves me a good, Stead Up with More Speed Paradox.
Note: Phil didn’t jettison his bidon prior to the sprint. A subtle way of saying, “Kept my bidon for the sprint. What would you expect? I’m Phil Anderson. I am pure awesomeness personified. I mean, look at my hair. Seriously.”
There are times when your best is not enough to be considered your best.
Is it right to even celebrate when one wins by that much? He seems to be wondering if he should be elated or not. Also, does anyone else see hints of PhilGil in Anderson here? Not the hair, obviously, but the combination of face and utter dominance?
I guess the point being that it’s better to lose with no doubt that you gave it your all than to have doubts. Love that sentiment.
I think he’s already done the celebrating. His arms are actually on the way down to the bars and he’ll be looking forward in the next frame! Talking of frames – check the size of the oakley’s in proportion to the head gear. Maybe its the mullet, but fuck it, V-power!!!!!
A win is a win by any amount. Hence, some kind of acknowledgment is necessary – if not for the rider himself, then for the crowd and the sponsor. Rolling over the line without and kind of sit up really cheats the sponsor of the pr they crave and pay for.
Most riders get so few wins in their careers, that a win is truly cause for celebration. I like Cuddles, but find his victory “salute” rather lame. I’m not expecting massive chest-thumping exuberance (or pretend gun-firing (Bettini), or arrow-shooting (Flecha), or giving whomever the vicky (Cav)), but frankly his “salute” is barely more than a glorified royal wave. Amongst current riders, Gilbert has a class salute – not too much, not too little, just right.
By the way, who’s finishing 2nd to Big Phil in the picture? Look at he size of that frame with extended head tube!
Best of all, Phil’s on a Zullo frame. No one nicer to get a steel frame from than Tiziano. Dodgy hat, tho
I love that he has just won the stage and all he wants to see is how much he just spanked those guys. I know for some riders to win by a second was enough but for those riders who wanted to really win, to dominate, to break their opponents there is a special place in my heart for them.
Interesting photo, no doubt.
Surprised, after so much preparation, so much pain, so much suffering, and to be PRO…and surprised is a real paradox. I suppose we all know where we rank, I for one am second to piss ant, but to be PRO at any level yeilds a ‘chance’ that one day your on. This was his day, and he is surprised, yet shouldn’t be to such a degree as to ‘not believe’. Don’t look back man, your PRO afterall, nail it to the line, and never…never look back. Ride like you either stole it or they are taking you to jail.
@wiscot
That’s Remig Stumpf of Toshiba. This was Anderson’s stage 2 win into Liverpool in the 1989 Kellog’s Tour of Britain.
Always liked Phil. Check out the cap backwards over the sausage helmet! Awesome. And rocking monster Oakleys. Pony tail flapping in the breeze. He got it done.
@wiscot
Unless my research skills have failed me and as long as it’s the middle of the night in the antipodes where someone knows the answer off the top of his head, I believe Phil has just won stage 2 of the 1989 Tour of Britain over Remig Stumpf.
@Oli , @wiscot
What a relief, apparently I was right.
@Oli
I’ve got an idea for the site. It’s called “Stump Oli”. We submit photos of obscure pro races from antiquity and Oli figures out the Who, Where, When. Somebody stumps him and Frank sends them a sticker (probably should check with Frank first. Ha!).
@scaler911
Nipple lube.
Why does Phil’s cycling cap have a chin strap and where are his ears?
@Nate
And amazingly, even though I’m also now Down Under, I was in Liverpool city centre that day watching after a day at Uni.
Phil was, and still looks, mighty on a bike.
1989 had to be one of Phils best years. Sure, no Yellow Jerseys, but no illusions of grandeur, either. Just raced like a badass. To @Steampunk‘s point, a lot like Gobbles this year, except Gobbles won nearly every monument.
But scanning through the book that I shot that pic out of (WInning’s Legends of Cycling 1989 – I’ll get the full title later today) has him ripping it up all year long.
I hope the bottom one is the same race as the main shot, or else he had a systemic problem getting his cap to stay on right over his hairnet. Same color rims on his Oakleys, too. Studying the pic, I don’t see much evidence that it’s not the same race.
@frank
The Lotto sign on the follow car is a giveaway that it’s not the Kellog’s Tour – I’d suggest it’s the 1989 Liège-Bastogne-Liège that Kelly won with Anderson in 3rd.
What’s up with the freaky Tron gloves?
@Oli
After doing some digging around in my archives I’m sure that’s right – the Toshiba rider tucked in behind Le Skippy is no doubt Fabrice Philipot who finished 2nd to King Kelly.
@Oli
@Oli, it has to be said; It would be a wonderous thing to have a look at your archives to see what gems might be unearthed.
@Oli
Gadzukes!””you might be right: is that Fabrice Philipot tucked in behind Anderson? Where’s Delgado?
The shorts are different unless that’s lens flare.
@michael
Different in relation to what?
I was just pointing out that in the top photo there is some emblem on the right leg of Phil just above the computer. This emblem is absent in the bottom photo. We’ve already established they were different days/races but all of this could have been avoided if we had just played that “find the differences in these photos” game that we all played in “Highlights for Children” at the doctor’s office.
@michael
The top photo is from de Ronde as indicated by the placard on the front of the moto. Also in #1 Phil is wearing a differnt pair of Oakleys.
@michael
Unless his sheer awesomeness splatted a multi-colored moth onto his right gun as he powered through to the finish…
@michael
You know, they still play that in the back of People magazine. Helps Americans get smarter.
Possibly apocryphal but Tom Landry, the legendary coach of the Dallas Cowboys, said to his players about the elaborate celebrations of touchdowns something like “What’s the big deal – you’re the Dallas Cowboys – you’re supposed to score”.
@frank
The first photo is great. Check out the slammed stem. Phil is in the bottom of the drops, bunch of chain slack in the big ring, just one bidon in the cages. Fuckin drilling it! (sorry ‘the baron’). and I love the sausage helmet. Wonder if a guy could still get his hands on one. Totally useless in a wreck, but I’d rock one of those on a century or something.
@scaler911
http://stores.ebay.com/MARIOs-CYCLING-PARTS-SHOP/helmets-/_i.html?_fsub=5189221
@scaler911
The stem isn’t slammed, it’s at least an inch above the headset locknut!
SUSS me out.
@Oli
Phil’s stem if not slammed, is veerry close. On my old steel framed Concorde with a super record headset, I could not drop my forged Cinelli stem much lower than what you see in the picture.
It was either down to the dwarf sized head tube, or the the shape of the casting.
Whatever the discussion of the stem, it doesn’t change the fact that that photo oozes pure power.
It’s a beautiful thing.
Good grief. What is this weird obsession all about?
That’s a good question. I blame Zipp.
There, fuck it I said it. Any more sacred cows out there?
Riders who pay thousands to maximise the aero think riding with spacers = wasted aero opportunity.
Spacers = no chance of beating Tony Martin?
@Oli
Well, now that’s my excuse.
Damn, that’s a nice Zullo he’s on! Love the top tube paint madness, the aero Campa post, the thin-tubed steel with the low profile rims. Oh boy.
@scaler911
Ha! I’ll gladly stake a sticker, its not like I’ll ever have to pay out.
@michael
I’d assumed it was lens flare, but we’ve already dispelled the notion that it’s the same race. I’m disappointed he can’t keep his cap on right, though I suppose it’s hard to keep it down when it keeps recoiling in fear of your massive gunnage.
@Oli
Amazing.
@scaler911
That is hard core rad. Never been a big fan of his until I got this book recently. He’s just layin’ it down in every shot of his. And the captions are all of the same nature, “And here’s Anderson in a typically aggressive shot…”
Classy dood. Too bad he was on TVM, which is beyond a sullied name. The DA group, which was Shimano’s only group that rivaled Campa for beauty, the Zullu frame, the saddle…it’s all perfect.
You can get them on eBay; I’ve always wanted one, too. But can’t justify owning it because I think I’d wear it eventually and then, of course, crash on my head that day.
But I’d love to believe I would just wear it in the cafe and then switch to a real helmet for the ride.
@frank, @RedRanger
Right. Like RR said.
@mouse
I had the same with all the cinelli stems I’ve ever owned. They have a bubble that keeps them from going lower.
@Oli
It looks cool. That is all. I might suggest, though, that you are equally or probably more obsessed with spacers than @scaler911 and @mouse, given that you’ve dedicated an entire site to not slamming your bars down. N’est pas?
I don’t see the difference between being obsessed with having them or not having them so long as you’re no first and formost focussed on the rider’s position. No sense in looking down your nose at someone for having different taste than you.
@Ron
Actually, that’s a Dura-Ace aero post. That DA group was totally awesome.
That’s about as slammed down as they get.
@Marko
Mmmmmm shiny :)
@wiscot
Closer inspection of Stumpf’s bike makes me think it’s not an extended head tube; it’s a crazy stack of spacers! That must have been flexy!
@frank
I think you’re right. If it was an extended tube, the decal would go higher. I know Urs Freuler rode an extended headtube bike and while it might have been “flexy” (nice word!) it didn’t stop him winning. Plenty of great pix here: http://cyclingart.blogspot.com/2008/05/atalas-great-rider.html
Also, gotta love that Atala striped kit – classic – and Urs was one of the few riders who could truly rock the ‘tash.
@wiscot
We’ve gotta do a spot on good ol’ Urs. What a stud. And what a ‘stache. Might have to amend Rule #50.