Anatomy of a Photo: Laurent Fignon, 1989 Tour de France
I know the feeling, Laurent. Sometimes I just want to give the cross winds a big, “Fuck You”, too.
I know the feeling, Laurent. Sometimes I just want to give the cross winds a big, “Fuck You”, too.
8 secs…..just need a half wheel!
@ChrisO
I’m a triathlete nerd, and you have me laughing out loud. Only because it’s so true.
Thanks for that, I needed the chuckle this morning.
Horner’s down with a clot. Coulda been bad:
http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/08/news/horner-recovering-from-blood-clot-friedman-reaching-out_186760
@frank, thanks for the photo. Laurent in full flight…….
@Timiji @ChrisO
I watched a triathlon last weekend – why was it that the guys with the expensive carbon Tri-Bikes slowed down to take off their shoes with 500 metres to go, which included a 60m ascent?
– I ask, because there were a bunch of ordinary geezers on ordinary bikes whizzing past them, as the guys with their shoes flapping aimlessly on their pedals couldn’t get up the hill….. in fact one had to get off and push his bike up the hill
@scaler911
Try this again:
@scaler911
Cool frame! If my dim memory serves right, the American squad rode “Raleigh” and “Huffy”. I put quotes because they were typically made by someone else and tagged for endorsement purposes. I don’t remember the U.S. guys riding Viners with the curved seat tube. I remember the U.S. bikes as having straight tubes and were sort of aero. I think the Italians rode Viners in the 100km TTT, or at least a couple of them did.
@Jeff in PetroMetro
Ya. The buddy that I got it from swears that he got it from a member of that squad. Hard to say. I just sent a ‘friend request’ with a message to Ron Kiefel. Hopefully he responds. If it’s not from that team, then I’ll have to dig some more. I just want to do the build correctly.
I bet you get the build right just by installing a whole shitload of Campagnolo all over it. And Cinelli stem and cowhorn. And a Selle San Marco saddle. Just a guess, but, damn, what a cool bike it will be!!!
@Jeff in PetroMetro
I think Serotta built most of those Huffys. Here is a nice blog post from the chap who built many of them.
@Jeff in PetroMetro
That’s what I’m thinking. I also have the original wheel set; Mavic/ Campa hubs, 7 speed straight block. Be fun to show up to our LBC weekly TT on it, and give the Tri-geeks a little schooling.
@Oli
*ahem* *sheepishly sidles out of the room* Not sure what I was thinking making that claim. I blame it on my sun-baked brain.
Hows about I do penance on Haleakala tomorrow?
@Nate
Love the Phinney photo! Worthy of an “Anatomy of a photo” write up.
@scaler911
The build is worthy of a Progetto post when it happens, as is the schooling, in the right category.
@frank
Sounds good to me.
@frank
was a mighty ridiculous claim….
@Nate/chris/metroJeff
Yes…those huffy’s were built by Serotta…very sweet rides!
I would give a kidney for one w/first generation dura-ace on it & mavic tubular hoops in 7-eleven paint
@minion
Dear Minion,
Good joke. I seem to recall hearing the same one except you substitute Scotland for New Zealand and England for “the buggers next door.” Kinda works too especially as so many Scots settled in NZ . . .
@michael
So you don’t rate Fignon as a rider. Well lets see:
He won the Tour at the age of 22 becoming one of the youngest ever to win it. he won it the next year again.
He won the Giro in 89 – which maybe cost him the tour that year – you know the 8 seconds to GL
He won 9 stages of the Tour overall
He won Milan San Remo in 88 and 89
He won the Fleche in 86
He won the Criterium International in 82 and 90
As much as i like GH i don’t think its a valid comparison. The fact that you don’t rate LF makes me wonder if you are past your sell by date or maybe you’ve had too much Roo meat.
@Dr C
fair point, that was a ridiculous bridge up, but they had covered his moves each time before, perhaps that last one was the bridge too far or not motivated to chase for 4th?
Fignon was awesome, full stop.
Classics, Grand Tours, bold attacks and panache! Even though he lost the tour in ’89 he still finished like 3rd on the stage and rode 50km/h.
@sisyphus969
@Alex
probably an everyday activity during the fab 70’s and 80’s, but I haven’t seen someone handing out such a heavyweight beating so repeatedly with his attacks, as Faboo did that day – especially the bit where he tried to use the camera bike as a chicane and nearly crashed into it himself – still makes me tingle when I watch it (firmly in my Keep selection on Sky+, and Dave Harmon’s commentary was epic on Eurosport) – Thor, and Ballan too, were mighty for hanging on as long as they did, by which stage it was too late and JVS was gone – awesome stuff, race of the year