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.

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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scaler911 says:

Aug 9 2011 at 10:35 pm

@Ron

I was just becoming a fan of PRO cycling in the late 80s. I'm thrilled I can say I watched him while he was still racing, not just in archival footage.
Love photos of him in his hogwashers bibs...
Oh yeah, I know it's an advert, but some of the stuff Cancellara says is rather outstanding. The locked fingers, with him on top...awesomeness. You gotta want to win to win.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcE4vPyyV2I

+1 yep
brett says:

Aug 10 2011 at 12:03 am

@Oli

Ahahahaaaa! I think that saying has been around a lot longer than Velominati, Frank! You're not bad...

Awesome, FrÃ¥nkie's claimin it! He also invented 'whatever' and 'dude'...
Oli says:

Aug 10 2011 at 12:21 am

:-D
brett says:

Aug 10 2011 at 12:37 am

@Ron

Oh yeah, I know it's an advert, but some of the stuff Cancellara says is rather outstanding.

I'm not buyin it... last year he told me Specialized was best.
Dr C says:

Aug 10 2011 at 2:01 am

Crikey lads, all getting a bit precious about ourselves today....

Having read Laurent's book, I'll withhold my judgement for fear of anhililation

Anyway, interetsing reshuffles going on - can't wait for Faboo to destroy Garmion Cervelo or BMC at P-R or whoever Thor is riding for next year - true Thor did a top team job, but as a Faboo fan, it was hard to watch the Lion with someone standing on his tail

Tony Martin off to Leopard Trek, maybe with O'Grady gone that won't make a difference, but it'll be ineteresting to see if Jens and Tony form some sort of depth charging role for Faboo's obliteration of the P-R contenders next year - I'm more excited about P-R 2012 than anything in between save the WC and ToL

Fast Phil going to BMC....arse! Must be the team strip, but I just can't love them, though it was clear with 30km to go at Enoco yesterday, that he is already training with them....

Cav with no FedEx.... who'll lead him out now? EBH/ Greg Henderson? Velly interesting - the break up of HTC could be the most exciting, if very unfortunate, thing to come for 2012

yada yada yada
Velo Kitty says:

Aug 10 2011 at 5:13 am

@frank
Interesting, thanks Frank. Sounds like the UCI and their waffling ways on aeros moments before a TT stage hasn't changed a bit at all. Must have been a long, PITA ride hanging on the wing grips like that for the whole TT, but Le Prof was such a BAMF, maybe aeros wouldn't have mattered. Maybe....
Steampunk says:

Aug 10 2011 at 5:23 am

@brett
And the internet. Don't forget he invented that, too.
Alex says:

Aug 10 2011 at 5:25 am

@Mikael Liddy

@Xponti
By the way. We have just had our Census here down under, and I marked my religion as "Velominati". What did you put down @marcus
Awww dude, you so shouldn't have. Each "fake" religion vote in the Census counts as a vote for Aus as a religious country & then contributes to organised religions receiving more govt funding to continue their touching of little boys & girls...

Wow I just finished my census, what a missed opportunity "Velominati!!! NOOOO, its too late, the ship has left.

BTW thanks @frank for the post and a great pic - its beautiful no?
Alex says:

Aug 10 2011 at 5:28 am

@Dr C
It seemed to me that Thor and Ballan were probably as strong as Faboo that day and I was expecting a similar finish to 2008 (substituting Thor for Boonen).
Dr C says:

Aug 10 2011 at 6:22 am

@Alex
....until he blew them off his wheel with that ridiculous bridge he made to Maarten Dingalingi

Not blaming Thor, it was the right thing to do, and fair play to JVS, and his copious Belgian toothpaste, but faboo was such an awesome MF that day, I just think he deserved more - roll on 2012!!