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 1:46 pm

@James

@frank
Yes, the chainstays are double tubes brazed together with metal sheeting. The Carrera team of Urs Zimmermann and Stephen Roche rode these back in the day.
1987 TdF Final Time Trial

That was a kick ass ride by Roche, all the way thru. Love the Carrera kits back then.
turning circles says:

Aug 9 2011 at 1:55 pm

I suspect Fignon would have won with an aero helmet.
eightace says:

Aug 9 2011 at 1:59 pm

Anyone got any footage of Fignon's Campag bottom bracket snapping in Blois-Chaville?
Oli says:

Aug 9 2011 at 3:09 pm

@michaelI don't think anyone would object to you saying Fignon came second, but that's a bit different from "first loser". I bet LeMond wouldn't disrespect him like that, after all a huge part of the reason it was such a great win for him was because Larry was such a BEAST. If we're touchy it's out of love for one of the Greats who recently passed.

Good to see you're riding after such a horrific accident, and don't listen to the anti-spacer fascists - whatever it takes to ride is what you gots to do.
Marcus says:

Aug 9 2011 at 3:45 pm

@michael

@Marcus@Cyclops
I challenge you to get hit by a pickup truck break your back in 3 places and be riding your trainer with a 9.5 cm bar drop 9 weeks later.
HTFU, he got second.

Lighten up Francis
brett says:

Aug 9 2011 at 3:59 pm

Look at the man's shorts and socks length... you can't argue with that.
michael says:

Aug 9 2011 at 4:03 pm

@Marcus you took the bait, again htfu and lighten up yourself Francis, you shouldn't be so easily shaken.

@Oli, no disrespect for the rider or the man, he was great and died tragically from the same disease / different version my mother died of. I was shocked and saddened when I heard of his passing.

I believe I learned the term "first loser" from this here blawg so sorry if I offended anyone, but unfortunately Fignon will be in the record books for losing by 8 seconds more so than any of his other much greater accomplishments.
Marcus says:

Aug 9 2011 at 4:28 pm

@michael

unfortunately Fignon will be in the record books for losing by 8 seconds more so than any of his other much greater accomplishments.

Only by certain Americans with a superficial knowledge of cycling. Fignon's palmares include two Tours, a Giro, two MSRs, a Fleche - and you are gonna remember him for coming second in a Tour?

Mate, you made a mistake by making a bad call about a recently deceased cycling legend. Leave it at that.

And as for me being shaken, puhleese. The only shaking I will be doing this week is when I am present to see Cuddles hit the stage at his homecoming welcome. He is the guy who just won the Tour - but maybe you remember him for coming second twice.
Markp says:

Aug 9 2011 at 4:28 pm

@michael

@Marcus you took the bait, again htfu and lighten up yourself Francis, you shouldn't be so easily shaken.

@Oli, no disrespect for the rider or the man, he was great and died tragically from the same disease / different version my mother died of. I was shocked and saddened when I heard of his passing.
I believe I learned the term "first loser" from this here blawg so sorry if I offended anyone, but unfortunately Fignon will be in the record books for losing by 8 seconds more so than any of his other much greater accomplishments.

This perhaps may be the best 8 sec read of of your life.
Steampunk says:

Aug 9 2011 at 4:33 pm

@michael

Fignon will be in the record books for losing by 8 seconds more so than any of his other much greater accomplishments.

I doubt this. Probably to part-time American fans, but as @brett and others have suggested, the man simply oozed class. And raw power on the bike. There's a real contradiction to his style: so fluid and beautiful on the one hand and pure, unadulterated V on the other.