Anatomy Of A Photo: The Last Chance Saloon
Bicycle racing is a strange beast. Some races are over before they’re even a third completed, any mystery of a victor negated by methodical displays of team riding and tactical strangulation of opponents. Other races are so hard to pick that to even attempt to is committing VSP suicide; yet still we pick. For three weeks out of the year, racing in France can be pretty predictable, yet for one day of the year it’s the most exciting time on the calendar. We don’t know who’s going to win that race until the end. Sure there are favorites, but those favorites can’t just sit there and control proceedings for six hours, let alone for three weeks. That’s the beauty of Spring Classic racing.
This hill, if you can call it a hill, more like a false flat, a little ramp, a gentle bump, is likely the final opportunity for he not wanting to contest a sprint, to get away and solo in, if any previous attacks on the cobbles haven’t stuck… this is the puncheur’s, the rouleur’s, last chance saloon. The better sprinter will wait until the very last moment to pounce upon his weakened prey, like a dentist on the savannah.
I don’t know who these two 80s studs are, actually, but I would hazard a guess that Monsieur Yellow is probably the lesser sprinter, especially if the knotted guns of M 101 are any indicator. Maybe the attack stuck, and M Yellow got to cruise to the line without stress, and blew kisses to the adoring masses, soaking it all in. Maybe 101 hung on for grim life on the last kilometres of the nondescript, straight road and came around late, winning by millimetres.
I really don’t know. And that’s how I like my racing.
@Jason Wright
Of course it’s Planckaert/Anderson. For the most obvious reason: Eddy P was a leader, so he wears #101. Dirk DeMol was a worker, and would never wear 101.
By the way, has everyone been to Bruges?…….like a fuckin’ fairytale.
@fignons barber
It’s a shithole.
@brett
Did you go to the same Bruges as I did?
@Teocalli
Yes. Did you watch the same movie I did?
@brett
Whatever you do, don’t go up to the clock tower. It’s rubbish. Besides you can see the of view of down there from down there.
@brett
Ah that’s probably where I’m going wrong.
@frank I’ve been up Veere bell tower. Considering you start pretty much below sea level it’s a fair old climb up and quite a view from the top.
@frank
What exactly are you trying to say?
@Mikael Liddy
You’re exactly right. Thanks. The image that sticks in my head is Adam Hansen getting a beer handup and not giving two shits.
Last drinks ! This often posted pic springs to mind. ” Dont get in my road or ill run you down ! “
One of the (many) things I love about this photo is the shadows. They are long and creeping inexorably across the road. The sun is getting ever closer to the horizon and that tells us it’s late afternoon and that the end of the day and the race is nigh.The angles of the riders’ bodies and the definition of their muscles means they are running on fumes, their engines fuelled only by a desire to win. An incline that would normally pass by without effort is now a veritable mountain, stressing every sinew to the maximum as both riders know they have a 50-50 chance of claiming a Monument.
Great stuff!
@Harminator
Is that in the Lex? Damn well should be,
@Jason Wright
Outstanding!
@Brendan O’Donoghue
Fuck me, what I’d give to be that “fat”
Moving to Europe has a certain feel of inevitability for me, and reading this site at 5:30 am does little to change that.