Categories: Anatomy of a PhotoEvanescent Riders

Anatomy of a Photo: Evanescent Riders of the 90s

Buying jet-fuel in the Five and Dime; photo via bobmina.com

I can’t decide if Tony Rominger was an Evanescent Rider or not. After all, his wins range from 1988 all the way to 1996, which technically means the word “evanescent” doesn’t seem to fit. That said, after a successful streak in the Vuelta, he suddenly discovered a “cure” for his allergies which previously kept him from performing at the Tour de France in July. I can’t help but notice that the most successful era of his career was in perfect alignment with the EPO sweet-spot of the early to mid nineties.

I also can’t decide if Rominger was cool or not. He rode one of my favorite bikes of all time – the twin-downtube Colnago Bitubo – and had an enviably Magnificent Stroke. At the same time, he was somehow a bit ungainly on the bike and was always had something amuck with how he looked; the jersey a bit too big, the sleeves on his dotty jumper cut too crooked, or his cycling cap too askew.

In any case, this photo has a nice composition of classically doped-up riders, flattening out the Pla d’Adet like only jet fuel can. I spy with my little eye the unmistakable nose piece on Zenon Jaskula‘s Briko Shots, and I think that might be Claudio Cappuccino hiding behind his right shoulder. Not sure who the bloke is in the red with the hairnet, but he looks familiar as does the gregario with Big Ring Leg on the front.

The most surprising bit of this photo is that it appears that Armstrong smoked them all and had time to come back down the mountain to snap a few pictures. Who ever said he couldn’t climb pre-cancer?

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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michael says:

Dec 2 2010 at 10:56 am

I always thought Rominger skated by on the doping allegations, he came in rather quickly and dropped out when things got nasty. All the while setting records on tour climbs.
frank says:

Dec 2 2010 at 7:00 pm

@michael
I totally know what you're saying, but his results tell a different story; 1988-1996 is nothing to scoff at. That said, his two month peak was from definitely from 1993-1994.

He's also been disavowed from several riders as the whole CERA thing rolled through. Speculation spins a fascinating tale...
michael says:

Dec 2 2010 at 11:57 pm

The main thing about Tony is that he looks like a really nice guy too.

8 years is a pretty good career for someone coming in late (27?). This sport is pretty hard on the bodies of professionals. Reading up on Tony, I learned that Moser set the hour record at 42 years of age which leaves me some hope.
michael says:

Dec 3 2010 at 12:05 am

I just found this

"Rominger worked under the training guidance of Michele Ferrari throughout his career"

here
Brett says:

Dec 3 2010 at 1:05 am

That is a bad-ass photo. Some poor Spanish bastard about to distend his left one, Rominger looking as if he's going to explode at any moment, and Mig, well, you know he's going pretty fucking hard if he's out of the saddle. Jaskula, a true evanescent. Rominger was a little more.

Armstrong's thinking "man, there's no way I could ever climb like these guys... or is there?"
Jarvis says:

Dec 3 2010 at 1:32 am

Simple Rominger was not cool. His shades were shit, his shoes were shit and he wore his cap in a shit way. He was only cool once and that was when he won Lombardy in the piss-pouring rain. That day he was fully badass. I think it was '92. He was riding a cool bike that year at Lombardy though, the twin downtube Colnago Bi-carbo*

As Frank points out, his big wins and cure-for-asthma/heat/allergy to the tour de France coincides very coveniently with the EPO years as well as his working with Ferrari - his name was found in Ferrari's doping records. Remember his hour record?**

And Rominger was/is a rider agent. Seem to remember his name cropping up in association with riders caught doping - Vino/Kashenkin?

*sadly I did all that from memory
**personally I don't think it takes a genius to work out the secret of his sucess, but then I am a "true believer"
Cinghale says:

Dec 3 2010 at 2:49 pm

Is that the bald bean of Bjarne Riis behind Indurain's left shoulder?
Cinghiale says:

Dec 3 2010 at 2:50 pm

Is that the bald bean of Bjarne Riis behind Indurain's left shoulder?
Jarvis says:

Dec 3 2010 at 3:01 pm

Found that picture of Rominger from '92. Memory failed slightly as he didn't look badass at all. He looked shit, apart from his glasses. Forgot he wore Oakley for a while, could only remember the Bolle's
frank says:

Dec 3 2010 at 4:33 pm

@Cinghale

Is that the bald bean of Bjarne Riis behind Indurain's left shoulder?

By Jove, I think it is!! And that makes the other guy also an Ariostea guy...narrows it down to eight possible riders. Must check roster.

Who is the guy on the front?