I’m often told I romanticize Cycling’s past, that the days gone by weren’t quite as rosy as I make them out to be. There is some truth to this, certainly, but the assertion isn’t entirely accurate in the sense that I romanticize everything about Cycling.
Because events are seasoned by our thoughts and individual experience, we necessarily cannot see them for what they truly were. The thoughts that pass through our mind when looking at an old or new photograph, a race, or when we go for a ride influences the way it is remembered and the significance it holds.
Our minds are very good at forgetting pain and remembering pleasure; it isn’t very long after an experience that negative associations begin to fade and positive ones to amplify. This psychological mechanism is the gateway to romanticization. Certainly, I remember that climbing Haleakala last January was a horrible experience, but I’ve managed to forget what that means precisely. On the other hand, the memory of accomplishing a task that turned out to be much harder than I had anticipated lingers strongly; I find myself drawn back to the mountain for the chance to experience once more the purity that touches us briefly when we persevere despite total exhaustion.
Romanticizing encourages us to study the past, to appreciate how things were, and provides the opportunity to learn from the mistakes others have made. It reminds us that things were not always as they are today and that those things we wish were different may be so tomorrow. It helps us forget that many long hours of suffering are balanced only by brief moments of exhilaration. It helps us to dream, to imagine what could be.
Do the great races of the past seem more glorious than they were? Perhaps. Does the sunlight’s glint off a chromed chainstay blind me to the weight of the bicycle and the extra burden it places on its rider? Certainly. Does the memory of reaching down to flick a downtube shifter eclipse the inconvenience of sitting down to shift, and removing a hand from the bars? Absolutely. But they also form the fabric of what keeps me returning to the bicycle.
Vive la Vie Velominatus.
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
View Comments
@sgt
That's exactly my point - the legends we talk about are Merckx going off the front with 100km left to go, and rides of that nature. We don't talk about riders who are invisible all day until the finale. It is truly nothing against Gilbert - I quite like him - its to do with the modern style of racing that is very formulaic and not inspiring in the sense of legend-making.
The only race where he went off the front early was LBL - and that was only because he was following the Schlecklettes. Before wiping the floor with them, I might add.
@scaler911
Interesting point. How does one overcome that most powerful of muscles, the brain (yeah, I know it's an organ but it is the muscle for thinking isn't it?) to push past where one thinks is their limit? The mind is the most powerful piece of equipment we own.
As frank indicated, he will to return to that moment/point and "won't back off next time", an admirable quality and something I would do myself. The question you raised though @scaler911 is, where is the body's limit? It certainly has a physical limit, dependant on fitness level, stored energy etc., but I think it is more limited by the mind. If you're able to overcome that mental barrier then I believe you're able to push the body limit further. How much can one suffer? The Pro's can endure the suffering longer and more repeatedly than any of us, that's why they're Pro's rather than me, but I'm still learning how far I can push my envelope.
Sorry, if I'm sounding like a life coach BTW, I'm not!
@sgt
I'm going to throw another thing out there: whereas the 90's are largely remembered as the decade of EPO-fueled decadence, I'm predicting that the 2000's (and a beyond) will be remembered for the race-radio mechanization of racing.
@frank
I'd largely agree, except that we saw some great racing in 2011, a lot of it seemingly unaffected (or dare I say, improved) by radios, i.e., the aforementioned grimplette on the galibier, cuddles hauling time back and limiting his losses on same, Goss at MSR, Van Summeren winning P-R, etc.
I'm as nostalgic as the next guy, don't get me wrong. But I also think that no one knows they're living in the "good old days" until they're the "gone old days". We just came off a cracking good year of bike racing, and you're harshing my mell... ;-)
@frank
Way Back In The Day When I Was Young, I remember taking an organic chemistry class. There was a discussion about a newly described molecule found in the human body: encephlan (sp?) Apparently, this is a powerful substance excreted by the human body during times of great stress. It is a powerful memory blocking agent. No, not a pain killer - it just simply blocks memory of pain.
And, not surprisingly, it is found commonly in females during childbirth. Evolution has indeed provided us with protections for the propogation of the species. Without this mechanism, no woman would ever willingly subject herself to that streching exercise a second time.
So, we can all pratter on about Rule 5, being hardMEN, etc etc...but go ahead - bring this concept up with your VMH. They are all laughing at us. Pain? Yeah, try giving birth to a 10 pound baby boy. Then tell US to harden the fuck up.
So...let the inuuendo commence. My $.02.
But a nice piece, Frank. Thought provoking for those many hours along the White Line.
@eightzero
"Way Back In The Day When I Was Young, I remember taking an organic chemistry class" Hell, that in itself brings back PTSD painful memories for me!!! Summer 1991 I did my two college semisters of O-chem. Oh the HORROR!!!
@Buck Rogers
1991. LOL. Got you way beat on that, sonny. And stay off my lawn.
@eightzero
Only if you give me my ball back you old bastard!
Frank, It always amazed me that you'd ride through snow, rain, heat over courses that were insane then, cross the finish line and swear on your mother's honor that you would never do that race again.
Strangely, after showers, warm clothes and food, in the team car on the way home you are already reminiscing about the "EPIC" ride and when the time comes to register the following spring the race has become the best race you ever experienced and you can't wait to do it because it could be more epic.
great one frank!
sorry for my typical johnny come lately, been super duper busy at work, but long days in saddle will come later
In terms of the Romanticization of our passion, I agree we do just as you describe; we forget the pain, the doubt, the moments when someone tips the pace just that .1% farther than we should go to hang....but we do. We remember the finish line, the last km, the tactic of seeing others burning to dust...and doing just a little better.
That is what we do first hand.
Then there is what we do in our minds eye as we recollect the past, what we have seen...what we are taught and what we read in the historical record.
And that brings me to another facet to think on, that is perhaps we make unfair comparisons in Romanticizing our passions in the historical records, what we read and none of us have experienced first hand. In that, we compare what we ride today, the very best bikes that have ever been built; at the speeds we do now, which yield cat. 5 club riders running 35k/hr which isn't real (no matter who you are); for lengths that we do now....and you get my drift. We compare yesteryear to today and today to yesteryear, and dammit, we are faster but only because of our technology now. Had Bartali ever had 11 speed Super Record Campagnolo dressing his Pinarello Dogma, he would have broke more legs than anyone presently. Had those mens had hoops worth a damn, not to mention aero and carbon, they would have been at least 20k faster. Had Gual ridden a 700gm Hi Mod carbon ride instead of steel that was part cobblestone, he would have climbed like angels ascending to the heavens...there is no freakin doubt about this.
Desgrange tried his dead level best to kill the peloton, its well documented. That is historical fact, so part of this is not over romanticizing our first love. The peloton in the infancy of the Tour rode freaking 300k like it was nothing, and some stages were longer, and lasted greater than 10 hrs regularly. Granted, the Tour was not 20 days like today, but longer nonetheless. On the bikes they had then and all.
Part romance, absolutely. Part unfair comparisons, perhaps. Something I learn of and cherish, damn-straight. And thinking of their accomplishments in a historical context...it was simply amazing.
so, I give. I do fall sport to romanticizing our passion