The cycling cap was part of any kit: nearly black shorts, team jersey and cap. It would be matching, it would be cotton. In the day before the required helmet, the cycling cap was it. Unrestrained by helmet or hairnet, the cap was the crown upon the head. It would sit high on the head, not pulled down like a baseball cap. It sat no higher upon the head than upon Giuseppi Beppe Saronni’s fine Italian head.
Beppe wore the cap with an unrivaled sense of italian style. The cap perched up there, as if it just landed, light as a feather. How it stayed there in the breeze, we don’t know. Perhaps the Saronni skull had just the perfect shape to hold a cap. We will leave that for the Phrenological scientists and the pathologist.
Rule #22 states the wearing of a cap may be for a brief interval before and after a ride, otherwise it has to be hidden under your helmet. That is a sad state of affairs. Maybe we need a national day of helmet-free cap riding. What is the worst that could happen? Do we have to ride the old timey Strade Bianche if we long to spend a long time in the saddle wearing a V-cap? If we can only wear it for a brief time or while using toe clips, is it an anachronism? Is it time to take it back: wear it in the bathtub, in the car, gasp, while walking in public? This idea has been discussed before here; the cap is ours, we should own it. When and where would Eddy wear it?
Behold the Beppe.
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/j.andrews3@comcast.net/Beppe/”/]
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No idea where to post this but this has to be the coolest fall/early winter sport up-and-coming: Cyclocross biathlon. Full on cyclocross race with four shooting stations and penalities for each missed shot.
Cannot WAIT until I move back to VT!
http://vtsports.com/pdf/dec12/dec12.html#p=4
@Buck Rogers
Only in the US would this exist. It's a good thing you aren't required to carry the gun...
@DCR
I know! I checke dth ehphotos to see if they had them on their backs or not! I would do it in a heartbeat!
@Buck Rogers
I have yet to explore the world of CX and I can't say I am a good shot so I would most likely fail miserably.
@ChrisO
I stand corrected on the cap! As I sort of guessed because it is new, not broken in and an image does not do justice. As to graphics each to his own... I love the old trade and team caps.
On Mario's visit how can the shop have blown that one? You have to have time with him - how much fun would that be!! I hope the tour goes well for you? Maybe Mario will jump in for a few laps of the crit?
Hey @Buck Rogers, And why not start a West Point team?? Gee I wonder who the coach would be...
@Buck Rogers
You should go to this event next year, it's just over the border from you in Western Mass.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/robertkerner/sets/72157636778952986/with/10394681933/
@Rob
I am already one of the assistant coaches of the Nordic team here. They have (we-since I moved here last year) have been trying for YEARS to get a Biathlon team here at West Point. Seems incredible that they do not have one. But, as a sign of the fiscal cutbacks, our Nordic Team lost ALL funding last year and is now considered a "Hobby Sport" which means no money for the team to travel/compete/buy wax, etc and no specified time for team training.
Every Cadet has to do 2 to 3 hours of athletic training here every day and if you are on a "Corp" level (football, baseball, basketball, etc) or a "Club" level (boxing, Lacrosse, Judo, marathon, etc) sport, you are allowed the two to three hours of required physical training time to be with your teams coaches and in your specific sport and you are funded. If your sport is a "Hobby" level sport you have to report for Company athletics, which is a catchall term that means that you do whatever they decide that day and it will never be Nordic skiing, that's for sure. They have cut the "Club" level sports down by 16 in the past two years as they say that they do not have the money to fund them, yet the Football coach made $650,000 last year, not including any bonuses.
Painful!
Really painful as the Nordic Team here currently has a Cadet who is a former Vermont State Champion skier and a couple of former junior olympic team members who have to go play basketball or Army training stuff as opposed to being able to train in their top sport.
@Buck Rogers Lovely. I'm sure the 10th Mtn Div would not mind having a fit jr officer with nordic skills.
@Nate
That's the kicker!!! The current Commandant of West Point, BG Clarke (1 star) just came from FT Drum last year where he was the DCG of 10th MTN and he loves to nordic ski. He totally undetsands but the funds are just being cut everywhere! He's a really cool guy, former Ranger Officer who has deployed and commanded Rangers a number of times. Not just a Ranger Tab.