Anatomy of a Photos: This Is How It’s Done

View Comments

• This.

• @chuckp

  Having now seen a picture of Sagan riding a camel looking cool, I can go home happy.

  Thanks all.

• You know something, I think Sagan is going to have a LOT of fun being world champ.

• @wiscot

  You know something, I think Sagan is going to have a LOT of fun being world champ.

  And we will have a lot of fun because of him.

• He may not be able to wear black shorts, but at least he's wearing a black helmet.

• Trying to embed a Tweet so this may end up just being a bunch of gibberish. URL in case embed doesn't work.

  https://twitter.com/petosagan/status/652155243006857218

  Sagan has both panache and class.

• @chuckp

  This.

  will have to coerce that camel to sprint

• @chuckp

  @Oli

  @Barracuda

  @sthilzy

  Thanks for the kind words guys. Glad you enjoyed the reading and pics. Being there was absolutely awesome. Close to a once-in-a-lifetime experience in the U.S., but pretty much happens all the time in Europe.

  Thought exactly the same thing when we drove to Geelong and camped in our camper trailer in a caravan park for the Worlds.  As luck would have it, our site was right next to the road just before the climb.  Amazing experience sitting out the front of the camper in deck chairs with beers in hand watching the worlds best fly past.  Hopping over fence every morning and riding the course prior to the pro's everyday was an added bonus.

• @mouse, @chris

  The world is full of people who loved a little indie band and then hated the band for the crime of becoming popular, which is something I don't understand in the slightest, assuming you liked the band for their music.

  @Mouse, ignoring the fact that you contradict yourself several times, and @Chris - this isn't the first time I've heard this, and you're not the first community member to leave. Ultimately, Velominati isn't any of those things you describe - those things you believe are missing are just things you saw in what we do like meaning you might find in a painting. To that point, I get many kind notes from people who are newer to the site who express happiness at finding exactly what you describe to be missing.

  We didn't build Velominati to be a popular site or a community, we just started writing about the things we love (we have always held firm to certain views - particularly on aesthetics - and maintained a strict (ir)reverence for the history and culture of Cycling). And it appealed to you, the readers, for whatever reason. The community is something we've helped foster and we've put mechanisms in place to promote its growth, but it has only ever come from you, the readers, and it hinges on the blend of voices that comes from those who decide to speak up for whatever reason. (And is usually driven by some degree of narcissism.)

  I find it very interesting, then, that instead of repaying the community for what they gave you by sticking around and trying to help shape and influence the spirit that brought you here in the first place, that you instead leave the conversation and consider yourself to be above it all. (Also probably driven by some degree of narcissism.)

  @the Engine

  Well, it got me back racing – like actual racing on a road with numbers on my back.

  And it took my fat arse over Paris Roubaix, Die Ronde…(frankly most of Flanders) several times.

  And a gravel race in ‘Murica.

  And an orange and black CX bike with a lion and a cog on it.

  I’ve also made actual friends in multiple continents.

  And @mouse once told a story so good I use it at dinner parties when I’m drunk.

  And next year – well there’s an announcement coming.

  Do I really care if the world champion wears black shorts? Well I’m not going to die in a ditch over it but it does look better.

  You're my boy, Blue!

  @wiscot

  The way I see it there a lot of serious shit going on in the world. Some we can control, most we cannot. This site is a wee safe haven for some fun and pedantry and a place to vent our feelings on a sport we love. I’d say it’s quite educational at times and trolls are thankfully rare.

  Look at a lot of forums out there – the bile and ignorance on view is incredible. For the most part, the postings on here are well-behaved and mannerly. If you don’t like it, there are millions of other websites to go look at. If you visit regularly you’ll see names come and go but there’s a pretty hard core of posters. That’s called a community and I’m happy to be a member.

  Does it matter in the grand scheme of things whether Sagan wears white or black shorts? Of course not. Does it matter that someone with a media platform expresses his point of view on a terrible crisis in the middle east and Europe and maybe brings some attention to it? Yes it does. Too many sports superstars avoid expressing some kind of opinion on anything for fear of pissing off sponsors and fans. I hope Sagan’s English improves dramatically so he can express himself more articulately. And for anyone whop says “who cares what Sagan thinks?” I say “I care because he spoke from the heart unlike many of the mendacious bunch of liars who are currently running for president.”

  You, my good sir, are onto it.

• @frank

  Yep, all good. We're all narcissists to a degree. I accept that. When I first came to this site, I found validation and that was a wonderful thing.

  I have little doubt that the kind notes you get from others springs from just that. I recall doing something similar in my early days, though not in the form of an email but a post.

  You have built a marvellous community here. Something you should be proud of. I get that you have little control over the flame wars that sometimes erupt, I get that you write primarily about things that interest you now and in the past. You clearly get an amazing response from a very diverse group. Again, kudos to you and the rest of the Keepers.

  And @wiscot is dead right. The bile on other forums is largely missing here. It's a credit to the intelligence that most people bring to this site.

  I suppose what I'm meaning to say concerning the difficulty I'm having with engaging now is that I feel that a pedagogy has developed around a perception of the past. I understand the reverence that people have for Lemond and Hinault and Super Record and steel frames and gumwalls. I know. I was there, racing as a youngster. I had all those things.

  Thing is, I'm still racing, 30 years later and none of that stuff appeals to me anymore. For me, lightweight carbon wheels and frames are awesome. Waaaay better to ride and race on what I was on 20 years ago.

  Now, I recognise that I'm viewing all of this through my personal prism, call it narcissism if you'd like. Interesting that you've suggested selfishness on my part for no longer taking part in the conversation and narcissism for thinking I'm above the discussion.

  I claim neither. Just an opposing view. One clearly outside of the pedagogy, and clearly unwelcome.

  So, yeah. There you go.

  Seeya. It's been fun.