I don’t enjoy the races in February on the Arabian Peninsula because I like watching other people ride in the sun while I spend my afternoons looking for a sliver of daylight that coincides with some fragment of my day where I don’t also need to work or engage in some other activity. I also don’t enjoy them because I think corners are overrated, nor because I like watching stock-bike time trials, nor because I believe wind is a suitable substitute for mountains.
No, I enjoy the February races on the Arabian Peninsula because it’s the first sign of life we get from the hardmen who will be bending, breaking, and smashing their way over the cobblestones this Spring in snow, rain, or suffocating dust.
Not a bad way to start things, Tomeke.
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There's no denying Museeuw was a Hard Man, and he certainly won some great races.
Long live the Lion. Now I'm totally psyched to go out and ride in the 9 degree frozen tundra. I should watch that video every morning. He was, however, in the small chainring for the steep part at the top. Of course, on the Lion's rig that's probably a 44....
@blaireau
Nah...his big ring is a 61 and his small ring is a 52. But in any case, the Big Ring is not just a chainring, it's a state of mind.
Speaking of big-ringing, here's Du-du defying physics and time in 1992:
If you don't already check out BRR, you are doing yourself and everyone you know a disservice.
Is anybody watching stage 3 of the Tour of Qatar? perfect example of echelon riding in a viscous wind but i do agree that having a race that depends on it blowing to make it interesting is a bit sketchy
@frank
Museeuw was definitely one of the hardest, even with some of the ugliest kit ever.
Thats could very well be a way of avoiding the rear kog to unscrew while breaking/skidding if he is riding a "suicide" set up. Been done before.
@michael
Just because it makes sense from an engineering standpoint doesn't mean it isn't ugly. That was probably a perfectly good bike before somebody went and did that so they could ride a cool fixie/singlespeed.
Single speed riding can be pretty bad-ass, but only when done in a proper, aesthetically pleasing way.
But shit, if the guy's bike broke and that was the only way he could make it work because he didn't have the money to fix things, then good on him, otherwise, TRAVESTY I SAY! TRAVESTY!
You know, I cannot really put my finger on it. Maybe it was because he was from a priviledged background (not his "fault" but a far cry from Kelly either racing his bike or hauling paving stones) and his seemingly aloofness. I do not deny that he was a true Hardman, but he just seemed too classy or something to really fit my iconic Spring Classics rider (hey, it's my fantasy world, I'm setting the rules!)
Could it be that little Heinrich Sauceler is on the mend? Wahoo!
@Marko
Is he German or Aussie these days? Either way, he seems to be tearing up the early season a bit, doesn't he? Bummed to see Tomeke dropped off with a flat. I think the peloton should have waited (maybe we can start a 6 month thread related to this, no? :)