Categories: RacingReverenceThe HardmenTradition

Reverence: The Ghosts of 2am

Off the back is the worst place to be. Photo: Tim De Waele TDWsport.com

The Prophet had never been dropped by anyone in a race-threatening situation during his entire Grand-Tour career. But he was dropped on this, a relatively minor climb to Pra Loup due to a combination of circumstances involving a chest injury, overconfidence, and savvy Frenchmen who could read the road surface well enough to understand what side of the road to attack on.

He had never lost the Tour, but Merckx was dropped on the short but steep climb to Pra Loup and refused to quit the Tour in 1975 because you don’t quit the Tour de France. He would rather lose than quit. These are the sentiments of a champion who has not only known, but become intimately accustomed to, the sensation of victory: reverence for the race he once dominated and the one he can not quit.

He came second, and thereby legitimized Bernard Thevenet’s victory. Reverence.

For non-Velominati Americans, Cycling is the Tour. From Greg LeMond – the only American to win the Tour three times, to Lance Armstrong – the only American to lose the Tour seven times all at once, to Floyd Landis – whose legacy was too short to excite the American Public but long enough to take down the greatest legacy in Sports History.

Tejay Van Garderen was sitting solid in 3rd place when he fell ill and had to quit the Tour de France, something no rider does with a light heart. So long as your name isn’t Mario Cipollini. Dropped every time the ride pointed uphill, he had little choice but to climb off. I have had races ripped from my grasp when I was at my peak for reasons I couldn’t control and, to this day, they are there when the Ghosts of 2am come knocking. I can only imagine what Tejay is thinking tonight.

Nothing feels as good as winning, and nothing haunts you as deeply as quitting. To quote a legendary cheater, “Pain is temporary, quitting is forever.” Which just goes to prove that just because you’re an asshole doesn’t mean you’re wrong.

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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View Comments

chris says:

Jul 23 2015 at 5:32 am

@frank I know you don't like getting facts get in the way of a good story (and you can just about get away with it here) but lets not forget that, whilst, technically not dropped, Eddy got roundly thumped by Ocana on stage 11 of the '71 tour and lost a lot of time.

It was a real shame to see TvG go out yesterday, no one want's to see a contender retire sick, but he has no place on the podium of the tour. Maybe in a couple of years but not yet.
AJ says:

Jul 23 2015 at 6:34 am

@chris

It was a real shame to see TvG go out yesterday, no one want’s to see a contender retire sick, but he has no place on the podium of the tour. Maybe in a couple of years but not yet.

But at the same time, he is really our only American hope. I would compare it to growing up in a town with a shitty football team. There are a lot of things you don't like about it, but you keep rooting and hoping because that is where your heart lives. I regularly flip flop from despising TvG and wanting to yell at him to HTFU, but I feel bad for the guy a lot too. I will always root to see an American on the podium and even hope to see one in Yellow again.... one day.
The Oracle says:

Jul 23 2015 at 6:39 am

Nothing spoke more of TVG's devastation at having to abandon than when he collapsed into the BMC staff's arms when he stopped. At that moment, you could feel all the misery, the pain, and the disappointment. Of all the "human" moments of this years tour, I think those images will stick with me the longest.
wiscot says:

Jul 23 2015 at 6:57 am

@chris

@frank I know you don’t like getting facts get in the way of a good story (and you can just about get away with it here) but lets not forget that, whilst, technically not dropped, Eddy got roundly thumped by Ocana on stage 11 of the ’71 tour and lost a lot of time.

It was a real shame to see TvG go out yesterday, no one want’s to see a contender retire sick, but he has no place on the podium of the tour. Maybe in a couple of years but not yet.

I disagree. Two 5th place finishes certainly suggests a podium spot is merited. However, it remains to be seen if he stays a "nearly-man" or actually gets there in a GT. Obviously there is so much that is physical about cycling, but the mental aspect of it cannot be underestimated. Look at what happened to Kelly after he won Lombardy in 83. The floodgates opened.
chris says:

Jul 23 2015 at 7:52 am

@AJ

@chris

It was a real shame to see TvG go out yesterday, no one want’s to see a contender retire sick, but he has no place on the podium of the tour. Maybe in a couple of years but not yet.

But at the same time, he is really our only American hope. I would compare it to growing up in a town with a shitty football team. There are a lot of things you don’t like about it, but you keep rooting and hoping because that is where your heart lives. I regularly flip flop from despising TvG and wanting to yell at him to HTFU, but I feel bad for the guy a lot too. I will always root to see an American on the podium and even hope to see one in Yellow again…. one day.

As an American you can root TvG all you like, but as a Brit, I tell you the next big thing is GT and the Yates twins.
chris says:

Jul 23 2015 at 7:56 am

@wiscot

We can agree to disagree. If he was GT quality he'd be posting wins in a lot of the lesser stage races but he's not.

His occupancy of second place was as much due to the failings of the other main contenders who've done bugger all in the Tour.
AJ says:

Jul 23 2015 at 8:40 am

@chris

@AJ

@chris

It was a real shame to see TvG go out yesterday, no one want’s to see a contender retire sick, but he has no place on the podium of the tour. Maybe in a couple of years but not yet.

But at the same time, he is really our only American hope. I would compare it to growing up in a town with a shitty football team. There are a lot of things you don’t like about it, but you keep rooting and hoping because that is where your heart lives. I regularly flip flop from despising TvG and wanting to yell at him to HTFU, but I feel bad for the guy a lot too. I will always root to see an American on the podium and even hope to see one in Yellow again…. one day.

As an American you can root TvG all you like, but as a Brit, I tell you the next big thing is GT and the Yates twins.

I would like to throw Talansky into that mix. I think he might be the next American hope, I think in a few years we will see him leading a team.
Ccos says:

Jul 23 2015 at 8:57 am

I like what Vos said about quitting something along the lines of not doing it so her body doesn't learn what it feels like.
frank says:

Jul 23 2015 at 8:57 am

@chris

@frank I know you don’t like getting facts get in the way of a good story (and you can just about get away with it here) but lets not forget that, whilst, technically not dropped, Eddy got roundly thumped by Ocana on stage 11 of the ’71 tour and lost a lot of time.

It was a real shame to see TvG go out yesterday, no one want’s to see a contender retire sick, but he has no place on the podium of the tour. Maybe in a couple of years but not yet.

Ocaña was never going to win that Tour.
Ccos says:

Jul 23 2015 at 8:59 am

I like what Vos said about quitting something along the lines of not doing it so her body doesn’t learn what it feels like.