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 11:08 pm

@Oli

Nipple lube...
piwakawaka says:

Jul 24 2015 at 12:48 am

@Minnesota Expat

@mouse

Obviously youse Americans love your riders as much as we Australians love ours. It’ll be interesting to see if Porte and TVG are on the same team next year.

Nope. I’m a Bardet guy (also now known as “Salad” in our house). That kid has enormous potential, he can obviously climb, a nice steady rhythm, but most of all he descends as well as anyone in the peleton, even riders ten years senior. He should be a groomed as a GT contender by a team that can put him on the top of a GT podium.

Anyone else notice Froome is doing a good job on the descents, keeping up with Nibali?

Absolutely, for someone who looks like shit uphill (fuckin' fast shit), he actually is descending really well, and he even looks like a bike rider!
VeloJello says:

Jul 24 2015 at 5:59 am

@Minnesota Expat

@mouse

Obviously youse Americans love your riders as much as we Australians love ours. It’ll be interesting to see if Porte and TVG are on the same team next year.

Nope. I’m a Bardet guy (also now known as “Salad” in our house). That kid has enormous potential, he can obviously climb, a nice steady rhythm, but most of all he descends as well as anyone in the peleton, even riders ten years senior. He should be a groomed as a GT contender by a team that can put him on the top of a GT podium.

Anyone else notice Froome is doing a good job on the descents, keeping up with Nibali?

I had pinned my hopes on Bardet this year. He needs to toughen up on a few spring classics. Once he has, he'll be the shining hope that the french have been desiring for years... What a descender!
The Oracle says:

Jul 24 2015 at 6:15 am

@Minnesota Expat

I can't explain the camera feed's focus on TVG, since I think NBCSN just taps into the French feed, but I always assumed that Phil and Paul's focus on TVG was because the broadcast is aimed at an American audience, and he was the highest-placed American shooting for a podium spot.
Minnesota Expat says:

Jul 24 2015 at 6:45 am

@The Oracle

@Minnesota Expat

I can’t explain the camera feed’s focus on TVG, since I think NBCSN just taps into the French feed, but I always assumed that Phil and Paul’s focus on TVG was because the broadcast is aimed at an American audience, and he was the highest-placed American shooting for a podium spot.

That's what I figured, maybe there are multiple French feeds that can be cobbled together by NBCSN producers? But I will not believe that the Italians, Brits, Dutch or French care more than a little about Van Garderen.

But here we go, we get Perino on the moto-bike following VnG and reporting every wobble, Schlanger at the finish trying to find someone at BMC for comment, we have Voigt telling us how VnG feels, and Vande Velde telling us how teammates are supporting VnG on the road.

And of course Liggett telling us for the 53rd time since the beginning of the stage, that "VnG is the highest placed American, at number 3!" Thank you Phil. Any idea on the time to the break? Where is the break? Who is in the break? Who is on the front of the Yellow Jersey group?
Gianni says:

Jul 24 2015 at 12:03 pm

To get back to Bernard Thevenet's win that year. He admitted he was not sure he was going to win that Tour until a few laps of the Champs. Even with a broken face Eddy could never be counted out.

TeeJay, yeah, I can't get excited about him. Froome makes them all look powerless. I would like to see Nairo crush but he can't match him. And Froome is such a well spoken nice guy too! I miss Twiggo calling people out when he had a microphone in his face.
ped says:

Jul 24 2015 at 12:28 pm

@Gianni

apparently, not so well soken

Shocked Nibali protested his innocence, claiming he did not know the race leader had ground to a halt, shrugging: “Froome was very angry at the finish, but that's his problem.

“I cannot even tell you the words Froome said to me. They are too harsh to repeat.”
Shatterhand says:

Jul 24 2015 at 2:07 pm

Witnessed this drama unfold in front of my very own eyes at the grueling hot slopes of le col de la Colle-Saint-Michel. Paired with this being my first time I have seen the pro peloton live in all its glory made it a truly profound experience.

The flurry of Glistening Guns, Maginifent Machines and Fantastic Form.

Overwhelming.

The desperation of the weak and failing.

Gut wrenching.

The moment when all that is left is to suffer no more.

...glorious

The family made a few futile attempts to understand why daddy was silent during the following drive home, but soon realized that he had simply too much to process to bother himself with trivia such as everyday life.

I will never look at myself or my cycling the same again.
@BacklashJack says:

Jul 24 2015 at 2:58 pm

And then there's a perfectly healthy Cavendish quitting because there were too many hills and he lost his pack mules.
Minnesota Expat says:

Jul 24 2015 at 7:38 pm

@@BacklashJack

And then there’s a perfectly healthy Cavendish quitting because there were too many hills and he lost his pack mules.

Did Cavendish get in the team car?! I don't see it anywhere and that would be unlike him. Say what you will, he might be down a couple hours, but he's a competitor and would be looking forward to the Champs-Elysees.