Categories: AwardsDefining MomentsNostalgiaRacingThe HardmenTradition

The 2011 V Moment of the Year: Paris Roubaix

The V Moment of the Year isn’t an award so much as acknowledgment of the moment during the season when the sport demonstrated the most pure example of spirit of The V. This is more than pushing hard en route to glory; the V Moment is the one point in time at which, despite a rider’s body and mind screaming to sit up in acquiescence, they instead fight on in the face of almost certain defeat.

In the first season in recent memory during which, despite some solid efforts, the story of The Needle and Blood Bank took a backseat to the story of Good Bike Racing, I am glad to report that fists were slammed on the Velominati boardroom table in defence of the many moments deserving this honor. The season saw both the domestique and the star take highest honors in the big races: a Dutchman returned to his machine after being torn to shreds on a barbed-wire fence; an Australian took the first Tour de France for the Antipodes; a Walloon took an astonishing quantity of quality races using the same tactic time and again from the season’s start to end; two riders stood out as the only big names willing to gamble on (and lose) a Merckxian long-distance charge rather than on a last-minute dash. In a season such as this, a unanimous vote was impossible and even as some V-Pints clinked in agreement, ale spilled from others at they were shaken in dissention. Bretto was last seen staggering off to the loo muttering, “Cadel [indecipherable] Galibier [censored]…” That was two weeks ago. I do hope he’s alright.

It’s a classic racing tactic; send a teammate up the road and force the other teams to work to bring back the break while you sit on, sip tea, and nibble on biscuits. In Professional Cycling, nine times out of ten, the break is brought back at the decisive moment of the race and the favorites are let off the leash to play out the finale while the lambs who have sacrificed their day toiling for another’s glory are left to limp to the finish largely forgotten.

Johan Van Summeren is one such rider, usually racing in the service of his team captains. Off to the front with you, Johan – time to bring the break back. Johan, the break has two minutes – you’d better bridge up there solo and get the other teams to chase. Hey, Johan – you don’t climb anywhere near well enough for your weight, why don’t you make sure the break that gets away before the mountains doesn’t get too much time – then beat the time limit over the cols.

Despite his role as loyal domestique, he showed promise on the brutal Pavé du Nord; in the service of Leif Hoste, he finished 10th in 2008 and in 2009 he placed 5th even after stopping and waiting for his fallen captain. And so it was to be again in 2011, though this time for a new captain – World Champion, Thor Hushovd.

The Sector of Pavé known as the Carrefour de L’Arbre is perhaps the most decisive of the race. Though it starts flat, it ends on a slight uphill stretch which makes the particularly brutal stones feel even more antagonizing. As they approached, Van Summeren was told by his team leadership that should the break not yet be caught when they enter the sector, he would be given free reign to ride for himself. They came within 11 seconds of being brought back before they began to pull away again. Sensing his chance, Van Summeren hit the Carrefour sector on the front of his group, put it in the big ring, and rode away from his companions.

His gap never seemed big enough, but he continued to fight even as he felt the favorites’ breath on his back as they overtook the remnants of his group. The story might end there, speaking of a domestique leaving the favorites at the Trouée d’Arenberg to stay away until the finish, and a good story it would be. The underdog had taken his chance and looked to have gotten away with it when the unthinkable happened. My bike feels slower than it did a minute ago – is my brake rubbing? Aren’t the last sectors of cobbles easier than the previous ones? Then why are they so rough? Indeed, the air was popping out of his back tire for a rest; yet he still managed to hold off a late-race charge from pre-race favorite and reigning World Time Trial Champion, Fabian Cancellara. Into the finish and over the line, he sought not the reporters of the press, but his girlfriend to whom he promptly proposed. (“Most people give a ring, I give a rock.”)

For taking a chance almost 100 kilometers from the line in the hardest race on the calendar, and for holding off the fastest rider in the world while rattling over the roughest road in Europe on a flat tire, Johan van Summeren gave us the V Moment of the Year at Paris-Roubaix. Goed gedaan, meneer.

The final kilometers:

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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frank says:

Jan 17 2012 at 7:49 am

@Marko

In addition to the sheer V of his ride, the pure joy and elation he exuded (not to mention class) afterward was really fun to watch. I would have expected one of the favorites to be happy but probably give one of the standard athlete interviews post ride. But JvS, not even including his proposal to his lovely girlfriend, was so fun to watch. He knew it was the ride of his life and unlike a favorite probably didn't have the expectation (and subsequent let down) of winning. Just pure joy. His reaction to winning is probably not that far off from what any of us would have had if we had won. That's why I liked it. I hope we get to meet him in April.

Spot on - that's a great point and one I wish I would have thought to make! The sheer joy, it felt like we were all celebrating together. And he's as tall and possibly even lankier than me. What's not to love?

@Dr C

And of course his girlfriend deserved a few chapeaux too, for the big tonguie french kiss she gave him at the finish, considering he had also just won the year's prize for most Belgian Toothpaste (incorporating dust) On One Set of Gnashers 2011

! Great! His girlfriend was adorable...The Flemish newscasters were talking about her and the cameras following her around in the velodrome...she was wandering around like a chicken with its head cut off...just awesome.

@scaler911

A number of worthy moments this year. Can't imagine what the debate was like.
Solid choice, tho Johnny H would have just nudged JVS IMHO. Thank Merckx you didn't go with Clenbutador's Giro performance (solid as it was), I might have had to do a "Occupy VM Keepers". You don't need that kind of trouble.........

Occupy VM Keepers...Gold!

@minion

@VeloVita

Indeed a worthy winner, but for me the VMOY was each and every time Little Tommy Voeckler turned himself inside out in trying to hold onto yellow for just one more day, and in doing so, turned me from an ardent Voeckler-hater into a fan.

Yes! Yesyesyesyesyesyesyes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If ever a race needed a rider the TDF needed Voekler.

I forget where I read it, but someone official had a similar comment..."all the big names will ride the Tour and we'll depend on Europcar and others to make the race watcable..."
frank says:

Jan 17 2012 at 7:53 am

@TommyTubolare

@ Frank
Very nice article Frank!
I don't know though.I'm still torn between JVS and Johnny Prikkeldraad.I really don't know!

JOHNNY PRIKKELDRAAD!! Fantastic! Into the Lexicon with that one we go...

@roadslave

And don't be too tough on old Thor.... a big man like him, winning solo over the Aubisque on Stage 13 into Lourdes... the only one in the picture across the finish line in the rainbow jersey... class... and that descent was inspiring and just awesome to watch.
But yes, his classics campaign sucked like an English public school girl in Thailand on her gap year after losing her puppy fat in India (this last quote may not travel very well beyond the upper middle classes of the UK, so apologies). Him and Vaughters deserve to be sjambokked mercilessly for generating enough Anti-V to cover all of Flanders to a depth of two feet.

We'll discuss this more in a bit, methinks...
frank says:

Jan 17 2012 at 7:57 am

@King Clydesdale

I tend to agree. If Thor gets The Anti-V award, I'll be very disappointed. I think there are plenty of better picks given his TDF.

Don't forget, its the moment - not the rider. What he did at the Tour was fantastic. What he did at the classics was not. I'm the first to tell you I love the shit out of Thor.

...and I think some of you are jumping to conclusions based on my deliberately misleading statement earlier...

@eightzero

Frank: you *really* need to get a V-cog DH painted onto the road pointing into the velodrome. *That* will be the 2012 V Moment.

Oh. That's a though.
Chris says:

Jan 17 2012 at 8:04 am

@Ron

Played lots of teams sports growing up & loved the competition and physical battles. Now I've really grown to love the fact that I can head out on a ride & push myself to my limit, whether it's a short, hard effort or a long ride, one where you wonder at certain points if you'll be able to make it back home. I return home each time with a renewed spirit. While we can't be PROS, it is certainly one awesome aspect of cycling that we each can test our mettle on every ride, if we desire. And each time you willingly enter into a challenging day in the saddle, you find a bit more about yourself.

Each of us can have our own personal ride of the year & nobody might even hear about it, aside from the dog as they try to lick the embrocation off our legs as we take off our shoes or the VMH who wonders why they hell we were gone so long.

Spot on. And I love the fact that there is no-one tougher to compete against than yourself.
frank says:

Jan 17 2012 at 8:07 am

@James

Van Summeran was spectacular - the award is just. On a very minor point concerning the long distance charge referred to in para two, isn't "Merckxonian" the correct phrase, visa vis "Merckxian"? A "Priestly" distance would also be appropriate I suppose...

Merckxonian...where are the pedants when you need them? Which is it? I think they both sound great!

@Ron
You're not the first one to have that happen! G'rilla and I have been doing hill repeats on a local climb and every time the false flat at the top has us checking our brakes and wondering about flats. Brutal!

@marcus

@frank
quite unsurprisingly, i agree with Bretto. Van Summeren's victory was a great win for the common man, but c'mon, can you really compare it to Cadel's entire Tour, with the higlight being his ride up the Galibier?
Can't help but think you went with JVS because of his Dutch-sounding name.

It was an absolutely spectacular moment and the highlight of the Tour, at least where the favorites were concerned. For me, though, the moment is muddied by the fact that his ride up the Galibier was very last-minute...I think my theme for 2012 is to be Anti-Last-MInute-Effort. Brilliant tactic, of course, and it won him the Tour - but not a very bold move. On the other hand, compare it to the Grimplette's 60 k hail-mary. Sure, he lost the Tour, but that was an inspired move and the only one from a favorite that wasn't just the same-old, same-old. Also Merckxian. We could do this all day.
frank says:

Jan 17 2012 at 8:09 am

@marcus

@Minion
On behalf of your country, please explain this.
I always thought Kiwis weren't very fast at shearing sheep because they never want to share a sheep with anyone?

Wow. Just...Wow.
frank says:

Jan 17 2012 at 8:13 am

@Ron

On another note, I got to wondering about Ballan & Flecha. Very strong riders, one with a checkered past, always there in the Classics, but hmm, they don't win too much. Are they the type who just aren't top tier? Or, is there more to come from them? (I guess anything can happen in a one-day cobble-fest.)

Meh. Hard to say. I'm with @Buck Rogers in that they've got decent results behind them...but Flecha to me is a tier below and so is Ballan. His win in RVV was great, though - as he kept a guy I can't stand in the least (not even Roast Beast) from winning.

I think they're below the others but good enough to win if it all works out in their favor...
frank says:

Jan 17 2012 at 8:15 am

@rhys

The whole Hoogerland thing made me physically sick when I saw it.
@Spearfish

the strength of character he showed in the interviews afterwards. Refusing to blame anyone or to complain even a little

This really got under my skin. How do you not come out all guns blazing and angry after something like this? I won't ever forget it.

I was torn on this, too. He was a class act for sure, but at the same time, he do wonder how he could keep himself together like that. Maybe he knew the car driver just made him famous and his career was made!

I really liked the video, especially the footage after the win. Good to see Rabo happy with 3rd place, I often wonder if pro's get beaten once they get into the bus for coming second or third. Third place in the P-R is still a fine achievement.

Seriously! What of it? You got THIRD? YOU FUCKING GIT.
Chris says:

Jan 17 2012 at 8:15 am

@frank
The Grimplette's Hail Mary was no less last minute than Cadel's chase, there would be no more Tour winning opportunities after it. Some might even argue that he'd already left it too late by that point.
VeloVita says:

Jan 17 2012 at 8:33 am

@frank

Merckxonian...where are the pedants when you need them? Which is it? I think they both sound great!

Oh, I thought The Merckxonian would be an institution founded for the increase and diffusion of cycling knowledge