Weekend Competition: The Hardmen

Contents Page 1

As I said last week when we announced the new book, The Hardmen, we had a much harder time of it writing this one than we did with The Rules. There are a variety of reasons why this is true, not least the fact that we had to actually choose which Hardmen to include in the book, a bigger chore than it might seem. Some of them were pretty obvious, some were pretty obscure, but mostly it was simply a difficult chore to narrow down the list to something we could fit in a single book without turning it into War and Peace.

Not to mention that we were basically working from memory, for our oft-stated Anti-Research Policies.

Given that, there are some major omissions, whether deliberate or otherwise. Maybe we simply didn’t like a particular rider, hardness notwithstanding (Pharsmstrong). Maybe we loved a rider and we acknowledged their hardness, but the hardness was so universal that we couldn’t zero in on a particular ride that would make the book (Boonen). Other riders featured more than once because they were so universally hard but still managed to drop majorly epic rides in often enough that we simply couldn’t keep from adding a few of their stories (Kelly, Merckx).

With that, I give you your weekend assignment: which is the most glaring omission from the book, and why? But here’s the catch: you have to be specific on which rider, and you have to be specific on preciesely which ride/action merits inclusion. Vote for your favorite omission by using the (new) like button*. If you’d like to add your own notes to someone else’s entry, just respond inline as usual. Top three omissions** will receive a free copy of The Hardmen, signed by all three authors (this will take a little time as we have to ship them around the world.)

* I have resisted adding a Like button to posts since Velominati’s inception in 2009, feeling strongly that if you have something to say, you should take the time to say it rather than anonymously tapping a like button. However, given my own limited available time to commit to posting, I have come to appreciate the elegance of being able to recognize a post for its humor without needing to respond to it with something unimaginative like, “Ha!” I hold fast on my view that there will never be a “Dislike” button, as I firmly believe that while you are welcome to dislike something, you need to hold yourself accountable for your remarks.

** We reserve the right to override the voting system and choose the winner at our discretion.

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.

Next Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de France 2017 »

Previous « The Color White

View Comments

wiscot says:

Jun 23 2017 at 10:47 am

@a_p

Alf Engers — there is no other. For the uninitiated… http://www.purelyaloveofthebike.co.uk/engers_4924.htm http://www.purelyaloveofthebike.co.uk/engers.htm Amongst King Alf’s many achievements, 25mile TT in 1978 at 49:24. And the boy had some attitude to match his prowess in the big-fuck-off-ring.

0

Thanks for posting! What a read! I began my TT career in the very early 80s but Engers was a legend. The pic of him post-race at his van says it all. In the 80s there was a very talented roadie called Darryl Webster who had massive talent an ego to match. All sports need such characters.
a_p says:

Jun 23 2017 at 12:25 pm

@wiscot

These fellows kept it real. We can only be inspired to aspire... Dartmoor Classic next weekend!
Art G says:

Jun 26 2017 at 5:53 pm

@frank

Let's not forget Chambery 1989. I watched it on live television and I will never forget the relentless attacks and counter-attacks. Glorious weather and a technical run-in leading to that sprint consisting of the era's finest riders. And that post race interview "All day long I felt just awful, then my wheel broke but I suddenly felt good and thought I better not stop to change it now!"- LeMan
frank says:

Jun 26 2017 at 6:45 pm

@Art G

@frank Let’s not forget Chambery 1989. I watched it on live television and I will never forget the relentless attacks and counter-attacks. Glorious weather and a technical run-in leading to that sprint consisting of the era’s finest riders. And that post race interview “All day long I felt just awful, then my wheel broke but I suddenly felt good and thought I better not stop to change it now!”- LeMan

1

OOOOH. That's a good one. Merckx, this is why we should sober up every now and again.

Another one we missed was Sagan in the 2015 Worlds at Richmond. What a race.
Peter says:

Jun 29 2017 at 8:25 pm

Does anyone not remember Jonny Hoogerland being punted into a barbed wire fence in the 2011 Tour? As my senile memory serves not only did Johnny look like he fell out of a meat grinder, he changed clothes on the side of the road, finished stage 9?, then finished the Tour.

Jonny should have been your book cover.

HTFU indeed
Buck Rogers says:

Jun 30 2017 at 6:45 am

@Peter

Does anyone not remember Jonny Hoogerland being punted into a barbed wire fence in the 2011 Tour? As my senile memory serves not only did Johnny look like he fell out of a meat grinder, he changed clothes on the side of the road, finished stage 9?, then finished the Tour. Jonny should have been your book cover. HTFU indeed

0

I think if you look on page 2 of this thread you'll see that one mentioned with a bunch of "likes". Hardcore, indeed!
wiscot says:

Jun 30 2017 at 7:06 am

@Cary

hold up.. maybe not. upon further consideration, Guimard is more likely Obi Wan Kenobi. Koechli is Yoda.

0

And Raphael Geminiani as Darth Vader?
eightzero says:

Jul 8 2017 at 8:13 pm

Late to the party.

No mention of the cunts. Vos, K. Armstrong, Cooke.

Disappearing until the next Cogal. Too fat to climb.

I miss this.
brad hunt says:

Aug 9 2017 at 9:29 pm

@Buck Rogers

Jan Raas 1983 Ronde. He won 4 monuments and 5 amstel gold races. He was a sprinter but he was no Cipo or Kelly. He was not quite as fast but he could launch and hold his sprint for 700M; something no one else could do. In the 83' Ronde he attacks with 21 Km to go holds off the pack in true hard style. Runner-up the 96' 3 musketeers of Mapei riding into Roubaix.
Pali65 says:

Sep 21 2017 at 8:22 am

There are hardwomen too. Junior rider Lauren Dolan completed competition despite horrible wounds after crash. http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/lauren-dolan-finishes-junior-womens-time-trial-despite-crash-injuries-351650