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.

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RobSandy says:

Jun 11 2017 at 4:45 am

@Buck Rogers

@frank

@Buck Rogers

Right, I can see where it could be really hard to limit it but I was baffled not to find Le Professeur, LeMan, Coppi and Gimondi in the pages (but Virenque, Hansen and McEwen made it???).

But in life it is so much easier to criticize and destroy than build and do (but Hansen???)

0

That’s absolutely why, for the conpetition, we’re asking you to come up with a specific example

0

Ahh, got it.

For starters there’s one of the most famous Hardmen story ever with Fiorenzo Magni riding the Giro with a broken collarbone (and he did not have his unborn twin to help him, either!)

5

+10,000. Magni ftw. Was his story in The Rules tho?
Nero says:

Jun 11 2017 at 5:39 am

@Buck Rogers

@Buck Rogers

you mean BartAli, not Michele Bartoli, I guess?
Nero says:

Jun 11 2017 at 5:55 am

@Buck Rogers

Bartoli was a Hardman many times but the specific intense that most stands out was when he was riding with hidden documents during the war to save Jewish lives. That is about as Hardcore as one can get since he would most likely have been literally shot if he were caught.

6

Guess you mean Gino BartAli, not Bartoli (Michele)...
Rick says:

Jun 11 2017 at 6:44 am

Wining the 1989 TdF after being mistaken for a turkey by his trigger happy brother in law doesn't qualify LeMond? With buckshot residue still present in his body?
frank says:

Jun 11 2017 at 9:16 am

@Fausto

Adam Hansen, stopped counting how many tours he has ridden in a row.

3

Adam is in the book, you dingdong.
Buck Rogers says:

Jun 11 2017 at 9:22 am

@Nero

@Buck Rogers

Bartoli was a Hardman many times but the specific intense that most stands out was when he was riding with hidden documents during the war to save Jewish lives. That is about as Hardcore as one can get since he would most likely have been literally shot if he were caught.

6

Guess you mean Gino BartAli, not Bartoli (Michele)…

0

Dammit!!! I ALWAYS do that! Last time Oli called me out!!! Some day I'll learn (or more likely not!!!).

Thanks!
frank says:

Jun 11 2017 at 9:28 am

@Buck Rogers

So yeah, I see the difficulties with coming up with specific rides for Leman and Le Professeur off the top of my head and I do not know my history well enough with Coppi and Gimondi. That’s a good point.

Maybe you could have a supplemental chapter dealing with riders who just exuded Hardness their whole careers even though one cannot pinpoint a specific instance?

0

It's a lot harder than it seems, but of course now I realize LeMond on Luz Ardiden in 1990 would have been the moment to choose. Maybe we can add it for the US release. The Dutch release is coming out in Spring and we're adding Dumpoulin.
wiscot says:

Jun 11 2017 at 9:28 am

@Cary

le doublé d’Anquetil:

http://www.thebikecomesfirst.com/jacques-anquetils-remarkable-dauphine-bordeaux-paris-double/

0

I was going to post that one too. Somewhere in the Velominati archives is a Guest Article I did on it.

I'll throw another out there: Major Taylor. First black national and world cycling champion. Track rider extraordinaire in the late 19th, early 20th centuries. The racism and discrimination he endured throughout his career was awful yet he handled it with dignity and class. No question his career and life qualifies him as a hardman.
Duane Gran says:

Jun 11 2017 at 9:59 am

Gert Jan Theunise. It isn't so much about his results, which are respectable, as much as it is about his presence. His jaw line could cut metal and I think most of us would give up a race before it started if we got caught in his stare. He oozes hardness.
Buck Rogers says:

Jun 11 2017 at 11:03 am

@frank

@Buck Rogers

So yeah, I see the difficulties with coming up with specific rides for Leman and Le Professeur off the top of my head and I do not know my history well enough with Coppi and Gimondi. That’s a good point.

Maybe you could have a supplemental chapter dealing with riders who just exuded Hardness their whole careers even though one cannot pinpoint a specific instance?

0

It’s a lot harder than it seems, but of course now I realize LeMond on Luz Ardiden in 1990 would have been the moment to choose. Maybe we can add it for the US release. The Dutch release is coming out in Spring and we’re adding Dumpoulin.

0

I have to say that there is some really brilliant writing in the book! Loved the bit about Dudu and having God himself come up alongside him and speak to him neat the end of that RVV. I had never heard that before. So awesome!

And the bit about asking Le Blaireau about French Hardmen being an oxymoron! (although I bet he would argue more than anyone else that there has not been any true French Hardmen since Gibus!).