Despite being a bald, visually challenged Velominatus, I envy only one other man from the peloton past. The only man who could pull off the historically near-impossible chrome-dome/ponytail combination, and couple it with a pair of wire-rimmed reading glasses yet still manage to exude a lethal concoction of Gallic style, hardness and pure V that could defeat opponents with its very presence.
Even the cobbles here in the 89 Paris-Roubaix are being blown dry by the force of The Professor’s big ring whirlpool, floating millimeters above the surface and forcing the rider he’s just passed into a muddy pit of broken stones while he continues his assault down the middle, on the crown.
Though he rode for teams with some of the most unflattering kits ever, The Professor always managed to look immaculate. This is just another example. He was a template for The Rules long before any notion of them was ever dreamed of. Except of course Rule #36, which he naturally transcends and earns him an automatic pass on account of his sheer badassness.
I’m tempted to dig out my very first pair of prescription specs, similar to these and which I would’ve acquired around that time, and rock them in honour of Le Prof on our Roubaix ride on Keepers Tour 13 next April. The ponytail, well I’d be wise to not attempt that one…
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I love the way the bike is captured in this photo... filthy yet somehow immaculate... the back wheel skimming over the stones, slightly askew yet still pounding ahead... Poetry in motion right there!
Feeling possessed by this Fignon photo -- wanting to replicate a Raleigh build! Is that Raleigh Reynolds 531 Competition?
Even his chain slap carries a huge (fuck off) amount of energy!
1989 Tour de France Final Time Trial
LeMond put his bike into a huge 55 x 12 gear. His effort was the fastest individual time trial for a distance longer than 10 km ever ridden.
@unversio
It always amazes me just how non-aero riders were before LeMond...
@unversio
Yeah, I love looking at photos and checking the sag in the chain. This one, because the Professor is flying over 5 or 6 cobbles at a time, for they are ducking down in order to not sustain damage from the hurt his tubs are dishing out. Secondly, his derailleur cannot pick up the slack fast enough from Sur La Plaque since a design for one-man power is unable to function correctly under the power of V (5) men...
Nice one, brett! As a fellow four-eyer, I don't know how he rode and raced in specs. I don't mind wearing glasses but on the bike I put in contact lenses and go with shades. As for the pony tail - never had one, but I did grow a rat tail my first year in college on a dare from a teammate. It looked positively horrible, but was pretty good damn fun. Really amusing when hecklers supporting opposing teams thought I was growing it because it looked cool...
But c'mon. The Castrorama kit was awesome! I'm going to put on my hogwashers when I get home tonight, just for fun.
@marko
A HIT!!! A PALPABLE HIT!
@Souleur
Riders were still well-rounded back in those days. I think specialization hasn't done much for us over the years, to be honest. Just more doping, more focus, less Awesomeness and Versatility.
Awesome has three V's in it (an A is just an upside down V), and Versatility starts with one. Thats why those words rule so hard.
Our very first Anatomy of a Photo was on Figgles doing this same thing: http://www.velominati.com/racing/anatomy-of-a-photo-1990-paris-roubaix/
Funny. That AoP got 10 posts back in 2010.