Categories: Anatomy of a PhotoKeepers TourThe Rules

Anatomy Of A Photo: Professeur Pavé

Visionary.

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…

Brett

Don't blame me

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View Comments

frank says:

Oct 25 2012 at 10:26 am

@Georges

Since you're bringing the subject of "The Professor", I was really surprised to read in his biography (Nous etions jeunes et insouciants - We were young and carefree) the following (loosely translated):

"Contrairement a la plupart des autres gÃ©ants de la route, on ne m'a jamais affuble d'un surnom. Du dÃ©but a la fin, qu'on m'ait aime ou non, qu'on ait Ã©tÃ© impressionnÃ© par mes exploits ou non, qu'on ait vu ou refuse de voir en moi un champion d'exception, je suis reste Laurent Fignon. Rien que Laurent Fignon. Moi et rien d'autre en somme."

"Unlike most of the other giants of the road, I never dons a nickname. From start to finish, whether I was liked or not, whether one has been impressed by my deeds or not, whether one has seen or refused to see me as a champion of exception, I was still Laurent Fignon. Just Laurent Fignon. Me and nothing else really."

Anyone else noticed that? Did the Professor nickname stick later on or was he just not aware of it?

Interesting; I don't recall that passage from the book. I've always heard the nickname, Professor, but who knows if it came along later, or maybe only in the English-speaking public? He didn't speak much English, so he could have missed it?
unversio says:

Oct 25 2012 at 10:41 am

@frank I see now that you might be on the wrong thread too, matey.
Buck Rogers says:

Oct 25 2012 at 10:43 am

@frank Pretty sure they were calling him that in '89.

I will have to rewatch my video of the '89 tdf b/c I seem to remember Auntie Phil calling him that during the video somewhere. I also seem to remember reading somewhere that Fignon was not fond of the moniker so maybe that is why he does not claim it in his bio?
unversio says:

Oct 25 2012 at 10:43 am

C'est la vie!
Nate says:

Oct 25 2012 at 10:48 am

@frank

@Georges

Since you're bringing the subject of "The Professor", I was really surprised to read in his biography (Nous etions jeunes et insouciants - We were young and carefree) the following (loosely translated):

"Contrairement a la plupart des autres gÃ©ants de la route, on ne m'a jamais affuble d'un surnom. Du dÃ©but a la fin, qu'on m'ait aime ou non, qu'on ait Ã©tÃ© impressionnÃ© par mes exploits ou non, qu'on ait vu ou refuse de voir en moi un champion d'exception, je suis reste Laurent Fignon. Rien que Laurent Fignon. Moi et rien d'autre en somme."

"Unlike most of the other giants of the road, I never dons a nickname. From start to finish, whether I was liked or not, whether one has been impressed by my deeds or not, whether one has seen or refused to see me as a champion of exception, I was still Laurent Fignon. Just Laurent Fignon. Me and nothing else really."

Anyone else noticed that? Did the Professor nickname stick later on or was he just not aware of it?

Interesting; I don't recall that passage from the book. I've always heard the nickname, Professor, but who knows if it came along later, or maybe only in the English-speaking public? He didn't speak much English, so he could have missed it?

Maybe it's in the French edition and not the English translation. I think I read an interview with the translator who said he did some editing as well, dropping some passages for various reasons.
unversio says:

Oct 25 2012 at 10:59 am

Love this.

And love this.
unversio says:

Oct 25 2012 at 11:02 am

Those are some Murder-fucking crank arms in the photo above (177mm) ?
unversio says:

Oct 25 2012 at 11:04 am

(177.5mm)
unversio says:

Oct 25 2012 at 11:14 am

Fact of Unknown Origins (forums.roadbikereview.com)

Jacques Anquetil 175mm
Lance Armstrong -- (negligible)
Magnus Backstedt 177.5mm
Chris Boardman 170mm
Santiago Botero 172.5mm
Angel Casero 175mm
Mario Cipollini 172.5mm
Fausto Coppi 171mm
Malcolm Elliott 172.5mm
Tyler Hamilton 172.5mm
Bernard Hinault 172.5mm
Miguel Indurian 180mm (190mm for second Hour record!)
Laurent Jalabert 172.5mm
Greg Lemond 175mm
Brad McGee 175mm
Robbie McEwen 175mm
Eddy Merckx 175mm
David Millar 175mm (180mm in TT)
Francesco Moser 175mm
Marty Northstein 167.5mm in Keirin (170mm in kilo)
Graham Obree 175mm
Marco Pantani 170mm (180mm in mountains)
David Rebellin 172.5mm
Roger Riviere 175mm
Jean Robic 170mm
Tony Rominger 172.5mm (175mm for Hour record)
Oscar Sevilla 175mm
Jan Ullrich 177.5mm
Rik Verbrugghe 175mm
Erik Zabel 172.5mm
Alex Zulle 175mm (180mm in mountains)
Marcus says:

Oct 25 2012 at 11:42 am

@unversio Pantani 180mm in the mountains! No wonder the little fella was standing up all the time