The Prophet was very clear on how best to ride an individual Time Trial; start as fast as possible and finish as fast as possible. As for the middle, his advice was to ride that as fast as possible.
The same can be said of climbing; as we covered in Part I and Part II of the Sur La Plaque series, the key to climbing well is to hit the bottom as hard as possible, and then move into the big ring as you go over the top in order to finish the climb as fast as possible. As for the middle section; well, hit that as hard as possible and focus on keeping your momentum going.
The trouble is with this pesky notion we have of “gauging our efforts”. Certainly, the perfectly measured climb would result in riding the whole of it à bloc before moving Sur La Plaque over the top, blast down the other side and – just as you hit escape velocity – explode spectacularly, using your perfectly honed LeMond Tuck to recover in time to crush it in the valley to the next climb where you repeat the process. Panache.
Panache is a dualistic thing; almost without exception do we admire it in others, and almost without exception are we too cowardly to hold it inside ourselves. Panache doesn’t speak of caution, or of measured action. It speaks of impulse – compulsion, even – to attack despite one’s better judgement. It speaks of throwing caution to the wind. It weighs heavy with the risk of exploding magnificently and trading angel’s wings for the devil’s anchor.
But those who venture freely into that realm have blown up so many times that it hardly features in their reasoning. Pain and climbing are inseparable; what difference does it make if you blow up and suffer a bit more for a bit longer? And, should we blow up often enough, we will learn how to suffer through and push to the top with grace. And perhaps by that same grace, will we recover enough to try again on the next climb.
Vive la chance. Vive le Grimpeur. Vive la Vie Velominatus.
Exhibit A: The master of Panache, Marco Pantani. And the master of blowing with grace, Richard Virenque. For a prime example of how to blow up properly, jump to 2:00.
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I had an interesting insight into the Lance-lovers at the Abu Dhabi Triathlon recently. I was helping as a volunteer and for a part of the day was on the bike checkout as people collected their bikes after the race.
Everyone had a race tag around their wrist which we had to check against the bike number and cut off, so I looked at probably 500 wrists - I saw a lot of black, brown, blue and other colour bands but only one yellow. I even offered to cut it off for him.
Forecast bad for MSR.... better go put a couple more quid on Sagan then
@ChrisO It really is a dam shame he will forever be associated with that yellow bracelet. There are people that wear it to support the fight against cancer and are now shamed by association. Like you stated put a different color on and call it good. It is interesting to see the global awareness as you did.
Watching the Pantani video reminded my of just how awesome he was......
Just awesome, and the backdrop makes me look forward to this Summers Alpine Cogal even more!!
@gregorio
Whatever.
Having a compact doesn't mean your wee wee is small.
@ChrisO
Tee hee!!
Actually, regarding MSR, I'm fascinated to see what the anti-Sagan tactic will be - can the Peleton ride so slowly that he will have to set his men on the front all day until they are busted? But then, there aren't any hills that he won't be able to get over - could it be a day that the breakaway gets away and never gets caught?.... selection will be interesting, can't wait, must think of something for the family to go and doo for 6 hours on sunday
@mouse
Indeed - I thought had moved on from using the 53 as a test of manhood (just don't tell anyone I also have a 28 on the back.....)
Rode like Schleck yesterday, must be the shite weather
Oops, need to go back and read The Rules again - sorry
@The Grande Fondue
Ill chip in here, if we work on the premise of "forgive but never forget" (except for COTHO whose lack of contrition and general fuckwittedness puts him beyond redemption) I am firmly out of the closet as Bertie fan...in a world of highly strategic cycling, where plans are laid and executed, the occasional nutcase or crackhead going completely banannas on their bike brings sunshine to a sometimes grey peloton. Dirty Bertie MADE the Vuelta last year (ably helped by JRod not having a fucking clue what to do most of the time) that stage 17 break was pure gold (artificially assisted or not is irrelavent here considering we are watching ill pirata in fully pumped up form).
Bless them all, they suffer for their art and we get to sit humbly by and slaver over footage. If I could have one request for this years Grand Tours it will be for Bertie to please wait for the cameras to be rolling before executing a Kamakaze break......I will send him a postcard.....along with a nice fresh Aberdeen Angus Steak!
@ChrisO
Such kindness makes you the man you are.....were you trying to gently point out the folly of wearing such wrist attire, or trying to save his life!