Categories: La Vie VelominatusThe RulesTradition

Merry Festum Prophetae

The greatest photo of the greatest Cyclist ever. Photo: Het Laatste Nieuws

This photo is perhaps the greatest of all time; it shows The Prophet riding in the 1969 Ronde van Vlaanderen, kit and machine perfect. Rule #9 conditions in abundance. He’s gone off the front with some 80km left to race, which predictably sent his directeur into a rage. Ordered to return to the bunch, Merckx calmly suggested he go screw himself. It would be a dishonor to sit up and wait for the bunch when there was still strength in his legs. He stayed away to the finish.

Long, kamikaze breakaways were his bread and butter. The idea that he might wait for the last climb or make a shrewd tactical move were completely foreign to him; whether in the leaders jersey or not, if his legs itched, he pushed on the pedals and left the bunch behind – no matter how far it was to the finish and how great his lead already was. That is class. That is panache That is an example for the conservative modern rider. Classy, stylish, obsessive, meticulous, and devastatingly tough. The Prophet was a unique animal, the perfect combination of what lies at the core of the Velominati and The V. We each endeavor to uphold the standard he laid down during his career and since.

The Keepers would like to join each of you today in celebrating Festum Prophetae, the birth of the greatest Cyclist and our Prophet, Eddy Merckx. It is customary for the Velominati honor this day in a manner befitting him, and we invite you all to share with us how you chose to.

Thanks go to each of you for being a part of this community and helping make this site a worthwhile place to visit and share in our collective love for Cycling. Cycling is much more than a sport; it is a lifestyle and a conduit for us to become better people. Without each of you helping in your way to share in the experience, this place has no meaning.

Vive la Vie Velominatus, and Merry Festum Prophetae, one and all. A-Merckx.

As a special gift on this most festive day, we present the newly anointed Rule #92:

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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View Comments

Daccordi Rider says:

Jun 17 2013 at 9:32 pm

@Mikael Liddy
Mikael Liddy says:

Jun 17 2013 at 9:36 pm

@Daccordi Rider I've been forced to promise that I'll wait at least until he can hold his head up before buying him one of the wooden balance bikes...he'll have to make do with his BabyMolteni jersey c/o Fyxo for the time being.
Nate says:

Jun 17 2013 at 9:55 pm

@Mikael Liddy Balance bike, and don't let him anywhere near training wheels, and you'll have a promising pedalwan.
Nate says:

Jun 17 2013 at 9:56 pm

@xyxax Good one. I've had to up my fluid intake because of all the drooling I have been doing this evening.
scaler911 says:

Jun 17 2013 at 10:23 pm

@Nate

It is considered highly auspicious to have the frame builder ship out your frame on Festum Propetae.

That's dead sexy right there. Whacha going to kit it up with? Or is that a surprise?
scaler911 says:

Jun 17 2013 at 10:27 pm

@asyax

Dooode! I prefer riding close to semi trucks over seeing off leash dogs while out on the whip. Bummer.

@Daccordi Rider

Reason #175 I don't want to live in Australia. I'll never get crashed by a Kangaroo here. Ever.
Marcus says:

Jun 17 2013 at 10:48 pm

@Daccordi Rider
Bad luck - those furry fuckers are made of iron, no?

@scaler911

Kangaroos and wallabies are a serious fucking hazard on the roads out here.

You dont need to be far out of Melbourne's cbd before they can be a factor especially at dawn/dusk (and of course, they hop down the main streets of Adelaide where they hold down big jobs in town). The dumb fuckers (the 'roos not the Adelaideans) think nothing of hopping next to you whilst riding on a descent and then doing on a quick directional change which may or may not see their tail and your bike make contact. I know 4 fellas who have been brought down by them in the last 5 years.

And they are exactly like that one on Looney Tunes - they just jump along fucking fast without a care or apparent effort.

And then of course, there are the drop bears.
Marcus says:

Jun 17 2013 at 10:48 pm

@scaler911 one question - which number in your reasons not to live in Australia am I?
pistard says:

Jun 17 2013 at 10:55 pm

@scaler911

@Daccordi Rider

Reason #175 I don't want to live in Australia. I'll never get crashed by a Kangaroo here. Ever.

There's a roo farm in Arlington. They escape. Never say never.

I never expected to hit a peacock, but almost did last week. Imperious little fuckers think they own the road.
Al__S says:

Jun 17 2013 at 10:56 pm

@Mikael Liddy

@Daccordi Rider I've been forced to promise that I'll wait at least until he can hold his head up before buying him one of the wooden balance bikes...he'll have to make do with his BabyMolteni jersey c/o Fyxo for the time being.

wooden? when you can get carbon with an internally routed brake cable? A steal at â‚¬1,499.