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:
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
View Comments
@Al__S Just need some baby Rapha kit to go with that - sweeet!
On Saturday, urbanwhitetrash, a man doubly blessed by being born with 50% Belgian blood on the Prophet's birthday, took me under his wing for a 227 km sortie into winds clever enough to always shift in front of us at a moment's notice. In observance of this double blessing, The Prophet did smite a rear spoke of his not 3 km from my house, that he could add worry to his heap of suffering, and then one of my rear spokes a full 100 km from home, that I might equally stress and wring my hands with unglee. Our wobbly observance of the Festum proceeded with magnificently waning powers as the shadows grew long, yet the Man with the Hammer held off his final blow until we'd shared a tremendously delicious and final hoppy ale.
@Marcus
And the hoop snakes.
@starclimber
Bravo!
Ciao @frank ! That's the Monte Bisbino, an hill of the Lake of Como, there are a couple of quite old switchback there...
http://app.strava.com/activities/60675693
@Nate
the rate he's growing he'll be in this (designed for 6-12 months) by the time the tour starts! Figure some tour watching clad in it & reading sessions from the new book should have him well on the path to pedalwan status.
@asyax happy everything is ok! I still remember a nasty dog that left 'that' activity with a female dog to run towards my calf.
I always thought he had to evaluate his priority again...
@Mikael Liddy great!
I celebrated Festum Prophetae in the unconventional style of a 24hr team MTB race having been conscripted onto our 'fast' team. Much V was channelled by all through rain, mud, unrideable hills, broken bikes and aching bodies. Under 100km each but with about 3000m climbing to get us a win in the Services class and 3rd in Open behind 2 teams of ringers with Pro riders in. Utterly, uttery broken afterwards but getting royalty to present the trophies was a nice touch.
up at 4am to ride 4 gorges ( Sydney) - 120km, 1800m vertical - before work.
Very dark, very cold ( at least the descents into bobbin head berowra and galston ) - got into office at 8.15 - quiet glow of reverential satisfaction all day long.
VLVV