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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Nate says:

Jun 18 2013 at 8:26 am

@scaler911

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

Thanks. No secrets, it's getting Record 11 (except a Chorus FD, don't see the point of a carbon FD plate), my Nemesis wheel set, 3T Rotundos, fizik saddle and seat pin.

@scaler911

@Marcus

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

Prolly #5. Behind a few of the "most venomous shit on the planet" critters you have there.

Careful, you might be insulting @Marcus by excluding him from the "most venomous shit on the planet" list.

@Mikael Liddy

Nice. My guys like watching bike races. There was a phase when they were two that they both called the peleton the "choo choo train."
Nate says:

Jun 18 2013 at 9:53 am

@Ron Thanks Ron, and congrats on the anniv.
JACD214 says:

Jun 18 2013 at 1:27 pm

@Collin

I celebrated over the weekend defending my title at a 24-hour road race. 685km in 21:15 of racing. We had about a three hour suspension due to a lightning storm, but I was riding in the sideways rain right up until lightning started hitting the water tower. Some fun Rule #9 conditions!

A noble way to celebrate, indeed! The weather was truly a bugger this year. Congratulations from the west side of the state.
atomicmanatee says:

Jun 18 2013 at 1:39 pm

After months of lurking and reading here, I decided that the Festum Prophetae was a good time to join up and interact a bit.

Father's day having delayed my Festum activities, I watched the weather radar heralding Rule #9 conditions on 6/17. After work, and waiting for the lighting to be a few km off, I set off to pay my respects in the rain. Merckx must have approved, because after 15 minutes of blissfully ignoring getting drenched I was treated to a stop to the rain, 23C temps, and a drying road. I was left to finish my weeknight hour in the best weather I can recall riding in all year.
the Engine says:

Jun 18 2013 at 1:48 pm

@Collin

I celebrated over the weekend defending my title at a 24-hour road race. 685km in 21:15 of racing. We had about a three hour suspension due to a lightning storm, but I was riding in the sideways rain right up until lightning started hitting the water tower. Some fun Rule #9 conditions!

Chapeau
brett says:

Jun 18 2013 at 2:00 pm

@Deakus

Asked what rider he'd tap to replace him, for once he was stumped, with no clever answer. Until this: "I think it would take maybe two persons. One to do the funny part, and one to be the bike rider."

And one to maintain Omerta...
scaler911 says:

Jun 18 2013 at 3:52 pm

What I did yesterday: covered breaks for my teammate that's high in the series (and attacked. a lot):
zeitzmar says:

Jun 18 2013 at 7:42 pm

I celebrated Festum Prophetae with a trip to the Marymoor velodrome on my new steel track steed.
snoov says:

Jun 18 2013 at 9:35 pm

Rode Belgian Style for the whole of the club run.
harminator says:

Jun 19 2013 at 2:35 am

Late on this but...

Just nitpicking that when The Prophet makes a long solo break, kamikaze is the wrong word.

Homicide maybe. I prefer manslaughter.