Not one to subscribe to the slew of text speak or acronyms that permeate the modern vernacular (well, not too much, I guess YJA is one used fairly regularly), I am harbouring a severe case of FOMO right now. And the catalyst for this? The lack of a KT14. Shit, I did it again. WTF?
As Gianni wound up the excitement and anticipation for the real start of the real races, ie those on the cobbles and bergs of Belgium, my heart is heavy with emotions and my head is filled with bittersweet thoughts about the imminence of the Spring season, and the Classics in particular. This is my absolute favourite time of the racing year, and this one promises to be one of the best of recent times. Just like the past two seasons, the anticipation of a Tommeke/Faboo showdown is present, but maybe this time both will stay wreck-free and we will witness the winners of the past two Flanders/Roubaix doubles going at it at their peaks. And surely it will rain this year. It has to rain this year…
While standing around in the cold rain at the side of a shitty farm track isn’t the epitome of a good time for the general population, I place it at the top of my yearly holiday wishlist. The past two Aprils have been nirvana for me, and not being there this year leaves me with a feeling of having a part of my very being ripped out. Like my soul has been stolen away, an appendage removed, a limb hacked off. The complete experience of being there in those weeks when the whole of the cycling world is centred around Flanders and northern France, when there’s a race never more than an hour’s ride or drive from you, it’s something that embeds itself deep inside, and damned if it wants to ever leave.
This is what makes these races special, the anticipation, the unknown quantities of weather, form and luck, all factors which add up to the most unpredictable racing; anything can happen on the day, the riders know it, as do the fans. Rather than packing the wet weather gear, warm jacket and wooly hat and drinking copious amounts of Malteni at the side of the Kwaremont or Carrefour, I’ll be sitting in the dark in the middle of the night, watching online, yet still imbued with the same raw enthusiasm for these monuments among Monuments. The fact that I’ll be half a world away will no doubt sting a little still, but if it does rain, then at least I’ll get half of my yearly wish. And that is something to look forward to for sure.
VLVV!
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
It has been my experience this year, that the weather has been predictably unpredictable.... we could quite easily see it all this spring
That photo proves Eddy et al. were a different and a much tougher breed. All he has for protection is a wrist watch and some thin leather gloves. No helmet, no cycling specific eye-ware, no cotton cap, no arm warmers hanging loose about the elbows for protection (Hincapie reasoning for showing the gap, lame).
The pavé is slick with rain, mud and manure and there is Eddy: white jersey, clean face because he rides on no man's wheel, and his hair was perfect. Looking fantastic, look no further.
@Gianni Yep. Uber slick cobbled corner. Big dog. In the drops. Half smiling...
I was so looking forward to this years KT (I actually had planned on going this time). Mecca (Merckx'a?) will have to wait. Once again following shoddy streams on the inter webs will be how I follow the spring classics.
At least I have the Seattle Ronde and the de Ronde van West Portlandia to look forward to.
@scaler911
KT14 was in my plans too. Settling for a week based in Bourg D'Oisans and a day trip down to Mont Ventoux instead. Maybe KT15 or 16 instead?
C'est dommage.
At least I will be making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land (Lexicon anyone???) in early June to ride the roads and visit some WWI monuments. Not during the Holy Month, but on hallowed ground none the less.
@brett There was no way that I could have made it this year but hat doesn't mean there isn't a certain feeling of emptiness. It's also not helping incentivise when at this point for last two years PR wasn't too far off.
I'm sure I remember that corner, it was the closest I cam to coming off on the cobbles when Franco came close to taking my front wheel out as he went from crown to corner.
Next year...
'Tis on my bucket list: to stand in the rain and cold, drinking beer and having pomme frites with my sons and watching a cobbled classic in person (after having ridden the parcours the previous day of course).
@Gianni - how do you know that his socks, knicks and jersey are not wool?
It's photos like these that make you hate Rule #16 just a little.
You couldn't help but feel V times more awesome in a woollen Molteni rainbow jersey, but at the same time you would painfully aware of how unworthy you are of those sacred threads...