The Moser Position

This

For my money, the best slice of cycling video ever is Francesco Moser, appearing out of the dust, in the 1976 Paris-Roubaix. He blasts by the moto camera on the right, on a mission to get up to the front. Something about him appearing, then almost disappearing down the road. What was that? And there it is, the Moser position. His torso is pulled down low. If you want to go that fast you have to get that low. Back in the day, your frame size was directly correlated to your inseam, period. There were no slammed -17 degree stems or long seatposts. If you wanted to get aero you just had to bend at the hips and elbows, a lot.

Getting low is one thing, generating huge power from that position is something else, something Moser excelled at. Lo Sceriffo was not a man to be underestimated. In this excerpted video from A Sunday in Hell, Moser is powering up towards the winning break of four riders: Roger De Vlaeminck, Marc Demeyer, Walter Godefroot, and Hennie Kuiper (all former or future P-R winners). It is an all star break of Belgian-Dutch hardness and Moser bridges quickly. The winner was going to come from this group but it was not Moser’s year nor was the next edition so he made up for it by winning the next three consecutive Paris-Roubaix.

To see Moser powering up the side of the pavé like that, it’s some sort of poetry that captures just about everything I love about cycling.

The Moser scene plays out around 9:10 into the clip, but as always, it is pure pleasure to watch what leads up to it.

Gianni

Gianni has left the building.

Next Guest Article: Awesome British Women - Beryl Burton »

Previous « To Bidon Or Not To Bidon

View Comments

Ron says:

Jan 21 2016 at 7:42 am

@LeBelge

@Ron

A lot of the old school guys came from rural background. Farmers tend to be a lot outside, and it harden you.

Plus they didn’t have central heating like now. They were generally in colder temp. all year long since birth, which help.

I have a school friend who didn’t have central heating at home, just a coal stove. He would come to school in t-shirt when people where donning their winter jackets.

Good points. Knew a guy in college who wore shorts year-round and we had some pretty damn cold winters. I grew up in a cold climate and now have been in a much warmer climate for around 5 years. I've definitely lost my ability to withstand really cold temperatures, like I used to be able to handle.

It absolutely blows my mind how many people keep their houses heated at tropical temperatures. I find it uncomfortable, but I find it more uncomfortable to think about how many non-renewable resources are chewed up because bastards want to go around in shorts and t-shirts all year long. Nobody scrapes their car windows here either, they just turn the car on for 15 minutes. Goddamn. Many people in my neighborhood also work at the university, which is all of 2 kms away. Despite the location, I'm the only person who walks or rides a bike. Even the fucking undergrads at a "green" university, as they bill themselves, drive. Most live in group houses and I'll see all six drive separately a few minutes apart. Lovely to see the next generation act so eco-friendly.
Neil says:

Jan 21 2016 at 8:39 am

"Moser, with his distinctive style, his still, aerodynamic position on the bicycle is an imposing sight of almost effortless rotary action.”
TheVid says:

Jan 21 2016 at 9:18 am

@RobSandy

I don’t come onto Velominati to let facts stand in the way of my opinions.

This! If I could, it would be a +1 for you good sir.
wilburrox says:

Jan 21 2016 at 9:29 am

I flat out love Paris Roubaix and I really love the '12 PR when Mr. Boonen blasted away with maybe 50km remaining and finished on his own with avg speed of something like 45+kph over the race distance. WOW! That was really the race when I thought to myself that this high def televised cycling is very very cool. That cat was a monster at the end just powering away with his hands draped over the bars and the camera right there.
Gianni says:

Jan 21 2016 at 10:15 am

@Buck Rogers

@Gianni

@Haldy

I swear these guys were harder than than Boonen or Cancellara.

Ha! Look at that!!! I can post!!! The Gods of IT at West Point updated my system this morning and voila! I’m back!!! Anyways, Yes, they were way fucking harder. Jesus, not doubt. The only reason we even begin to question if they were is b/c Boonen and Sparty stand out in todays puff peloton b/c they are so hard IN COMPARISON to the Schlecks and Froome’s of today’s elite. If we took Hookers and Blow back to the ’70’s, he could rid ewith them, but I doubt he’d have 4 PR and 3 RVV to his name. Maybe, and only maybe, one of each, in my opinion. But God DAMN! What a photo! I must say though, I always have had a tiny bit of dislike for Moser with how he “stole” his Giro from Fignon, whether he had anything to do with the helicopter or not. Still, HARD man for sure.

Bucky, where you been? We missed you.

You know these guys were tougher from the gears they pushed, hauling through the Alps with a 42 x 21 as the granny gear. Faaaaaaack. I'm embarrassed at my current gearing. Oh well. I ain't no Moser.
DeKerr says:

Jan 21 2016 at 10:19 am

@TheVid

@RobSandy

I don’t come onto Velominati to let facts stand in the way of my opinions.

This! If I could, it would be a +1 for you good sir.

I second that.
Gianni says:

Jan 21 2016 at 10:26 am

@wiscot

So much awesomeness in this post and I never tire of watching a Sunday in Hell. To wit: at 1:40 the Jobo rider’s head injury – I swear you can see his skull through that gash on his forehead. The Ijsboerke mechanic sitting oh-so-casually on the back of the team car. Raymond Poulidor is still mixing it up with the kids at the age of 40! (Born in 1936, he turned pro in 1960.) And, of course, Moser’s style. He was a top track man – won the world pursuit championship in 76. Top time-triallist too. That’ll get your position aero.

Yep, the whole film is a killer. I love seeing RDV killing it at the front of that foursome and Demeyer getting on his wheel to draft because that is the wheel you need to be on in Paris-Roubaix. And so much carnage, no gloves, no helmets, no whining. Awesome.
Gianni says:

Jan 21 2016 at 10:31 am

@LeBelge

@Ron

A lot of the old school guys came from rural background. Farmers tend to be a lot outside, and it harden you.

Plus they didn’t have central heating like now. They were generally in colder temp. all year long since birth, which help.

I have a school friend who didn’t have central heating at home, just a coal stove. He would come to school in t-shirt when people where donning their winter jackets.

I remember watching some Spring Classic many years ago. A clear day, just above freezing, and there is some Dutch hardass with no gloves at all. It really impressed me. You know these guys are a different breed when you see things like that.
Buck Rogers says:

Jan 21 2016 at 10:39 am

@Gianni

Oi!!! For some unknown (but most probably very, very good) reason, I was not able to comment on the V site from work for around the last year. Fucking painful. You know me, I cannot be in a room and not be chatting constantly! I finally went to the IT Gods late summer and told them that something was up in regards to this problem. In their infinite wisdom, they put me on the list of priorities (it would seem right at the bottom) and today I found out that they had updated my system over night and I could post again!

Halle-fuckin-lujah!!!

The Stars of late seem to be aligning for me in regards to the bike and ergo in life as well!
Matt says:

Jan 21 2016 at 12:51 pm

@Haldy

This is one of my favorite Cycling photos ever. So much Awesome going on here. Teeth gritting; hair back in the wind; a back so flat you could eat your fucking dinner off it. And those sideburns. Look at the fucking angle of his wrists!