The early eighties saw the tide change in the European Peloton. Components were taking on a new, curvy shape as they left their boxy forms behind. The glint of toe clips in the sun would become a rarer sight as the move towards clipless pedals would take hold in 1985. English speakers were winning the big races classically won by continental Pros.
The 1984 Tour could be my favorite edition of the race. In 1983, the rookie Laurent Fignon had won in the absence of Le Patron, Bernard Hinault. The 1984 race saw the two go head-to-head, with Fignon becoming the one and only person in history to have laughed at Hinault and lived. He did more than live, he won. The new guard was here, and they were making their presence known.
This photo is from the stage to l’Alpe d’Huez. LeMond was riding in support of Fignon, and Robert Millar, in his second Tour, was leading the King of the Mountains competition, which he would eventually win. Millar wrote an account of this stage in Issue 13 of Rouleur, which everyone should make an effort to find a copy of. He describes the attacks that come fast and furious on the penultimate climb in such vivid detail, it makes my guns ache. But worse than that is his and LeMonds effort to hold on to Fignon and Hinault’s wheels in the ride through the valley to Le Bourg d’Oisans and the base of the final climb. It is the perfect description of the suffering of the Cyclist. LeMond, in service to his leader, is on the front one moment as he reels Hinault in after an attack, before being cast into the gutter and the back wheel a moment later when the next attack comes.
Just as 1984 was a watershed moment in the Pro peloton, 2013 is a watershed year for the VSP. This year we are offering five amazing prizes from five amazing partners.
Prizes
First prize is a Veloforma Strada iR road frame, painted in an exclusive Velominati color scheme with the newly-designed Velominati Super Prestige logo. Please note that this is a brand-spankin’ new frame for Veloforma. The geometry can be reviewed here.
Second prize is a pair of Café Roubaix carbon tubular wheels. The winner of this prize will be given the choice between the sub-1000g Haleakala wheels or a road version of my beloved Arenberg wheelset. As an additional incentive, anyone who enters their picks in the Tour VSP will get a $200 discount on any wheelset at Café Roubaix.
Third prize is a pair of Bont cycling shoes. The winner of this prize will be assisted in selecting the size, color, and model of shoe.
Fourth prize is a Flandrian Best kit from DeFeet consisting of a wool U-D-Shirt, Arm Skins, Kneekers, Slipstreams, and a pair of V-Socks.
Fifth prize is a wool jersey from our Keepers Tour tour partners, Pavé Cycling Classics.
Many thanks to each of our sponsors for providing such exciting prizes.
Rules
Enter your picks for the top five riders on G.C. by the time the countdown clock goes to zero; Grand Tour scoring rules apply. Check the mapping of your picks by the end of Stage 1 and use the dispute system should it be mapped incorrectly.
We will be enforcing Piti Principle rules much more closely. We will be accepting pick disputes through the start of Stage 2. After that, it will be at The Keepers’ discretion as to whether or not we allow the dispute. If your pick is ambiguous and we map them to the wrong rider, make sure you check your disputes before the deadline; we may reject the dispute after that time. For example, should both Tony and Dan Martin take the start and you enter “Martin” as your pick, we will pick one for you and you will have to live with it if you forget to dispute it before the deadline.
Good luck, and Merckxspeed.
Update: This is the same paint scheme that the winner will have, except the VSP Winner’s Badge will be replacing the V-Lion.
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View Comments
@Marcus
Hey, c'mon. He's riding the Tour of Britan.
@Marcus
That is the shortest stem. Ever.
In other news, Masters CX racing in Australia is about to get a fuckton harder if Robbie McEwan convinces the freckle to come along...
@sthilzy
Jensies last race is currently due to be the Tour of the Federation of Planets, Stardate 23:42:31 but who knows, he may carry of for a year or two after that!
@brett
I don't reckon that is cool at all! First they wilfully vandalise the forest by cutting down trees, digging a path etc and then they endanger the lives/livelyhoods/health of riders and spectators! It might have been unlikely something went wrong but it's still possible! needs a good smack around the side of his head with zone of the small trees he cut down!
@frank
Here we go again!
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cycling/stuart-ogrady-admits-to-tour-de-france-doping-20130725-2qk04.html#ixzz2a0cgn3FT
@sthilzy
everyone doped back then and until recent years and likely even current. i'm done with the past. the uci should be concerned about the future and put the past behind them. use what they've learned and change things for the future stars of the sport.
@Puffy get your hand off it. They are pine trees - they grow like weeds.
@sthilzy
I just cant believe the bad luck Stuey had. The only time he ever used EPO the only time a positive (sorry, "suspicious") result has been found. I love you Stuey, but spare us the "I only used it once" line. Even if true, it sounds wrong from a bloke who said in December 12, "Doping was never an option".
Just like the lament of Henri, the famous Frenchman.
"I shot down 12 German fighter planes in WWI. Do they call me Henri the French Fighter pilot? Non.
"I kill 25 Germans in the trenches. Do they call me Henri the Hero of the Somme? Non.
"I paint 10 beautiful paintings all of which hang in Le Louvre. Do the call me Henri the Famous French Artiste? Non.
"I suck one cock. And what do they call me?
"Henri the Cocksucker"
Dammit, I just replied to @Marcus on Twitter and put an emoticon in it before I realized it was him.
Never let your guard down. Never.
@G'rilla
Forever, now: G'rilla the Emoticoner.
@sthilzy
What a fuck. Have a shred of self respect and just admit it. Although after the earlier denials, he is just another fucking lier who doesn't have the balls to own up.