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
I have a viewing choice between Eurosport on my computer through a VPN, or Jazeera sport take the ITV feed - it really is a hard choice, between slightly grainy video, prone to buffering at critical times but with decent commentary versus full-screen live HD with those idiots.
They were so up Sagan's arse yesterday they called him as the winner even though it was pretty clear Gerrans had won, even in real-time.
And another thing - at some moments during the stage there was a graphic of a small microphone and what appeared to be someone in the race cars giving updates on crashes or riders. Not quite race radio but similar.
Unfortunately P&P must have been unable to hear it so they kept talking over it - shame, because the bits I could make out were quite interesting. I assume that wasn't actually their fault, but some error in the audio mix.
@frank
Can I persuade you to make that "due time" soon? As a velominatus budgetatus, I've got a line on a very, very nice deal on a used 2006 Cervelo R3... but now I'm worried about pulling the trigger on it.
Clearly, I should simply HTFU and ride my current bike harder, better, faster, and stronger.
Wow...this will enable me to follow in real minutae how badly my VSP is going. Oh the joy of watching it all slip away!
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cyclingnews-launch-free-tour-de-france-tracking-app
@ChrisO
My VMH didn't appreciate me yelling "Shut up idiots!" at the TV in the early morning hours when that mic icon came up.
@sthilzy
Same reaction here. The ITV feed is just amateur hour. I'm considering synching the TV video with audio from the Eurosport feed on my laptop. Surely it shouldn't have to come to this!
@ten B
I have eurosport on my ipad and apple TV so I just airstream to the TV...job done. Sean Kelly is not the most animated of commentators but at least he still operates on this planet. Mr Ligget should really spend a little more time on his ranch in South Africa and a little less time on our TV sets!
Ha, glad I'm not the only one digging for ways around having to listen to P1 and P2, a great way to designate them! And also glad I'm not the only one who thought it was ridiculous for them to not give Gerrans any credit, or offer an apology after miscalling such a great win for him.
Yikes, Super Mario is surely looking ready for the beach these days. I don't know though, a guy that big, that physically gifted...take away hours and hours of in-saddle time, add calories and weights. Could happen without added help. Still, riding shirtless is unacceptable, at least on a bike without a rack and panniers, plus a 6-pack holder up front.
I have no problem with Sean Kelly being a bit static, I think it's a nice counter to the pedalstroke-by-pedalstroke man.
I think Sauterelle would offer to hold Mario's 6-pack for him. If she could stay conscious.
I'm watching the Tour on Canal 2 in France. I don't understand much french, so for me, the commentary is perfect.