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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[vsp_results id=”24179″/]
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View Comments
And BTW, David Millar's take on it:
"Well, @TeamSky rode a perfect race, and for the record, I believe they are clean and they deserve respect and admiration for it."
"Just saying, because I don't think they deserve to have mud thrown at them when they work so hard to do it right. It doesn't seem fair."
OK I know his sister works for Sky, but on the other hand if anyone would be careful about sticking up for someone they thought was doping it would be Millar. He doesn't have to say that stuff.
@ChrisO
It maybe shows that even with the marginal gains thing drugs are still better!
i sincerely hope they are clean or it could be the death of pro cycling, again! They would be stupid to risk it, No?
It's all about the sleep, just ask this years Maglia Rosa
Sky soigneurs strip down the hotel beds every night for consistent sleep s the riders can rest their weary heads on a $150 pillow
@Gianni Any chance of an update? Seeing as I have both Froome and Porte this might be my only chance to look Pro! Big stage coming up 4 1st Cat climbs, 5 climbs back to back and a flat out down hill finale.
@ChrisO
Indeed. We have no idea of what "natural progression due to better training methods" would look like, because Pharmstrong etc have completely warped our perception. We know that Sky especially are using better training methods, more structured, more focused. The authorities are much better at continuously testing out of competition, and are randomly stopping and searching team vehicles every day.
If thy're doping, I'll be angry. If they're doping, Brailsford wll fear for his life, such will be the public anger in the UK. At the danger of sounding like an Armstrong supporter, i want to believe they're clean.
It helps that Froome is clearly not as much of a massive arsehole as Armstrong. Doubt we'll see him shutting down a harmless breakaway out of spite.
Sorry for the delay. I had to watch the stage without knowing the results. Fantastic riding by Broome, Porte and Quintana. Schleck, Cadel, TJ, Gesink, and Contador all look suspect, he said politely. Sky and Movistar looks super, Garmin and BMC, not so much. But it is early, plenty of time for things to go to hell.
Here is the top forty. FFS, this is close. After Stage 8 finish.
Aussie SBS Cycling Central viewers.......
Thrrrrrrrrrrrr! Wine spat out! Did I just see Tomo Rule #33 compliant at the TdF?
He was at the end of a Bates/Keenan interview and Tomo was comic relief at the end kicking back on a chair with said legs resting up on a table wearing a beret?!!!!
I blithely said to wifey, "that's it all over bar the shouting" to which she replied "hell no, there's still two weeks to go yet", as they say, out of the mouths of babes and sucklings.
i hadn't twigged until now just how little they are doing in the Pyrenees. Noob factor 12.
lots of climbing left to go, 'mon Purito!
If anyone can, get to a telecast now. Stage is going nuts with 120k & three cat 1 climbs to go!
Cracking stage already today...