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
@JohnB
Yes I think that's been settled.
Damn that was a great stage. Andy was even looking pretty good today. May have to take a hit and take Porte out of my picks tomorrow.
Cracking stage win and perfect timing from Danny Boy today ! Porte must have forgot to eat his Wheaties this morning though.
Movistar had it all set up to put Froome on the rack & apparently let him get away with it...wonder if Quintana was being pulled back by radio because Valverde couldn't go with?
Wonder how much of an effect Ryder bringing Kennaugh down early on had?
@andrew
I think Movistar failed tactically today, they left it too press but they did some great work on the front. Cadel is looking comfortable and Bertie needs to ride himself in to form for the alpes. Trouble is they will probably both lose a little more time on the time trials....
@Deakus
Yes, just difficult to see Cuddles or Bertie putting time into Froome unless they have lieutenants to help them punch and counter-punch. BMC doesn't seem capable, and Saxo-Tinkoff might have missed a trick today, but Movistar had climbers in numbers on that final hill. Still, exciting stuff and good to see Garmin throwing down.
Yesterday will really hurt Cuddles, he'd have always been planning on riding in to form after not racing between the Giro & here but may not have expected the pace to be so hot yesterday.
@Deakus
Agreed. Movistar may have blown their best chance. By the time hostilities resume Sky will have regrouped on flat and transition stages and Froome will have put time into both Valverde and Contador in the ITT.
They had them on the ropes but didn't land a killer punch.
I'm not sure Contador or Valverde had it today (no counter-attack from Valverde after Quintana tried to soften up Froome), but this is heartening. Porte can't do all the work for Sky, and Movistar and Saxo-Tinkoff will be able to play a numbers game going forward. I think they have a good sense of what they need to do and I expect Contador and Valverde will get stronger as the Tour progresses.
Terrific riding from Bardet today"”I like this guy.