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
@Skip
Well if you are already done for then ethyl not..as..you say. So far only TJ has let me down. I am still hoping vroomy gets worked over and pushed back to third, I think good cadel is starting to show some form and Bertie is quietly riding himself towards the alpes looking for a killer chance when vroom splutters and blows up....the one I had not planned for was valverde!
@Deakus
It would be interesting to see of all the GT VSP winners how many did rest day swaps, esp last year when the penalities were increased.
I am not a believer of swapping out (dance with the person that you came with) and never have but I have never been known to make sense and I have never won a GT VSP. So there you have it!
@Deakus
As for Valverde, I smell Spanish steak cooking (I HATE that fucking guy!)
Well, the hope of seeing Sagan squeeze one of the podium girls in Paris isn't going to happen, so I'm going to try swapping in some new names. Baby needs a new pair of shoes!!!
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Contador
2. Froome
3. Valverde Alejandro
4. Nairo Quintana
5. Schleck Andy
Plus, I now get to rank below all of the people who have no correct picks, with my current score of -7. Woohoo!
@Buck Rogers
Yes it would be interesting....I wonder if the keepers could tell us if any vsp winner from last years grand tours made a swap...?
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. C Froome
2. A Valverde
3. J Rodriguez
4. C Evans
5. Dan Martin
@Deakus
I know, I know, but Big Jurgen dropped out and Tejay decided to go backwards. What was I to do? Have a couple of place holders in there? Not that my new choices are any more likely to be correct. Don't the tour riders know what we have at stake here? I mean, they get their swag for free, we have to sit on our arses, look into crystal balls and make wild guesses as to who will win.
Ok, Porte out, Quintana in. Game on!
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Froome
2. Contador
3. Valverde
4. Cuddles
5. Joaquim Rodriguez