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
@PeakInTwoYears
He realised he could not hold the wheel in front and started to fade back in to the group. He actually looked like he was going to pull up left and I think Cav then tried to jump on to the wheel the A-S rider had been following but the rider did not move left so when Cav made his move the space was still filled.
So much of a bunch sprint like this is instinct and peripheral vision. Technically I guess Cav is at fault he deviated from his line and I think the commissaires will sanction him. Can you blaming for taking an indication/predictor and acting on it....not really I don't think it was at all deliberate...bunch sprinting is too dangerous to try deliberately taking people out!
@PeakInTwoYears
Hell, join the majority and don't let that stop you!
@paolo Because Griepel was getting ready to blow by Steegmans and you want to be on the fastest wheel you can when your get ready to wind it up.
@Buck Rogers
I don't know what the fuck is going on, dude. Nothing has changed on the site, but I'm finding if I reload the page, it seems to fix the problem. I will dig into it as its driving me nuts to go through and fix all y'all's posts!
On a side note, I thought of you the other day reading an account of Jason Everman and how he left Nirvana and Soundgarden to join the special forces and worked over in Afghanistan and Iraq. Wondered if the SF family is small enough that you might have known him?
Paolo, I don't know what the thinking was behind leaving Steegmans, I thought he should have stayed there too, but then I haven't won as many stages of the Tour as Cav...
As for the crash I think Veelers has himself to blame - this seems to be a tactic by Lotto first and now Argos, to put people in the line and then make Cav come around them.
Lleadout men peeling off one at a time and going to the side is fine. Veelers was third fucking wheel 200m from the finish - from there you either keep sprinting or you shouldn't have been there in the first place. It's like deciding you don't want to skydive after you've left the plane.
Hesjedal's takedown of Kennaugh was considerably more reckless than anything Cav did, and Greipel similarly took out half the field on Day 1.
@Buck Rogers
Yeah, no shit. I'm starting to like the little shit, but that move really looked like a brat who was loosing his temper. He continues to show a dangerous disregard for other's safety when he's not getting the wins he thinks he should. Not cool; he's messing with people's livelihood, if not their lives. Look at Haussler; after he took him out, he's never been back to the same form.
He'll I'm not qualified to judge either but you can see the intent from the front angle if you freeze frame it. It's a vicious little dig. Yeah Veelers looked back faded and didn't do a good job of staying very straight, it looked to me like Cav thought he was being blocked deliberately which I don't think is true. I think Veelers was just fucked and Cav needlessly threw the shoulder because he thought Veelers was trying to block him. Got him right under the elbow. On NBC just before the break they had the perfect front shot of it.
well I'm off to ride in plus 100 heat....mad dogs and Englishmen........
@frank
Read that. A fascinating article.
Cavendouche just posted this on FB:
"Just seen the sprint. I believe I didn't move line. I'm actually coming past Veelers & we touch elbows when he moves. Anyway, hope he's ok."
@starclimber
Malmerde!!! Nearly spewed my iced tea when I read that!