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 confess I'm not impartial, as something about Cav' has always rubbed me the wrong way. I wasn't surprised when I heard about that ridiculous CVNDSH brand. He's just the kind of guy that would plaster his name on existing products just to make a buck from suckers.
I'm definitely in the @ChrisO camp on this one, while Cav was at some fault, Veelers more than contributed to his own downfall by dropping anchor & going back through the middle of the pack. Those having a go at Cav for going left should also remember the roads turns left pretty much at that point.
@Mirko
So when Cipo does it, it's fine...or Boardman, or Pendleton, or Hoy for that matter? Personally I preferred the previous Cav branding that never made it to the shelves...FST AS FCK...far more ballsey.
Basically in any sport these days you get a name, you become a brand, brand and ad men come in and start fucking around, they are all at it and to be honest good luck to them, they will be retired soon enough and washing cars, serving burgers or whatever. The world is littered with very poor ex pro cyclists, they bust their balls to entertain us and I have no problem with them capitalising on their fame.
Would I buy the shit with their name on it...hell no...a fool and his money are easily parted and if you want to believe all that promotional guff then you deserve to be poor as the brand men get rich...it is the way of the world Im afraid.
Cool story about him. I never met him. He left the miltary in 2006 and that was the same year of my first trip downrange
to Afghan with 3rd Group. I searched but could not find which Group he was with. I was with 3rd for a bit in Afghan and then full time for years with 5th Group but his name never came up in conversations.
You meet a lot of really cool guys within SF. A ton of overachievers with a real sense of integrity and honour and a desire to serve something greater than themselves. I love that community.
Seems to be the @frank, or whomever, symbol/name that screws it up when I try to post.
When I delete that, no problem.
@Mirko
I'm cheerfully biased as well, I rather like the guy and I'm not sure what's so ridiculous about the brand. The vowelless brand name is eye catching but none of the likely products are that surprising, a bike, socks, sunglasses.
It might be getting into rule 17 territory but it's no different to any of the bike manufacturers bringing out team replica bikes or any of the other sportsmen or women putting their name to trainers or eyewear.
@Sauterelle
He also tweeted this (before the FB post presumably) "Not seen a replay of the final yet, but was involved in an incident with Tom Veelers. Whatever has happened, if I'm at fault, I'm sorry."
@Deakus Cipo and Boardman actually make products and, at least in Cipo's case, kick-ass, made in Italy stuff. CVNDSH takes stuff from Specialized, Oakley and others and puts an additional brand on it, an additional brand you have to pay. IMHO this is utterly useless and dickish but hey, so are Louis Vuitton and Breitling, so CVNDCH might succeed as well...
@ChrisO
Having watched it I'd have to agree. At half speed it doesn't look like an attempt to take someone out, more leaning into an anticipated impact. Cav may have miss judged things but Veelers deviated off his line at the last moment.
Ok, check this out. Veelers came across the white line to his right into Cav's path. Cav is holding his line. Not Cav's fault at all IMHO>
http://tourdejose.com/2013/07/09/screenshots-cavendish-and-veelers/
@wiscot
That sequence omits the one where Cav really dug his shoulder into Veelers first. Cav was well clear and didn't need to cut back over so soon; it smacks of a brash move to me.