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
@Gianni
That's right. Bertie needs to stop fucking around, and instead spend his energy marking Quintana and JRod. Or he will drop off the podium, and that will just make Bjarne's sponsors angry. And me angrier!
WTF???
@brett
Given that youve pronounced BD ineligable for the Veloforma.... i assume there is only one Barracuda, therefore, me, Ill happily take it if status quo remains.
Given ive never won anything in my life except my better half and two amazing kids, I WONT get my hopes up with 3 days to go.
@Bianchi Denti
Bit of advice. Don't start picking out kit for it quite yet (you know, how light and sexy can I afford to make it). You'll lose the yellow tomorrow.
@scaler911
The Campa chickens have not been counted. Contador's riding like a twat, and I expect him to ruin everything while trying to claw back 5 minutes tonight. Kreuziger will be forced to wait for him, and the whole VSP will change.
But that's why we love bike racing, right?
Not sure if anyone's come across these from yesterday but it would appear Hansen & Degenkolb helped themselves to a couple of beer hand ups going through Dutch corner.
Its funny- finding myself rooting for contador and waiting for him to have the magical explosion propelling him well beyond his competitors. Finding Froome to be an evolving villain with an opaque character and an absence of human-ness. Of course, if Contador delivers, gonna be one of the first to question the integrity of his effort and cry foul, a la floyd landis miracle stage years ago...
Assistance required by me. If standings stay the same... whilst Im typing this a liitle bit of wee came out.. I assume the above VSP stays the same? I assume Rodriguez is the only one who can spoil the show for me and BD ?? Or am I totally out of whack with how this thing is scored. Hard to type when hands are shaking so much!
@Mikael Liddy
Saw the image from Hansen's Twitter account today. Kept going back to it because it makes me smile. Such a contrast to the usual high seriosity of the coverage. Somebody's managing to have fun.
@Barracuda Jeeee-Sus!!! Even if BD is elligible (and I suspect he is, methinks Brett is just trying to wind him up), you're possibly in for a sweet set of hoops off Dan_R!
I'm only 5 down on you guys, and if the Roman Cross swaps places with everyone's new favourite coke trafficker, a game of leapfrog may be played.
btw, I know you're southern based but do you get up to much riding up Adelaide way? Seems ridiculous to have a fellow Velominatus in the backyard without having met.