Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Robic topping Ventoux in 1952

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

The Birth of a Legend

Tour de France 1952 Alpe d'Huez
Tour de France 1952 Alpe d'Huez
The year that Rajon launched an audacious attempt to attract guests to his ski lodge was the birth of a legend. Even though at first the climb to the Alp d'Huez was looked at rather skeptically Dutch Mountain has become a Tour staple. This year unfortunately they have decided to steer clear of this giant in favour of the Pyranee's. The riders will probably not be too dissapointed as the 21 switchbacks never mark an easy day on the Tour. From the start riders knew that d'Huez needed respect and bandied pump's at any rider daring to try and make a break for it. In these days riders requested in a gentlemanly manner if they could go for a stage from a long way out and Coppi mentions that not one rider came up to him. It seems from the beginning the riders had a feeling the last 15km would be the decisive part of the day and stored all the energy they could.
In the pciture are the days protagonists. Riders rode for their countries in these years and Robic, pictured trailing Coppi, launched the first attack. He tried to take his team mate Raphael Geminiani up to the stage victory. Coppi meanwhile had it in his mind to wait on that day. He supposedly did this for three reasons: 1) He would not have to break his rythm 2) He would see who his main rivals were 3) He could demoralize the attackers by later jumping onto their wheel.
After the two Frenchmen had been away 3km Coppi made his move and with a lighning turn of speed was on their wheel. This must have fit all three of his criteria of holding back. It must have been terribly demoralizing seeing how easy he came up to them and had in the same move isolated his main rivals of the day.
Coppi climbing in the big chain ring for 7km pulling Robic behind him until with 6km to go he launched his move. Robic unable to stay on the Campionissimo's wheel could only watch as he pulled away. Coppi new he had dropped him because he could no longer hear the heavy breathing and tires crushing the gravel rode behind him. As light as an angel he shot up the Alpe d'Huez moving into the yellow jersey that he kept to the end. As a side note he was the only rider to win on d'Huez and then go on to win the overall until Armstrong came along almost 50 years later.

Two Masters Compare Notes

Colnago and Merckx

Monday, June 28, 2010

The Man who Broke the Reign of Terror

The year was 1974. The French were impatient for a fellow countryman to come to their rescue of watching the henchman from Belgium walk away with another Maillot Jaune. The Cannibal had won five of the last six Tours, was currently wearing the Rainbow Jersey, and had won the Liege-Bastonge-Liege in the early season classics. The rainbow stripes however would haunt him as they have so many other wearer's in the following season. Like a bull's eye painted on your back every rider in the peloton wants to take down the World Champion.
The decisive stage came on the eleventh stage as Joop Zootemelk made an attack the second day in the Pyranee's up along the Tourmalet. He attacked six time to try and shake of Merckx wo would respond and comeback at the Frenchman. It would however not go all his way and had to chase back furiously after a puncture near the top. Zootemelk held on to a six second win over the chasing Merckx and Thevenet but the damage was done. Left in the wake of Thevenet's brutal attack was Ocana, Gimondi, Battaglin, Poulidor, Moser and the list continues. It seems like he had got his own back after being chased down by the current World Champ in Canada the year before.
Thevenet did get help from the baying crowd lining the Pyrenean Mountains. Merckx was on the wrong side of an angry fan with a blow to the back. He suffered on but at three kilometer's to go he was weaking and Thevenet caught the ailing Belgian in his final death throw's and attacked. Cycling is a cruel sport and the race is not always won by the strongest rider but the most cunning. The reign of Merckx had come to its end at stage 14 to Pra Loup and the Cannibal never again won the Tour.

Belgian's in strength


WorldCycling Montreal 05
Originally uploaded by Dav Mac

Let's not forget that Merckx did have a team at the Worlds in 1974. Here you can see him flanked by a team mate while another is driving the pace to close down the break away of Thevenet

Worlds 1974


WorldCycling Montreal 10
Originally uploaded by Dav Mac

Here is another one of Thevenet on his solo break away. Notice the service vehicle, sure Riis or Bruyneel would love to have one of those when they make their way to the front of the motorcade

1974 Worlds

1974 Montreal World Championship Road Race - Bernard Thevenet
Thevenet making his move with 100km to go. Taking the race to Merckx in Montreal the French came with a strong contingent. They were probably quite comfortable in this French quarter of the America's. He was eventually caught with 7km to go by a group that simply rode away from the bunch. They were Eddy Merckx, Herman Van Springel, Raymond Poulidor, Giacinto Santambrogio, and Mariano Martinez
Eddy Merckx on Mount Royal Montreal Canada August 25, 1974 World Championship Road Race
Merckx breaking away shortly after catching Thevenet on the last climb. The eternal second and the man the French loved and Antequil loathed was the only one able to stay with him. As an added note he was 38 in 1974 so well into his golden years but managed to hang on for another 2nd place.
Eddy Merckx winning the World Championships in Montreal 1976
The Canibal held on for the win adding the Rainbow Jersey to his Pink and Yellow jersey's of the Giro and Tour. A great year by anyone's standards

Pictures By Ken30684 and ddsiple
Info from Cycling Revealed

Sunday, June 27, 2010

A battle of epic proportions

The Cannibal


The Cannibal
Originally uploaded by lowerseftonrd

The palmares says it all:
5x Tour de France (1969-72, 1974), 96 days in the yellow jersey
5x Giro d’ Italy (1968, 1970, 1972-74)
1x Vuelta (1973)
3x Worldchampion (1967, 1971, 1974)
1x Tour of Switserland (1974)
2x Tour of Belgium (1970-71)
1x Belgian Champion (1970)
34x victories in Tour de France (6x in 1969, 8x in 1970, 4x in 1971, 6x in 1972, 8x in 1974, 2x in 1975)
24x victories in Giro d’Italy
3x Parijs-Nice (1969-71)
1x Dauphiné Libéré (1971)
4x Tour of Sardinië (1968, 1971, 1973, 1975)
1x Tour of Romandië (1968)
1x Midi Libre (1971)
1x Giro di Catalonia (1968)
1x Parijs-Luxemburg (1969)
7x Milaan-San Remo (1966-67, 1969, 1971-72, 1975-76)
2x Ronde van Vlaanderen (1969, 1975)
3x Parijs-Roubaix (1968, 1970, 1973)
5x Luik-Bastenaken-Luik (1969, 1971-73, 1975)
2x Ronde van Lombardije (1971-72)
2x Omloop Het Volk (1971, 1973)
3x Gent-Wevelgem (1967, 1970, 1973)
3x Waalse Pijl (1967, 1970, 1972)
2x Amstel Gold Race (1973, 1975)
1x Parijs-Luxemburg (1969)
1x Rund um den Henninger-Turm of de Grand Prix Frankfurt (1971)
1x Grand Prix des Nations (1973)
1x Parijs-Brussel (1973)

1966 Eddy Merckx


1960's Cycling - Eddy Merckx
Originally uploaded by Foto43

As a bit of a tribute to Englands uselessness at the World Cup I find solice that Merckx was also suffering during his 1966 attempt at the World's. And where did the race take place, no other than Germany. Well today England lived up to their choker reputation. I guess that is why I find solice in supporting them as my third attempt at the National's yesterday left me once again in fourth place. Bring on the XC Nationals and in the mean time I get to watch the European XC Champs in two weeks. Will definitely be better than the football.

Friday, June 25, 2010

When the French get Angry


Happy Birthday Eddy!
Originally uploaded by spoke sniffer

Poulidor and Merckx


Poulidor and Merckx
Originally uploaded by Chris Protopapas

Cinelli Milano


Cinelli Milano Stem
Originally uploaded by Steel-is-real

The is something truely beautiful about anything Italian. Even though their football team was completely off par this world cup I can't say that it suprises me. The is passion in Italian designed equipment found in very few countries. Just look at the crazy tiffosi this last Giro. If someone didn't tell me that is was a real mountain I would have thought that the Zoncolan was a mountain of people. Not even the Alp d'Huez brings out the crowds like the Giro does. I have fallen in love with Cinelli, esspecially with the help of the Cinelli Only blog.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Bizarre side of the Tour

Via Cycling Weekly:

Merckx 1970 Belgian Champ


Merckx_1970
Originally uploaded by Chris Protopapas

With the upcoming national's this weekend, here's a pic from the Canibal after he had just won his national title in 1970. The intensity on this man's face always amazes me.

Viva le Tour

Great image of the Tour Route. ilovedust have created the cover for USA Bicycling Mag. Can't say I'm a big fan of the mag but this is a brilliant illustration that encaptures the Tour, at least in my honest opinion.
"We recently completed a fun little feature for USA Bicycling Magazine. The Illustration accompanies an article about the famous Tour De France. Lots of little hidden things in this one!"
via ilovedust

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

The Pyrenees Breathes Life Back into Tour

As if to back up my last post about the riders battling along the course. Riders needing to push their broken stead's down to the local blacksmith only then to have to do repair's themselves. I ask any racer in the current peloton to be able to start a fire let alone start welding the frame. They would more than likely throw the bike into the bushes if something went wrong with the bike.


Versus as started releasing their lookback of the last century of the Tour heading into the Pyrenees, some great footage from the earlier years of racing:

The Tour is Upon Us


Sporting Cyclist 1
Originally uploaded by KEITH..
With the tour only 10 days away as Bert reminded us this morning a he took the TT bike out for a two hour jaunt this is a picture of what they may have been slipping their bulky legs over. Back in 1957 when raiding the local pub for a cognac for a quick lift to back up those pill's that were handed to you while sitting in the trenches. The pictures of the riders climbing unpaved road's with cars conking out as the riders struggle up while dodging rock's takes you back to an age when it was truely the strongest who won. The '57 Tour was the first of Jacques Anquetil's reign over this great race and also the start of commercialism as riders were allowed for the first time to were advirtising on their jersey's. The Tour was going BIG. As a side not the longest day was 317km compared to this years 225km.

New Direction

My blogging has been non existant lately as I tried to find a better way of getting my passion for cycling across. My laying low has given me time to listen to podcasts and find some really awesome blog's out there. My greatest inspiration coming from The Italian Cycling Journal, La Gazzetta Della Bici, Cycling Art Blog and le Grimpeur who have joined forces to launch a podcast. So having such a great bunch of source material I thought that my new found enthusiasm of finding out about the history of the sport I breath from dawn till dusk might be able to be chanelled into spreading the gospel. If none of that made sense to you, well that's exactly where I'm coming from. The mumble of info I trawl through everyday may find its way onto these dodgy interweb pages with an even more dodgy commentary.
Allez
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