Boardman
The HardmenHow long a distance can you ride in exactly an hour? That is a question many famous riders, over the years, have tried to answer precisely. Merckx, Boardman and now Spartacus?
Month: March 2010
Few images inspire the Keepers more than those of hardmen grinding away large chainrings on roads of antiquity built as cattle paths in northern Europe. Throw in some grey skies, hordes of beer soaked Belgians lining the way, windmills in the background, and of course, Flandrian Mud, and the first word that comes to mind…
For my generation, he is the Lion of Flanders. Unequivocally. Unchallenged. Evermore, evermore. Boonen is a monster; but he is only the apprentice. In Flemish, his name rhymes with “Lion”: he is Museeuw de Leeuw van Vlaanderen. He is the quintessential Hardman. Here, in the first edition of the Velominati Study of a Hardman, is…
I was searching the internet this morning for photos of Gianni Bugno (because he’s Awesome, and sometimes I just need more pictures of Awesome). It was during that effort that I came across this magnificent shot of an unknown hardman rolling across the muddy gravel summit of what I’m guessing to be the Gavia in…
I stared at this photo for about 13 minutes before realizing I should stare at it at least one minute longer. The simple reason is that this is one of the greatest cycling photos in history. Firstly, one need only glance briefly between Fignon’s legs to spot one of the most gorgeous seatposts ever given…
At the Velominati, we do our best to stay out of negative topics like doping and try to focus on the reasons we love this sport. But it’s impossible to ignore doping completely, and today I’m going to talk a bit about Alejandro Valverde and the Spanish Cycling Federation. Operation Puerto broke my heart. It…
For me, the day we adjust for Daylight Savings Time marks the official start of the cycling season. The reason I choose this day and not some other day (like MSR) is mostly a pragmatic one; before DLS goes into effect, the winter days are too short to allow for training outside after work during…
I find professional athletes – cyclists in particular – an impressive bunch. They are hard, disciplined people who ply their trade in some of the most atrocious conditions imaginable. To become professionals, they have to be good at what they do, and smart enough to learn how to continue succeeding despite the gaps between the…