A lot has been made lately of the fact that riders today are lacking a little bit of the V. It’s not so much a criticism of how they conduct themselves during a race (although that has also been called into question lately), but in their general demeanor towards their life as a cyclist.
It doesn’t surprise me much; historically, riders chose a life on the bike as an escape from their other occupational choice which typically involved hard manual labor in a dark pit or on a cold field whereas today’s riders generally come from more privileged backgrounds and find their way into this world from a life of relative luxury.
A life of hardship went beyond their working-class roots, it applied to their life on the bike as well. They scaled the same passes we do today, except they did it over dirt roads aboard heavy, flexy bikes with relaxed geometries, wearing what amounted to little more than leather loafers. Hardness wasn’t something to aspire to; it was simply the way it was.
This is one of my favorite photos of a cyclist, and the bicycle is nowhere to be seen. From the look on his face, Coppi just ate himself a Schlecklette and, based on the gesture he’s making, is preparing to drop trou and shit ‘im right back out.
To put Cipollini’s sentiments above into Coppi’s words:
Age and treachery will overcome youth and skill.
To todays generation of riders, I offer this advice: take no prisoners, fucktards.
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My socks fall down laughing when they see my calves.
HA! Nice.
There seems to be an intelligence bred from necessity in these men as well. You wouldn't sit down with this man at the chess board for instance and expect anything other than a hiding: he'd have you beat before you even began.
Whilst I can not be 100% sure, but based on the length of his knicks (actually, the lack thereof) I believe that Il Campionissimo was not riding his bike that day. Think he had been playing Australian Rules Football?
I had the great fortune to stumble upon an exhibit dedicated to Coppi at 'Il Vittoriano' whilst travelling through Rome last year. All manner of amazing stuff was on display. Tons of old footage, photographs, magazines, postcards from fans, etc. Some of the highlights were a couple of his and Serse's bikes, his first maglia rosa and his world championship jersey.
I don't have any of my photos to hand but I have found these which show some of the items on display. Great stuff.
"Cipollini"
Holy fuck, Frank! That was pure awesomeness! Short & concise, but powerful. Great write-up.
Nothing worse than some softie who plays sports for "fun"; I was a public school kid growing up and always took pleasure in kicking the shit out of private/prep school kids who had all the best gear, all the best coaching, and couldn't have located The V with a Coppi-brand GPS finder. Man, nothing worse than someone who gives up because it is too cold, too hot, too hard.
That photo is awesome! In the future I will show up at all races in a trench coat. I'm a bad motherfucker, but I still have some class & style, lads.
someone help me out here, as i can't remember who said, but it sure is apropos, the following:
"i'd rather attack over and over, blow-up and come in last, than stay in the bunch, and come in 23rd."
that's the V at its essence.
think philgil during the final week of last year's vuelta, or the world championship; that's how he rolled, and it backfired. but, he's no wheel-sucker, as "the god of thunder" has become.
@Ron
I was a private school kid growing up. I looked forward to the games against the public schools. They were the easy ones for schoolboys' ability to dislike is not fully developed. The hard games were the ones we played in the men's league (which were most of them). Our older opponents' dislike for us was much more firmly entrenched and keenly felt. They taught us much more about the V. Which, I think, is really the point: the V is really all about a state of mind. Which is probably what Frank, BRR and others have been saying all along about LBL and Frandy. I should pay more attention.
@heath
Jacky Durand, winner of RVV/Tour de Flanders in '92 on a 217km breakaway.
'I'D RATHER FINISH SHATTERED AND LAST HAVING ATTACKED A HUNDRED TIMES THAN FINISH 25TH WITHOUT HAVING TRIED.'
'I'M NOT A REVOLUTIONARY OF ANY SORT, BUT ON THE BIKE, I'VE ALWAYS REFUSED TO COME OUT OF A MOULD. IT ASTONISHES ME THAT MOST RIDERS ARE FOLLOWERS, EVEN SHEEP. A LOT OF THEM, THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO KNOW THEY'RE IN THE TOUR ARE THEIR DIRECTEURS SPORTIFS. I COULDN'T DO THE JOB LIKE THAT. THEY FINISH THE TOUR WITHOUT HAVING ATTACKED ONCE, MAYBE THE WHOLE OF THE SEASON, EVEN THE WHOLE OF THEIR CAREER. I'D RATHER FINISH SHATTERED AND LAST HAVING ATTACKED A HUNDRED TIMES THAN FINISH 25TH WITHOUT HAVING TRIED.'
Sounds like this kid understands the V too:
John Degenkolb, neo pro and first time entrant, came 19th.
Will do well this kid.