Categories: Anatomy of a Photo

Anatomy of a Photo: Rule #47

Leducq and Frantz writing a Rule  photo: via Il Dolore

André Leducq was a complete French Badass, with a capital B. He was third, below Merckx and Hinault for Tour de France stage wins. Nicolas Frantz was an equally Badass Luxembourger. He rode to more victories than Frandy Schleck shall ever attain in a few lifetimes. He did win the Tour de France.

The crowd is obviously pleased to have these thin, healthy supermen in their village. Bicycles are properly leaned against a wall. Their caps look a little dusty. Studying the glasses a person might guess they are enjoying some of Belgium’s finest beverage. Maybe, in the late 1920s the French brewed excellent beer. Are they drinking before a race or after a race? Can one look this good after a race back in the 1920s? Let’s assume this is post-race. Someone won, someone didn’t. Two rivals can still have a laugh and a glass of quality malted recovery beverage to make the day complete. These brothers of the road are enjoying some beautiful ale and having a nice time doing it.

As we have pointed out many times, we didn’t invent these Rules, we just wrote some of them down.

Gianni

Gianni has left the building.

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  • @Nate

    @the Engine

    @Ron

    Today's Trivia: What cyclist is Belgium's most recent Grand Tour winner, as well as what year and what race?

    (I've never heard of him but was just reading an article and jeez, seems like a long time for such a nation, despite their focus on the Classics.)

    Lucien Van Impe, TdF 1976 - although Wiggins was born in Belgium wasn't he?

    Johan De Muynck, 1978 Giro.

    Bugger - Wiggo it is then

  • @Gianni

    @Joe

    Marvellous. There's a picture of me somewhere supping a brew at the top of the Gavia. BEST. BEER. EVER.

    Whilst I can admire some of the spectacularly hopped efforts available over here, fizzy 7.5% wallop has been scrambling my swedes rather than gently massaging me into post ride intoxication. Note to California breweries...high performance athletes require, high volume, low(er) rocket fuel, refreshing beverages, preferably of minimal effervesence. Cask conditioning boyos. Believe.

    Mind you, a half litre or so of Russian imperial stout could be just the ticket to see you through a queen stage or two.

    I feel your pain. Too hopped, Too strong. Too foamy. Too pissed after two pints. As we americans (and velominati) usually do, we take a good thing and take it too far. I miss the cask conditioned pints of England.

    A long time ago I spent some time in Salt Lake City, Utah. There are some nice breweries and outdoor beer gardens. It didn't dawn on us for a long time that the beer was 3.2% alcohol, by law. But I loved being able to drink a few post-ride pints and not be ruined. My wife was not amused, she wanted her fair share in every pint, bless her. Cursed the mormons for it.

    Have I done the "American beer is like having sex in a canoe" gag recently?

  • @eightzero

    Chapeau to The V-Kitted Velominatus I passed on the trail in Kenmore on Tuesday evening. A-Merckx!

    There's another Kenmore?

  • @Cyclops

    from the looks of euphoria on their faces it is obvious that they are drinking Rochefort 10

    Just when I'm trying to knuckle down and get myself back on the bike and off the booze you have to remind me that there's a few 10s kicking round the house somewhere. Thanks.

    Love that glass, I'm going to have to keep an eye out for one of those on ebay.

  • @strathlubnaig Indeed, it doesn't bear thinking about one being used for anything else.

    My daughter has taken to using my KT12 V-Pint Pot. I shall have to drop her off south of Arenberg and tell her she's quite welcome use it once she's founder her way to the velodrome without missing any of the secteurs.

  • @Gianni

    @Joe

    Marvellous. There's a picture of me somewhere supping a brew at the top of the Gavia. BEST. BEER. EVER.

    Whilst I can admire some of the spectacularly hopped efforts available over here, fizzy 7.5% wallop has been scrambling my swedes rather than gently massaging me into post ride intoxication. Note to California breweries...high performance athletes require, high volume, low(er) rocket fuel, refreshing beverages, preferably of minimal effervesence. Cask conditioning boyos. Believe.

    Mind you, a half litre or so of Russian imperial stout could be just the ticket to see you through a queen stage or two.

    I feel your pain. Too hopped, Too strong. Too foamy. Too pissed after two pints. As we americans (and velominati) usually do, we take a good thing and take it too far. I miss the cask conditioned pints of England.

    A long time ago I spent some time in Salt Lake City, Utah. There are some nice breweries and outdoor beer gardens. It didn't dawn on us for a long time that the beer was 3.2% alcohol, by law. But I loved being able to drink a few post-ride pints and not be ruined. My wife was not amused, she wanted her fair share in every pint, bless her. Cursed the mormons for it.

    I visited a friend there in 2002 and we attended an AHL hockey game, where I purchased a full-cost beer. Halfway through the beer I thought something was up. Full-price yet half the alcohol? Not cool, Mormons, not cool. I honestly don't know why we've ceded an entire state with great outdoor attractions to one nutty group of Christians. 99% white. No thank you. And half-pop beer? No thank you.

  • And I grew up with Mormon friends so don't think I'm pre-judging them. I have first hand knowledge that they're nutty.

  • @Ron

    And I grew up with Mormon friends so don't think I'm pre-judging them. I have first hand knowledge that they're nutty.

    To make a small generalization I love fuck'in Mormans.  There are a ton of them in the military and all the ones that I personally know and have fought with are hardcore, committed, incredibly honourable and have integrity to spare.  Totally can count on them in any situation.  But yea, totally fucked what they believe in.  Dude behind a curtain with silver tablets that he lost/buried in the backyard while personally chatting with the Man upstairs.  Sounds like a classic schizo break to me but they didn't have lithium back then so we got Mormanism instead.   

    But then again, I claim to be a Christian and if you read deeply into that it really is not too much more credible than Mormanism except that it all happened 2000 years ago instead of 200 years ago.   

    Yeah, I'm going to hell.

  • @Buck Rogers

    @Ron

    And I grew up with Mormon friends so don't think I'm pre-judging them. I have first hand knowledge that they're nutty.

    To make a small generalization I love fuck'in Mormans. There are a ton of them in the military and all the ones that I personally know and have fought with are hardcore, committed, incredibly honourable and have integrity to spare. Totally can count on them in any situation. But yea, totally fucked what they believe in. Dude behind a curtain with silver tablets that he lost/buried in the backyard while personally chatting with the Man upstairs. Sounds like a classic schizo break to me but they didn't have lithium back then so we got Mormanism instead.

    But then again, I claim to be a Christian and if you read deeply into that it really is not too much more credible than Mormanism except that it all happened 2000 years ago instead of 200 years ago.

    Yeah, I'm going to hell.

    See you there! I've been told that I have a spot reserved for me next to a big open fire so that my corpse won't get cold.....or was that in the fire?

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