Sometimes we need to be reminded that originality is paramount to leading a good and honest life. It took some home truths from a poster in Frank's Gavia post to jog our memories that old news is, well, just that; old news. We need to come up with some new material man, that shit is going on two tours old now.
It's with some embarrassment then that we bring you yet another blog post on yet another ride (we already did this one last year, sheesh) that took place on the same weekend as the greatest one day professional road race of them all: Paris-Roubaix. It's the original cobbled classic, one whose heritage leaves no doubt as to that fact. As they say in the commercials, beware of cheap imitations (especially if you're in the market for a Sybian). It makes me wonder, why do riders all around the world think it's 'cool' to mock this grand event by putting on their own rides, rides including as many cobbles, gravel roads, dirt tracks or even made-up names that rhyme with pavé as they can conjure?
It's a farce.
There's only one thing for it; Welli-Roubaix will be no more. No more shall we gather and ride our bikes for hours over surfaces we'd never consider going near the other 364 days of our cycling year. We didn't create this, it's not ours to use, so we must walk away after we've had our way with it. Why should we bother to do reconnaissance rides, into territory unchartered, risking our beloved machines to the chance of flats, breakages and damage, to mark out a course that we think might be befitting of the Queen, to give us some tiny amount of insight, some small perception of what the real riders go through during their own, proper race? It's a waste of time. Like a Waffle House waitress would say, “why ride when you can just flick on the tube?” She's got a point.
There go our plans for a full Mock Spring Classics series next year. No Ronde Van Vellington. No Gent-Wellingtem. No Fleche Walloneton. No Export Gold Race. No Bays-Bastogne-Bays. And no Roubaix.
These photos then are a documentary of the very last edition of Welli-Roubaix. I know, I know, a lot of the ideas have been done before. Gavin and myself did our best, but we are not professional photographers, like some. We could've shot them a lot more originally. I mean, come on, have you ever tried shooting from the back of a Vespa, or when doing 40kmh on a road bike, on gravel, one-handed, looking backwards? It's a piece of cake, and frankly I'm ashamed of the results.
Have a look anyway, and I'll try and describe how the Hell„¢ we had any fun, and also the original concepts we blatantly ripped off.
Gavin Walker's Flickr stream here.
A crappy video here…
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*On Monday morning a throng gathered at Leuven Belgian Beer Bar in downtown Welly, and we witnessed the Queen on a delayed telecast. No-one was silly enough to yell out the result, although G-Phant knew who'd won he held his tongue and enjoyed the spectacle again with us.
We raised $210 for Papanui and Pegasus cycle clubs in Christchurch, so a big thanks to all who donated and made it a great way to start the week. Thanks to Todd at Leuven also.
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Mate your little picture has the cap brim flipped up.
the Great Merckx might also disagree with you.
Rule violations aside, it looked like a good time. Thanks for the photos.
BTW, I'm getting myself a Chi Machine (not a fake) as soon as I can. What other product can back itself with that kind of science?
Wow, the photos make me very eager to get back to NZ sometime soon. Ride looked like a good time.
Rode on Sunday with just one friend. I was in no shape for anything serious after waking up at 7:00 and drinking beer during the race.
Saturday though thought I was heading out for an hour or two. Ended up riding with one friend, and meeting another dude, and riding for four hours. The new guy I met is possibly the biggest and coolest cycling enthusiast I've ever encountered. He's twenty years older than me and even more stoked on cycling than I am; I hope I grow up to be like him someday!
Writing it upside down makes it HARDER to read, thus you're laying out even more of The V just to remind yourself to HTFU.
@Brett: Awesome pictures and write-up. I'm assuming you're being a little cheeky when you say it'll be the last one. Seems like a good time, and it certainly makes me want to go and explore gravel riding on my road bike. I've ran into sections on rides where they are re-grading country roads, so you have to do a few miles in some nice gravel, but nothing so serious that 23mm road tires couldn't handle it.
As a bit of a laugh on my ride last Friday, I spotted two alley-ways that were "unimproved" roads with just dirt and gravel, so of course I rode over them in preparation for watching the race on Sunday. I even passed a guy working on an old BMW behind his house who gave me a funny look. Not quite the Paris-Roubaix...
No need to fret Oli, McSqueak is onto it. Just having a little dig at our friend Adrian, I mean Stefan, after his declaration that anything 're-hashed' is of no value to our enjoyment of life.
News for you Stefan; bike photography, it's been done, mate. Riding? Ditto. But I'm gonna keep riding, and Welli-Roubaix (and the other Classics mentioned) will be back next year. And the year after, and...
*On Monday morning a throng gathered at Leuven Belgian Beer Bar in downtown Welly, and we witnessed the Queen on a delayed telecast. No-one was silly enough to yell out the result, although G-phant knew who'd won he held his tongue and enjoyed the spectacle again with us.
We raised $220 for Papanui and Pegasus cycle clubs in Christchurch, so a big thanks to all who donated and made it a great way to start the week. Thanks to Todd at Leuven also.
@Brett
Now that's taking troll hunting to a whole new level, sensei. And a relief you were fucking with us as not making this an "annual" would be a damn shame. I sort of had an inkling but you took is so far. And then the link to Adrian's site? Off the hook.
Welli-Roubaix notwithstanding, we did an unofficial honorary Seattle Cogal on Sunday around the Ronde van Seattle route and remembered to bring a camera this time. Enjoy.
And yes, that's Jim hitting a car. And then face-planting.
Frank is that a Rule 23 violation I see? or is it still that cold? I don't know cause its hotter than shit down here.