@ Brett – That’s not the Castelli logo, it’s the Carrera one.

@ John – the Worlds were actually first held in South America in 1977 in Venezuela, when Francesco Moser took his title.

Signed thread-dredging nit-picker Oli

Blue shorts were an innovation in 1995. That selfsame year, I bought a pair.

Hehehee, me too, with the Banesto logo. They were the largest size available and they were still 5 sizes too small, damn those Italians and their euro sizing. I never wore them. Damn.

I missed Big Mig’s look…it is a killer look…and that cap, indeed, worn to perfection. I wish my head was less spherical in appearance and I could get some good poofiness when I wear a cycling cap. Mine looks more like a swimmer’s cap than a cycling cap.

Blue shorts were an innovation in 1995. That selfsame year, I bought a pair.

I am with Frank and Marcus on this. Agree with his off the bike life or not, doping or not, he didn’t care one way or the other. He was the quintessential Italian, unapologetic, full of piss and vinegar and he was directly taken from his grave to Gaul’s right-hand side in heaven, because Pantani was our living and breathing Gaul in the flesh. I for one loved him.

In terms of Big Mig, he was a freaking diesel. I see him as I have seen him so many times, hands on the top of the bars, in a slow cadence yet in tempo that few could hold…..and he was hardly breathing, and in the pic he looks to me to be looking up the road like he owns it.

The style, all classic. I love the cycling cap, and still wear mine in the fall but the wife and friends badger me about it…but it is utterly cycling and Big Mig always wore it w/style. The Bolle glass, timeless. Big phat Look pedals, new STi campy record aluminum 8spd grouppo’s, wow! It changed cycling forever.

There are so many things in that photo that i ended up buying….man…great photo!!

Bolle are still around although I think mainly into skiing, although their website lists mountain biking glasses. Actually. just realised I have a pair of Bolle that I found on a trail in the bottom of my toolbox.

@frank
We’ll call it the Pantani Conflict

I think you;ll find that Mig’s glasses are Bolle, not Rudy. It was later he switched to Rudy.

Indeed, I think you’re right. What happened to Bolle?

Pantani was NOT a COTHO. He was a fucking stud. The Ego, the branding…wouldn’t you brand for something else if your current nickname was “Elephantino”?

Ego, yes, but so frail. His career is dotted with great highs and great lows. I love it. I love him eternally.

@Dan O
The Briko Zens. Those were the shit. One iteration cooler than the Shots, and much cooler than the model after that…though I can’t recall the name…

@Marcus
It wasn’t those character traits I had problems with in those days. It was the massive size of his ego and the whole “Il Pirata” branding thing. No class.

Indurain marking Pantani, unable to chase Olano, his countryman. I remember the buzz for this race, perhaps the only World Championships in South America? The climbing, the altitude, the Colombians; the Europeans were well out of their element. Indurain was the Fabooo of the day, winning the TT and should have won the road championship that year.

Rincon? Who was he? Was he the Colombian team leader with the #1 on his bike? I have no file on him but he looks good, stylin’, staying with Pantani and Miguel.

To the Video
Olano was a surprise winner obviously but sweet jesus has anyone ridden that fast on a flat tire? He kept one hand on the bars as he went over the finish line, no doubt. He must have borrowed some rocket fuel from some of his Mapei teammates, whoa, what a powerhouse.

@Marcus
You poor bastard…

Lastly, I liked this bit in the race results:
“Friday, Miguel Indurain didn’t like the look of the pasta the chef had
prepared. “You know what I really fancy?” he said. “A ham sandwich and a
beer.” Indurain munched a couple of sandwiches and sank two beers. To those
who were astonished by this, so near race day, there was a learned response
from J Sabino Padilla, the Banesto team doctor. “Beer?” he said. “Why, it’s
the only drink that contains vitamin B6 and B12, and what’s more, it aids
the elimination of toxins.”

Maybe Velominati Brother Josh, two bidons of New Castle, thank you very much, is on to something…

Man, I’d dig a pair of Brikos like that. Cool as hell.

Brett – great photo and article. Can I confess a sad story about this year’s World Champs? Was very fired up for them as soon as it was announced that they were going to be held here in Melbourne/Geelong. Was even more fired up when I realised that my brother-in-law’s parents place sits about 30 metres off the circuit. Oh what fun this will be, I thought – watch them come by each lap and then retreat to the TV to keep track of things. Then I did something phenomonally stupid.

Without thinking I booked our family holiday to the same place (Queensland) on the same dates as last year – because the kids loved it. My wife approved of the idea and I booked. Then the devious missus (yes the one who inspired “Honey, can I go riding”) casually asked, “isn’t there some bike race you want to watch on during early October.”

Oh

The

Horror

I have booked myself to be away whilst the World Champs are on. Can’t change the holiday now – divorce would happen for sure.

So far I have been publicly ridiculed at a World Champs promotional lunch – where the very very courteous and polite Stephen Hodge (super-domestique to JaJa) told the crowd I was a pathetic loser and only had myself to blame.

I could only agree. So some other velominatus will have to give a firsthand report of the action.

I don’t think anyone could wear a cap as stylishly as Mig; the tilt, the puff on top of the head, the peak just barely allowing him to see out from under it (through neon yellow eyewear no less… Rudys?)

Is there also a Castelli logo on the right side of Pirata’s jersey?

Color-coordinated Avocets! My first computer, I. FUCKING.LOVED.IT. And, the yellow version was called the “LEMON(d)” because our boy Greg rocked one.

The one-STI, my god. What an uncomfortable way to roll. At least with the gutted Ergo, the lever was the same; the STI, sheeeeiit – there was no getting those two levers positioned right.

Reading book prop left on due to a snowstorm. Classic stuff.

@roadslave

I’m loving Rincon’s headwear…. those were the days when you strapped a sumo wrestler’s nappy to your head and you ticked the safety box. Kind of like wearing a stetson in rodeo riding… looks cool, looks cool, looks cool… ooooh, messy.

My god. That is just too perfect.

I really wish Indurain and Rincon had merged headwear, nothing cooler than the wrestler’s nappy over the cycling cap. The best look, EVER.

The sheer volume of neon colors going on in the picture is invigorating.

Those old Looks were the best. Low bottom bracket, alu lugs…Ah me!

I see he was also running only one STI unit. Now, I appreciate why they did it, but that is a flagrant breach of The Rules as it totally unbalances the bike.

@frank Sidi Techno’s.

A yellow Avocet computer anyone? What happened to them? Why did people think a dull black box was more awesome than a small round day-glo computer that you could colour-co-ordinate with your bike & kit.

I’m with Frank – Assos doing an Italian jersey?… where the hell was Kappa?

Pantani, no respect.

It would also appear that Rincon is using a water bottle from 1983

The purple anodized titanium Cinelli stem, for one. How does Pantani pull off breaking Rules with such style? (Not officially a Rule yet, but with the exception of a few select components, no anodized parts on Road Bikes.)

Rincon and those crazy Sidis that were destined to be a massive failure due to the massive plastic chunk of crap on the tops of them.

Looks like the guts might be stripped out of Pantani’s left Ergo for weight reduction. Always a classy Grimpeur move; today’s light bikes have robbed us of those kinds of “customizations”.

That stunning Mavic hub on Rincon’s front wheel…those bearings were SO smooove.

ITALIAN TEAM JERSEY MADE MY ASSOS. WHAT. THE. FUCK?

Another favorite of a bygone age was the regular team bibs with the national team jerseys…it gave such a hodgepodge of awesomeness.

Rad.