Erik Breukink crushes fools on the Gavia
I do love my Dutchmen. That much I admit. I also admit my love for the Americans with whom I share a passport. These affections are expressed erratically and sporadically, often at high volumes, and sometimes with some unreasonably held or possibly non factual evidence to support my passion.
At this point, my love for the 1988 Giro stage over the Gavia should come as an obvious segue. Andy Hampsten is famous for his epic ride over the Gavia that year to win the General Classification. The 7-Eleven team, relying on the experience of its Midwestern roots, understood that riding over the Gavia in blizzard conditions would require some cold-weather gear. Off to the local ski shops they went to buy warm gloves and wooly hats and the like. The rest of the European peloton figured that Cycling kit was as good as anything, so bugger all that sissy crap.
Uphill was undoubtedly cold, but the real terror arrived once the road pointed downhill and shit got real. I live in Seattle, but grew up in Minneapolis. I have raced in a one-piece spandex suit at -10F. I am here to tell you that the coldest I’ve ever been is riding my bike at near the freezing point in snow/sleet/rain. Below freezing, water freezes and you have the means to combat the cold. Water at its coldest chemical state recruits the fury of the wind to its side and brings the kind of deep tissue, bone chilling cold that doesn’t otherwise exist.
The hell of that descent from the Gavia must lie well beyond any level of cognitive appreciation I can bring to this conversation.
What isn’t commonly appreciated is that Andy didn’t win the stage over the Gavia. He lost Erik Breukink’s wheel somewhere along the way on the way down, likely because Erik’s lack of kit made him even more desperate for the warmth of the finish line. But nevertheless, Erik crushed it that day, in regular kit, seeking shelter from little more than a pair of arm warmers, overshoes, and regular Cycling gloves. He even raised his arms in salute as he crossed the line; having been cold on a bike before, I am most amazed he had the V to withstand the pain of outstretching frozen muscles. But I suppose one does not miss those sorts of opportunities.
Step aside people, the Dutch got this shit. If we can keep the ocean from flooding our country, we can certainly handle a little snow storm on a mountain road. That is all.
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@Haldy
Clever retort. May I remind you that both Heinrich and I have fantastic hair of the sort that doesn't require gloves? I'm sure you don't understand.
Great one here Frank. Yes, Breukink gets little mention for winning this stage and doing it with less clothing evidently. He was always a class act.
Going up is easy when it's cold. That descent must have really been awful. I'm amazed a skinny wee lad like Andy could keep his bike going straight on the downhill. Brrrrrr.
@frank
Well...once upon a time I did.
@frank
that makes 3 of us.
The North Sea is not an ocean.
Pedantry aside, nice article. That era was truly a golden age of hardmanism.
The most stunning part of that video footage is that after crossing the line, facing crippling hypothermia, the racers were able to don (and position perfectly) the team casquette. Or at least the soigneur had the presence to prop it up on their heads perfectly.
Also, I think that is the best I've ever seen Bob Roll look.
Oh, one more thing. That fade-from-blue-to-white bar tape Breukink has is the tits. And he wore a real cap on the podium, not a baseball cap or beanie FFS.
Happy new year to one and all who visit this site. It's a veritable haven from many of the horrors of everyday life.
@Gianni
And Gianni knows aboot cold; he's just too shy to let on.
Mendy
Goddamn, nothing like a colorful jersey with satiny black shorts. So sharp!
I don't mind cycling or other sports in the cold, but I don't understand how some guys ride without gloves in cold weather. Haussler does it all the time. I can handle cold ears, cold legs, even cold feet, but I need gloves well before it dips to freezing.
Oh, and last week I rode in a t-shirt and shorts (commuting, relax!) and this morning it was 0. What the hell is going on. Don't mind cold, but I do mind wild fluctuations.
@wiscot
You can say that again. One of my goals for the year is to (try) and tune out all the stuff in my world that pisses me off and that I probably can't change. I know there is plenty of truly bad stuff going on in the world right now and my life is pretty easy in comparison. But, one of my top goals is just to focus on doing my job well, riding my bike, reading good stuff, eating right, sleeping right, and just letting everything else go.