This
For my money, the best slice of cycling video ever is Francesco Moser, appearing out of the dust, in the 1976 Paris-Roubaix. He blasts by the moto camera on the right, on a mission to get up to the front. Something about him appearing, then almost disappearing down the road. What was that? And there it is, the Moser position. His torso is pulled down low. If you want to go that fast you have to get that low. Back in the day, your frame size was directly correlated to your inseam, period. There were no slammed -17 degree stems or long seatposts. If you wanted to get aero you just had to bend at the hips and elbows, a lot.
Getting low is one thing, generating huge power from that position is something else, something Moser excelled at. Lo Sceriffo was not a man to be underestimated. In this excerpted video from A Sunday in Hell, Moser is powering up towards the winning break of four riders: Roger De Vlaeminck, Marc Demeyer, Walter Godefroot, and Hennie Kuiper (all former or future P-R winners). It is an all star break of Belgian-Dutch hardness and Moser bridges quickly. The winner was going to come from this group but it was not Moser’s year nor was the next edition so he made up for it by winning the next three consecutive Paris-Roubaix.
To see Moser powering up the side of the pavé like that, it’s some sort of poetry that captures just about everything I love about cycling.
The Moser scene plays out around 9:10 into the clip, but as always, it is pure pleasure to watch what leads up to it.
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When I opened up Velominati today I saw this photo of Moser, and I thought of a word. The word is awesome.
@EBruner
I would agree. Being "harder" is a mental state. And the racing was more difficult back then. Remember, back then the riders often smoked cigarettes, rarely trained in the off season(many because they had to work blue collar jobs to feed the family) , etc. Today, the advances in tech, especially training and "supplements" plus equipment has combined to make riders better prepared for the stresses of racing.
@fignons barber
And when was the fastest ever Paris-Roubaix?
@Gianni
Ha! Look at that!!! I can post!!! The Gods of IT at West Point updated my system this morning and voila! I'm back!!! Anyways, Yes, they were way fucking harder. Jesus, not doubt. The only reason we even begin to question if they were is b/c Boonen and Sparty stand out in todays puff peloton b/c they are so hard IN COMPARISON to the Schlecks and Froome's of today's elite. If we took Hookers and Blow back to the '70's, he could rid ewith them, but I doubt he'd have 4 PR and 3 RVV to his name. Maybe, and only maybe, one of each, in my opinion. But God DAMN! What a photo! I must say though, I always have had a tiny bit of dislike for Moser with how he "stole" his Giro from Fignon, whether he had anything to do with the helicopter or not. Still, HARD man for sure.
This whole thing is a gigantic tease smack dab in the middle of winter.
I always have that "it's the most wonderful time of the year" song playing in my head come Holy Week. Myself: praying for rain.
@RobSandy
1964, on an altered course with only half the cobbled sections and a 35mph tail wind for virtually the whole race. Point?
Speaking of hardness, I was thinking about this the other day since we're having a serious cold streak for this area...
In quite cold conditions, guys used to race with bare legs and maybe toss on a hat and some winter gloves. Now most of the racers come out of the bus looking like Randy after his mom dresses him for school. Skull caps, neck warmers, windproof jerseys, windproof gloves, full leg warmers, and oversocks.
How can there be such an insane difference? How did the racers used to do it? (and I do know about Hinault and his hand issues from the cold)
Along these lines, I was riding home from work on Monday and well covered, as it was around -4. Dude rides by in bib shorts and a LS jersey, that was it. Good god, my legs were cold with full leg warmers. I really don't know how he was riding like that, legs looked devoid of embrocation too.
So much awesomeness in this post and I never tire of watching a Sunday in Hell. To wit: at 1:40 the Jobo rider's head injury - I swear you can see his skull through that gash on his forehead. The Ijsboerke mechanic sitting oh-so-casually on the back of the team car. Raymond Poulidor is still mixing it up with the kids at the age of 40! (Born in 1936, he turned pro in 1960.) And, of course, Moser's style. He was a top track man - won the world pursuit championship in 76. Top time-triallist too. That'll get your position aero.
@Ron
A lot of the old school guys came from rural background. Farmers tend to be a lot outside, and it harden you.
Plus they didn't have central heating like now. They were generally in colder temp. all year long since birth, which help.
I have a school friend who didn't have central heating at home, just a coal stove. He would come to school in t-shirt when people where donning their winter jackets.
@fignons barber
I didn't know that about less cobbles and the wind. They were still hard back then, regardless.
I don't come onto Velominati to let facts stand in the way of my opinions.