Thinkin' of the 2003 P-R.

A Flandrian job well done!

Can the 2003 Paris-Roubaix be called a truly gritty race? I should say so!

I had the chance to view the exciting race on dvd and I was pleasantly reminded. That it was an uncharacteristically dry one and extremely dusty was ....sheer discomfort for the riders. In fact, it looked unbearable. At times hard to see. A long hard day in the saddle for many as the Queen took her toll.

Two veteran riders were fantastic. Unfortunately only one could win...

Peter Van Petegem (De Peet) was just coming off an excellent win of the Ronde van Vlaanderen. The great 37 year old classic star shone in the Roubaix Sun by buying his time. The other was the rejuvenated 38 year old Vjatcheslav Ekimov. Having come out from 8 months away from cycling, the Russian rode strongly and nudged De Peet on the final straight of the velodrome. The track specialist tried but lost out to a gallant Dario Pieri (2nd) and to an even tougher Flandrian.

With his win, Peter Van Petegem entered in the record books as one of nine riders' to do the Ronde & the Roubaix double!

Gino the Pious.

1948...

The ascension back to the throne for the two time Tour champion.

Gino Bartali was extremely devoted bikeman and to his Catholic religion. He had the presence bordering a god. That's what Mussolini's sports minister, General Antonelli declared after the Italian won the 1938 Tour.

So embraced by his countrymen he stayed true to his Italian roots. Although he battled in the Tour, he never rode in the northern classics. In a way, he never had to. Before the start of World War Two, the tough Tuscan already had achieve an amazing palmares. He won two Giro's, a Tour de France, 2 Giro di Lombardia and a Milan-Sanremo. A master of his craft, he was mobbed everywhere. One soldier protecting him yelled, "Don't touch him. He's a god!"

Bartali's god-like figure cut deeply into the fabric of Italian cycling. He was a powerhouse of a simple man made for the rigors of cycling. Religion was his other strength. The Vatican revered him, blessed by three popes. While riding he carried five medallions of the Holy Virgin around his neck and across his handlebars. He would have shrines in his hotel rooms for the Giro and Tour. And spiritual visits to the nearby church before a stage would not be uncommon. Even when he punctured the saintly Bartali never swore.

At the 1948 Tour Bartali was 34, ten years after winning his first Tour. He mounted the challenge. He won the first stage and took the yellow. But at the foot of the Alps, Lousion Bobet looked capable of beating the Italian. The young Frenchman was more than 21 minutes in front with the yellow jersey. The press denounced old Bartali any chance of the overall. But, in Lourdes Bartali prayed at the Virgin's shrine. He sent a telegram to the Pope asking for a special blessing for him and his teammates. Was he asking for divine intervention?

More sacrifice was in order...

At the rest day in Cannes, the Italian Prime Minister telephoned Bartali begging him to win the Tour. After an assassination attempt, the secretary of the Communist Party Palmiro Togliatti lied in critical condition and civil unrest was feared. If Bartali won then the country could settle down. Bartali answered the call and powered his way to Paris with more than 26 minutes over second place. He won his second Tour.

More so, Italy called Gino the Pious the 'saviour of his country'.

Alfredo Binda waiting for the Campionisimo!

1954 re-visited.

The eagle soaring on top of the Col du Tourmalet!

This 2010 Tour will re-visit Holland. A long time coming since starting in Amsterdam back in 1954. It was huge as the Tour celebrated it's 51st edition with the new twist of starting for the very first time outside France. A fine publicity feat, too. Frenchman Louison Bobet was back to defend his 1953 victory and it was simplify by the absence of the Italians.

1954...

A Dutch treat!

Hard to believe the Italian squadra wasn't there. At that year's Giro the top riders' like Coppi were caution for not racing and allowing the domestiques to take most of the stage wins. After a riders' strike, the Italian Cycling Federation refused a team for the Tour. Even the French organizers refused any Italian riders' from entry into the race. With Coppi out of the Tour a star was out, literally. To add to the drama Coppi went out training, during the Tour, and was hit by a wheel that flew off a passing truck. He fractured his skull!

You can imagine the interest the Tour generated as a reported 100,000 Dutch were on hand to cheer their own Tour 'hero'. Flying Dutchman Wout Wagtmans won stage one welcoming the Grands Départs in Amsterdam.

A Spanish sensation started his first Tour. Federico Bahamontes got his eagle wings over the grand summits in worthy style. He proved to be the revelation of that Tour amassing plenty of climbing points and making Bobet wince more than once in the high mountains.

But, Bahamontes was not a well known descender and ran painfully into a cactus as an amateur. On top of the Romeyere he waited on the roadside for the rest eating an ice cream. It worked. At the very least to calm him from the inevitable descent. The Eagle from Toledo finished 25th overall and flew to his first mountains classification.

Coppi was literally out from this Tour!

On the road.

Here's a photo essay of what I see along my wet bike route. I like the rain because it really brings out the colours in everything. Most disheartening is the aftermath of the major fire that occurred last week. It's just off the very busy Broadway street on Main. Three businesses were razed to the ground and I wonder what will come next?

I love dogs so that's why this guy is at the top!

Rainy day upgrade!

Velcro strip = no more stress point!

Last May I bought a waterproof cycling jacket in Portland (like that city). And just under 20 bucks I have a pretty good deal.

Fast forward today, and with a few wet rides under my belt or over my shoulders, the jacket is proving itself... with an DIY improvement!

It's made from 100% plastic. No space age material here. Waterproof it is, fancy it isn't. But the plastic tends to tear easily if pulled too quickly from the velcro. Although very weak, the seams are reinforced as best as it is. I noticed after pulling it off it would eventually separate at the seams. Tear is the better word. Then frustration set in.

After more than a few stitches at the appropriate weak points an idea hit me. Use a strip of rubber inner tube as an extra layer to keep the plastic from separating from the seam. Give it a certain strength it never had.

And you know what? With the help from Carolle my 20 buck jacket will live longer and stronger. Now, I can pull away from the Velcro with no worries!

DIY...

Rubber inner tube (left) sewn in to provide it from

not pulling apart!

Thinkin' again about P-R.

The nice & muddy 1970 P-R...

Merckx is well out in front from his frustrated rivals.

It's enough effort just to keep upright!

From: Paris-Roubaix.

Another stab into the inclement weather as I set out this morning for my P-R like ride.

The forecast said partly cloudy with a chance of Sun? Well, all I had to do was bundle up and with hot tea in a second bottle took off on my UBC ride. Why do I listen to these hack weather forecasters? Four degrees Celcius with the ominous dark clouds should have tipped me off as it started to rain. And the fair weather forecast vanished like a gambler's lucky streak. In fact, it never occurred to me as I just missed the morning hailstorm. Except on my way closer to home I did ride over the soggy frozen remnants from the storm.

I managed to stay out to complete my wet circuit, got home and turned on the hose to the bike. My leg warmers were covered in road dirt and I felt like using the hose on them. I'm glad I sidestep the nasty hailstorm.

My guess it wouldn't be quite like Paris-Roubaix!

Afterwards...

my dirty leg warmers, wool socks & booties.

Café racer.

A pink Simoni when the hail fell...

Two thousand and three was the year for Gilberto Simoni to exonerate his name. You see the previous year, in 2002, he tested positive for cocaine and thrown out of the Giro d'Italia. He ate coca candies bought by his Aunt while in South America. He was later reinstated by the Italian Cycling Federation.

I finished watching this entertaining and exciting Giro titled, 'The Quest'. Along with Simoni's strong drive to prove himself I marveled at the efforts of Il Pirata. Still morally depressed by the drug scandals, Marco Pantani fought on and stayed in contention in the high mountains. Sadly, he eventually finished his final Giro in 14th overall.

World champ, the Lion King Cipollini, was astounding winning two stages and importantly given a special award for the most Giro stage wins (42!).

What I also enjoy was the profile of Captain Simoni and his coffee fueled Saeco soldiers. Really the stars of the show. They followed all nine team members, three directors, three mechanics, five soigneurs and the bus driver as they negotiate through the great race called the Giro.

Loved it!

Pushing hard...

Never stop Il Pirata from trying!