Monthly Archives: December 2007

L’elixir du grimpeur & thanks for reading

As the popular festive song says, “the weather outside is frightful”, and it is currently hard to muster much enthusiasm for riding in Vancouver. It is not the harshest winter weather here, but it still takes a physical and mental effort to do much on the bike at this time of year. Sean Kelly had …

December 21, 2007 – 12:00 pm | By Guy WR | Posted in Climbing Skills | Comments (4)

Souffrance

For professional cycling, suffering, or souffrance, is the nature of the game. Ultimately, part of the appeal of the sport is the visceral connection to be had between competitor and observer, as the latter sees the former overcome (or submit to) the suffering, often against backdrops of stunning natural beauty or breathtaking difficulty. Le grimpeur …

December 18, 2007 – 3:12 pm | By Guy WR | Posted in Classic Climbs, Classic Stages, Climbers | Comments (4)

Coeur de grimpeur – part 2 – the Polti years

Following the Festina trial in Lille in 2000, Richard Virenque was suspended until 15 August 2001 and his future was uncertain. He had already been rescued once, by Franco Polti, owner of the team for which he rode the 1999 and 2000 seasons. “He’s a great rider,” Polti reportedly said of Virenque. “He’s got character. …

December 10, 2007 – 7:43 pm | By Guy WR | Posted in Climbers, Doping | Tagged , | Comments (2)