Pic of the Day 6th February 2007
Spot the Future Champion
Sometimes you can tell, just by looking, which rider is going to win a race. Occasionally you can even tell when a rider is destined for greater things.
http://www.wooljersey.com/
I love this pic, taken at the French "Critérium Amateurs" in 1921. As the race passes in front of the château de Montebello, in Mériel, a rider in light jersey and cap takes his turn at the front. Note how he seems to stand-out from the others - looking into the camera with an expression of calm confidence, shoulders squared, hands on the tops, position relaxed. He looks at ease, but powerful. All around him there's tension in the expressions and postures of the other riders, but he is an island of tranquility. Still an amateur, unattached to any team, but he just - I don't know... he just looks like a different class of rider. His name is André Leducq, 1924 World Amateur Champion, winner of the 1928 Paris-Roubaix, and Tour de France winner in 1930 and 1932.
Note the dirt road, beautifully plumb tires, mixture of single-front-brake (are these fixed gears?) and front-and-rear-brakes. Note also that some, but not all, have a tire slung over their shoulders... I hope they've got some spares strapped beneath their saddles.
Palmares for André Leducq:
3 stage wins 1927 TdF
winner 1928 Paris-Roubaix
4 stage wins 1928 TdF
5 stage wins 1929 TdF
2 stage wins and overall winner 1930 TdF
winner 1931 Paris-Tours
1 stage win 1931 TdF
6 stage wins and overall winner 1932 TdF
winner 1933 Critérium National
2 stage wins 1933 TdF
winner 1934 Critérium des As
1 stage win 1935 TdF
1 stage win 1938 TdF
>From "Le Miroir des Sports" No.1044, 3 January 1939.
Aldo Ross
Middletown, OH
USA