Veteran - LVRC

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Reviews French Revolutions – cycling the Tour de France: Tim Moore. Yellow Jersey Press 2001. 277 pages paperback, £12.00. ISBN 0-224-06095-3 Tim Moore. Sporting status: not a couch potato. Previous experience of cycling: commuting on a Bickerton; six months on a girly bike from a stolenproperty auction; four-day MTB trip across Iceland with his brother-in-law; ten-year seasonal ob-session with the Tour de France. None of which explains a rush of blood at 36 which results in a ride round (most of) the route of the 2000 Tour, suffering pain and humiliation, but discovering the hero inside himself and being very funny on the way. There’s plenty of inventive fun: Captain Scott bewildered by his view of South Poland; the contrast between looking the part and looking a prat – not just an anagram; the excitement when a hotel proprietor identifies him as Roger Moore’s son; the ‘deeply poxy’ French breakfasts; his resort to ‘manual obscenity’ when his French isn’t up to the verbal kind; ‘coq au van’ as a name for a roadkill; and Bernard Hinault’s fearsome demeanour suggesting that ‘he’d been told that some bloke up the road was prancing about in a wedding dress singing, ‘Bernard, Bernard, je m’apelle Bernard.’ In the interests of comedy there’s a good deal of literary licence. Charly Gaul was by no means the first cyclist to pee on the move. Percy Stannard usually spelled his name with a double L. Merckx’s cannibal year was 1969, not 70. But here are also moments of revelation, little epiphanies: ‘In conquering the savage beauty around me I have become its creator.’ Heroic legends: Eugéne Christophe, Tom Simpson. Laments: the death of the French small town as the young flee to the cities. And learning experiences: Moore is amazed to find that his intestinal agonies are down to not washing his water bottles. And did you know that 18 th May is St Eric’s Day? See. You can learn things from books. What I find remarkable is that, with his limited preparation, Moore does so well, finally achieving 280 kilometres in a (very long) day. Moore is a better writer than the much more famous Bill Bryson, and his book is immensely enjoyable. Enjoy. Ray Minovi Tour de France – the history, the legend, the riders: Graeme Fife. Mainstream Publishing, 2000. 255 pages paperback, £9.99. ISBN 1- 84018-284-9 Based on the writer’s ‘25-year addiction to this unique event’ (half of my own), this is, says Fife, ‘an attempt to get inside the Tour’s mystique’ rather than a history. History is there, but in snapshots, or video clips, much of it well known, some of it less wellretailed, much necessarily left out. The rest recounts Fife’s own climbs of the major Alpine cols: L’Alpe d’Huez, Télégraphe, Glandon, Galibier, Izoard, Vars, while his thoughts stray to the great riders who preceded him. The accounts of what and who he’s thinking about are much better than the story of his own struggles, which are often done in a sort of writing-bynumbers, tricked out with literary quotations unnaturally transplanted. Fife is too good a writer to need these pretentious supporting devices. My heroes aren’t always the same as Fife’s. I recognise talent in any performer, but my admiration for Virenque’s attacking style is limited; I reserve my respect for those who can hack it without being fuelled by steroids and EPO. Fife almost despises Indurain (‘Lovely man; no brain’ he patronises) for husbanding his resources and playing to his strengths; but Anquetil, who did exactly the same, plus being a druggie and a cheat, gets his wholehearted admiration. Incidentally, the latter emerges as the most talented shit cycling has ever seen – perhaps the instinctive recognition of this is why the fans never took him to their hearts as they did Vietto and Poulidor. It’s an attractive book. There’s an insert of eight photos and a useful index. Georges Ronsse (not Rousse) was world champion. Big sprockets give you a smaller gear, not a larger one. Incidentally the story of Bartali searching the route for Coppi’s discarded bottle so he could find out what the campionissmo was on isn’t apocryphal – Bartali himself tells it. A few errors, but a thoroughly enjoyable book to add to your shelf of addictions. Ray Minovi The Long Distance Cyclist’s Handbook: Simon Doughty. A & C Black, 2001. 216 pages paperback, £14.99. ISBN 0-7136-5819-3 You may think that covering miles at below winter training pace merely for its own sake is a bit like train-spotting. But there are upsides: you do get to enjoy a lot of scenery during the daytime parts; there’s the undeniable sense of achievement; it keeps you fit; and there’s none of that aggressive, beating other people – you’re competing against yourself, the terrain, and the weather. For superannuated racing cyclists Audax is probably the most attractive alternative – stripped bike, higher speeds, any distance you want, really. Simon Doughty takes you through equipment, bike set-up, clothing, food and water, health and hygiene, safe cycling, maintenance, travelling abroad, and navigation – don’t blindly follow others who ‘seem to know where they’re going’. I wouldn’t much enjoy some of the bikes photographed, particularly the one on page 55 attached to a trailer the size of an Eddie Stobart truck, with a leather saddle pointing down at 15 degrees – not my idea of pleasure or safety. But then, leather was what we made do with while we waited for superior manmade products to come along. There’s training, from first principles to periodisation, tapering and peaking. Finally we look at training for specific events, from 200 km randonnées to the Race Across America, an event so demanding that more people have flown in outer space than have completed it. No way, Miguel, as Del Boy would say. If you can learn anything from a book, then this one gives you absolutely everything you need, and it’s always clear, lucid, no frills. Not really for would-be racing cyclists, (though they’d learn something), but the longdistance aspirant will find it not only immensely useful, but unique – I don’t know of another book that covers the subject. Ray Minovi Page 16 Veteran Leaguer: Winter 2002
Letters From Dave Orford The idea that LVRC members should support those who wish to race abroad is an emotive issue. For instance, it is not expensive to ride ICF events, which are only just across the Channel, mainly in Belgium, with Holland and Northern France also contributing events. However, for 2002, the Austrian Federation have withdrawn the one-day licence system for the UCI events at both St Johann and Deutschlandsberg. This means that riders will need a full BCF licence – which means that riders who go to either location will be representing the BCF! As the BCF are now receiving all the monies for cycling from the Government, it seems to me that it is they who should be supporting veteran international events, and not the LVRC. As the RTTC, to their credit, have now entered the international scene, via the Grand Prix des Nations, perhaps they should also support veteran riders who contest the international veteran championship time-trials at Woesten, St Johann, and Gray (Austria)? Bearing in mind that the RTTC do not support veterans to any great extent (the VTTA do that), and as it is generally accepted that more than 50% of time-triallists are veterans, then the levies from time-trials in 2001, £127, 710, should be able on principle to support international veteran TT riders. Again though, it is the BCF licence which is necessary, except at Woesten (ICF). I believe that all riders wishing to race abroad should do so on a personal basis as it has always been done, making their own arrangements. From Paul Tansley, Sheffield There has been quite a bit of talking lately about wheelsuckers and I would like to know what distinguishes a wheelsucker from a genuine rider in the middle. What they seem to be saying is that if a rider does not work at the front or do his share he is branded a wheelsucker. Well I think they couldn’t be further from the truth. There are wheel suckers around but we shouldn’t all be tarred with the same brush. I wonder whether they see me as one? If they do then maybe I’m in the wrong game. I started cycling in 1997 and train hard and regular and go on club outings which are usually at a good pace and I keep up with the lads that have been in the game for some years so I am quite fit and take my hobby quite seriously, and please remember it is a hobby. I decided to take up racing last summer riding the North Mids League with the vets, and to be honest I did quite well and shared the work load all way through. I was pointed in the direction of the LVRC and after doing my homework I was pleased to find that they were guys 10 years, 20 years older than me and I thought, ‘Well I have a good chance at doing something here.’ I was in for a mighty shock. I rode three races with the LVRC in August and September and started with the A group but got dropped to the C group every time. I tried my best to work and share the front but I just couldn’t cope with the pace, so I dropped to the back. I wouldn’t dare contest the sprint because its unlikely I would be up there anyway, but believe me I worked my guts out every race although I was always amongst the pack. What these so-called bullies need to remember is the LVRC is an abilitybased set-up. We’re not all ex-pros, elites and guys that have been racing for donkey’s years. I’m 42-years old, new to cycling and very new to racing, but I had a good go and although I found it hard I will be back for more punishment next season, possibly still in the pack just hoping to survive. I’m probably not the only one in that position so I would appreciate not being labelled a wheelsucker as I work just as hard as they do but with less ability. From Dave Clift, Region 9 On a rainy afternoon in January, with the Thames over the road, I collected Eileen Sheridan and Johnny Brackstone (Tour of Britain stage winner) to take them to the afternoon’s entertainment that Charlie Woods and Ray Pascoe put on at the Riverside Studios. On the way we picked up Johnny Saunders who starred with Diana Dors in A Boy, a Girl and a Bike and, when not starring, won Brighton – Newcastle. Despite the floods we made it to the Riverside. Sport and Publicity (I have to mention them – they sponsor my race every year) had a stand in the foyer. Charlie showed his usual patience marshalling everyone from bar to theatre. The programme started with videos compiled from 8 mm film, made by Ron Kitching. Then came French silent films of the Tour in the days of Coppi, Bartali, Robic and Géminiani, and an old Dunlop film of British cycle sport of that era, with Harris, Sheridan, Joy, Maitland, the Robinson brothers, and many others. Every so often an old coureur would stand up and take a bow as he appeared on the silver screen. After the interval Eileen Sheridan gave us an account of her career, and Dennis Talbot, joined by team-mate Derek Buttle, took us behind the scenes of pro racing in his day. They were joined by Dougie Collins, a man so young he doesn’t get a free TV licence or even a pension. Eventually he took Eileen home in his leaky van, while the rest of us retired to the bar to re-live long-gone battles with old adversaries. Next year some of you foreigners from north of Watford should consider the pilgrimage. Make a weekend of it. Bring the wife, or someone else’s, and pack her off to the sales while you ride one of Doug Collins’ races. Then complete the weekend with a visit to the Riverside. From Eddie Talbot, ex-BLRC For over 30 years St Johann has been promoting the definitive veteran series of road race World Championships. The Austrian Cycling Federation, although affiliated to the UCI, ignored completely the fact that the UCI did not recognise veterans. The UCI did not permit the organisers to use the normal Rainbow Jersey for the winners, and so St Johann came up with the bands diagonally across the jersey. The small-minded UCI stated that the colours (blue, red, black, yellow, green) were their registered colours – so the Austrians reversed the colours. Eventually the UCI realised that veterans were the only growth category and so, Veteran Leaguer: Winter 2002 Page 17
Page 1 and 2: The Veteran Leaguer The official ne
Page 3 and 4: Calendar: new events, cancellations
Page 5 and 6: Special General Meeting It’s LVRC
Page 7 and 8: One of the most talented roadmen Br
Page 9 and 10: The Feeding Station Are you getting
Page 11 and 12: officials received racing jerseys a
Page 13 and 14: Picture Page From top, clockwise: N
Page 15: example the hugged thigh - should n
Page 19 and 20: In Part 1 Cavanna, Coppi’s blind
Page 21 and 22: Neil Martin didn’t have to fix hi
Page 23 and 24: Regional Officers REGION 1. N.W. EN

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