Peter’s Pics

Dreesens finds some good cycling pics and sometimes has a little bit of commentary.   Here’s where we’ll put them.

Attempting to explain the difficulty of the course (Amstel Gold Race) Peter Easton recounts a mathematician’s calculations: …applying logic to overcome a sense of incomprehension is the key to understanding this race. And there is truth in numbers. Six of the climbs come in the first 92 kilometers – one every 15.2 kilometers. The remaining 25 come over the final 165 kilometers. That’s one every 6.6 kilometers. Breaking it down further, the final hour of racing has eight climbs in 42 kilometers. Now we’re down to one every 5.25 km. At 40 km/h, that’s one every 7 ½ minutes. Not overly funny, and definitely all business.

I don’t know my photography but the ghost like quality of the background  and the head on alignment  make this one of the greatest pics….it is also of one of the greatest riders , Rik Van Steenbergen

Roger De Vlaeminck was 21 when he won Het Volk , his first race as a pro.  Three people have won all 5 monuments. Belgians all; Merckx , De Vlaeminck and Van Looy, the best of them? Van Looy won all the classics, Merckx never was victorious at  Paris Tours.

Eddy turned pro on Van  Looys team and hated him

There’s a Saturday ride that goes by Dreesens’s place.  The loop goes up the climb shown above.  It’s only a mile long but there is a section that reaches 22%.  Ouch.

Koppenberg (as art) click HERE for more.

My bike is buried and I can’t ride.

Compromising position that Merckx never found himself in.

Coppi captured in a black and white distillation that has such a creepy surrealness.  There is a scary aspect to the eyes and expression. Bike racing then was HARD.

Tom “Army” Armstrong at the Moscow Six

The expression “Echappee Royal” has never had a portrayal as strong as this, it is the ‘ Kopgroep’ in the 1978 Amstel gold Race including eventual winner Jan Raas.
Included are Kuiper, Zootemelk , Moser , Raas and (obscured) Maertens. Now what makes this so remarkable is the fact all are World Champions in their careers. The circumstance is unbelievable in it self but the facial expressions show a effort and commitment that  I hate to say is not in modern cycling. This to me is the greatest cycling photo to date!   Peter

Francesco “Flat Back” Moser

And you thought your cranks were special.

Roger De Vlaeminck.

Jacques Anquetil racing Cyclcross

Making sure this child is ready to trounce the competition.

Kemmelburg

Major Taylor

Start em Early

Kelly!!

Weeeee!!!

Jacques Anquetil by Tom Simpson

Make sure you understand Euro Sizing before you order a kit.

No place for 60kg climbers.

1977 Koppenberg in the drops.

Flanders

The kid in him wants to splash through puddles.

Look at Merckx’s teammate.  Yep, getting ready to switch seat and seatpost.

Martin Wiestra

Moser Stayer Bike

How often do you come across a Mink?  Sad to see such a rare animal denied life by a car.

Split Rock

Eat or be eaten (Pic taken along Perkiomen Trail)

Stayer Moto