1980s

The 2015 Tour de France

2015 Tour de France route map
The route for the 2015 Tour de France is out. As usual a lot leaks out before, velowire.com sleuths the stages and yesterday race organiser ASO accidentally put a PDF online with the route yesterday. But it’s still a comforting ritual, a projection to the other side of winter.

This is a chance to see the map for real and to get more info on the route such as the intermediate climbs, the amount of time trialling and novelties such as the return of time bonuses. Plus race organisers can sell us a story, a theme for 2015.

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Allan Peiper’s Managerial Debut


Have BMC discovered the magic touch? Cadel Evans and Philippe Gilbert are back to winning ways and apart from Jim Ochowitz’s media gaffs the team has enjoyed a great to the season.

One factor might be Allan Peiper. The Aussie is credited with helping Ryder Hesjedal in the 2012 Giro and was recruited by BMC last year. But skip back almost 30 years to see him as a rider on the Peugeot team and the video clip above shows him as a fledgling road captain with ideas on team management.

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Colombia with passion

Colombia Es Pasion

It was in the late 1980s when I first began to catch the Tour de France. At the time the Colombians had an almost mythical ability in the Tour de France. I didn’t understand much about the sport but I knew in the mountains that Lucho Herrera, Pablo Wilches and Fabio Parra were able to win and to liven up any summit finish. There were two teams from Colombia, Café de Colombia and Postobon. In time the South Americans collected a very respectable list of results, from stage wins to placings in races like the Vuelta, Dauphiné and Tour de France.

The Colombians also brought very animated commentators who would give typical latin flair to their flow. I can’t find a clip but here’s the soccer equivalent. It wasn’t just heated commentary, in time they also brought cocaine.

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A song for Kohl

Falco’s Wiener Blut Wiener Blut means “Vienna blood”, but also “Viennese spirit”. Austrian cyclist Bernard Kohl got caught but there seems to have been an industrial scale doping network here and few other clients of the clinic have been investigated, yet alone sanctioned. Anyway, it’s an excuse for a bit of Falco. Note the “wir … Read more

It Was Acceptable in The 80s – Part X

As part of the series on the 1980s, here are five items related to hair styles plus a bonus on facial hair. Whilst the 70s saw some new cuts, the 80s gave rise to actual styles and creations. And fans got to see the hairstyles, it was the norm for riders to ride without helmets, … Read more

It Was Acceptable in The 80’s – Part IX

As part of the series on the 1980s, here are five items related to bike componetry during this decade. 1. SuntourJapanese componentry didn’t just mean Shimano. Suntour also produced a top end groupset, the Superbe Pro. It was similar to Shimano in design and features, with a functional look and crisp shifting. 2. MavicFamous for … Read more

It Was Acceptable in The 80’s – Part VIII

As part of the series on the 1980s, here are five items related to bike brands during this decade. So press play and travel back in time once again. Falco – Rock Me Amadeusenvoyé par trashfan. – Regardez d'autres vidéos de musique. The 1980s were a crucial time for frame design. Whereas the choice at … Read more

It Was Acceptable in the 80’s – Part VII

As part of the series on the 1980s, here are five items related to technology during this decade. 1. Clipless pedalsAn OEM ski binding company, French company Look realised that the mechanism used to fix a skier’s boot onto a ski could be copied to hold a cyclist’s shoe onto a pedal. Until clipless pedals, … Read more

It Was Acceptable in the 80’s – Part VI

As part of the series on the 1980s, here are five items related to fashion during this decade. Riders had their styles before the 1980s: a slick haircut there, some meaty sideburns there. But cycling didn’t mix with fashion. Shorts and shoes were black after all. But all this changed in the 1980s… 1. Sunglasses … Read more

It was acceptable in the 80’s – Part V

As part of the series on the 1980s, here are five items related to Dutch cycling. Whether it’s a freak result or careful planning I don’t know but one by one all three Grand Tours start in Holland. Last year’s Vuelta started in Assen, the upcoming Giro opens in Amsterdam and the Tour prologue will … Read more

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