What? Never hear of Wim Vansevenant, maybe the greatest you and me of Tour de France history?
In the 96 runnings of the Tour de France there have been 511 team and 4,566 riders compete in what most of the sporting world considers the greatest and most difficult outdoor sporting event on the face of the Earth. Cast on the world’s largest playing field, the country of France.
<!–[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]–> <!–[endif]–>
Each year we celebrate the winner, the maillot jaune, the rider clad in yellow. And each year someone must be last, most pedal home unknown, but they by no means suffer the least. In the Tour, from the very beginning, there has been recognition for the last of these great sufferers, a rider who against all odds suffered and survived, for him, is awarded the Lanterne Rouge.
Lanterne Rouge is the French phrase, which translates to “red lantern,” is used to describe the racer who finishes dead last in the overall standings when the peloton reaches Paris. (The terminology is borrowed from railway jargon for the archaic practice of hanging a red light on the caboose of trains, which assured station operators that no cars had come uncoupled.) The “winner” of the Lanterne Rouge are most like us – neither hero nor villain – simply the ones who tried, who struggled, and who, as the great French journalist Albert Londres wrote, rode with conviction and perseverance the “Tour de Souffrance”.
Today is the birthday of the greatest of these Lanterne Rouges, Belgian pro cyclist Wim Vansevenant. Wim accomplished a feat even more remarkable in many ways than the seven wins of Lance Armstrong or the seven King of the Mountains by Richard Veronique, he is the only Tour rider to ever have ridden into Paris with the Lanterne Rouge “hung” from his saddle three times – three consecutive times!
Call it what you like fate, luck, stubbornness, providence, maybe even stupidity, all have played a role, but Wim survived. He outlasted those who abandoned the Tour through illness, injury or simple exhaustion; those who were eliminated for failing to finish within each day’s time cut-off and were unceremoniously forced to withdraw; and those who were banned or withdrew in disgrace for cheating (doping). Over the years about 20% of the riders plummet from the peloton. In other words, our Birthday Boy didn’t simply coast to last place; Wim worked for it, he fought for it! And for that he is a cycling hero!
I doubt I shall ever enter another race, struggle in the peloton, cling on for dear life, even, god forbid, get dropped, without thinking of you. Thanks!
Happy Birthday Wim!
Posted by Gerry at 10:44 AM Labels: Albert Londres, Lanterne Rouge, Maillot jaune, Tour de France, Tour de Souffrance, Wim Vansevenant
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Newer Post Older Post Home Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
Bicycling Northwest
All things bike – riding, recreation, racing,
Echelon Gran Fondo Coming to Columbia Gorge
Registration Open Now – Sign Up!
Blog Archive
- ► 2010 (16)
- ► February (6)
- ► January (10)
- Keeping the Proprioception Going: Session 5
- A Tour to Die For
- Burrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Session 4
- Keep it simple stupid!
- Session 3: Going slow, to go fast
- Rebuilding the Back: Session 2
- Gran Fondo Deadline (for cheap seats)
- Back to the Back: Session 1
- At this Crossroads – we all should stop and think
- Jens Factor Training Guide
- ▼ 2009 (98)
- ▼ December (17)
- Reality – A decade to remember, to forget
- 1979 + bike + film camera = Possibly a Safety Anno…
- Birthday Bouclé ’09
- Happy Birthday Wim – Blow out the lantern and make…
- We can rebuild it, we have the technology
- “Can you hear me now?…”
- Chris King calendar debuts, to benefit breast canc…
- “oh, was I going to hard?”
- Sometimes IT IS about the bike… and more
- If we could only ride as fast as we make excuses!
- Tyler in Town
- On becoming il Campionissimo…
- Job Search: Designer needed urgently!
- Trainer Season – Phil, Paul and a Suitcase of Cour…
- Brain Freeze – and other parts
- Joe Dengel’s Crash Takes the Grand Prize
- Why We Ride
- ► November (4)
- ► October (12)
- Biking 150 miles for a cause — in a dress and hee…
- Death by Tourmalet – a play in two acts
- Joe’s Grand Day Out
- The Bike – a democratic tool that has liberated th…
- “Above all, be safe out there.”
- Oregon Handmade Bike Show
- F R A N C E…. the final frontier
- Is the Magical Rainbow working?
- Dope, Dopes & Dopers
- Portland Cyclists – share your voice – please!
- Horner Shacking up with Amrstrong & Leipheimer
- abbia un grande giro della bici!
- ► September (13)
- ► August (17)
- ► July (20)
- ► June (15)
- ▼ December (17)
Search This Blog
powered by #uds-searchControl .gs-result .gs-title, #uds-searchControl .gs-result .gs-title *, #uds-searchControl .gsc-results .gsc-trailing-more-results, #uds-searchControl .gsc-results .gsc-trailing-more-results * { color:#5588aa; } #uds-searchControl .gs-result .gs-title a:visited, #uds-searchControl .gs-result .gs-title a:visited * { color:#999999; } #uds-searchControl .gs-relativePublishedDate, #uds-searchControl .gs-publishedDate { color: #999999; } #uds-searchControl .gs-result a.gs-visibleUrl, #uds-searchControl .gs-result .gs-visibleUrl { color: #cc6600; } #uds-searchControl .gsc-results { border-color: #cccccc; background-color: #ffffff; } #uds-searchControl .gsc-tabhActive { border-color: #cccccc; border-top-color: #cc6600; background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; } #uds-searchControl .gsc-tabhInactive { border-color: #cccccc; background-color: transparent; color: #5588aa; } #uds-searchClearResults { border-color: #cccccc; } #uds-searchClearResults:hover { border-color: #cc6600; } #uds-searchControl .gsc-cursor-page { color: #5588aa; } #uds-searchControl .gsc-cursor-current-page { color: #333333; }
My Blog List
- Twisted Spoke Rosseler gets first Radio Shack win in Volta ao Algarve. Lance happy. 6 hours ago
- Cyclingnews News Headlines Ventoso seeks Andalucia stage win 12 hours ago
- The Everyday Athlete In Loving Memory: Sublime Sublimity 1 day ago
- BikePortland.org » Front Page A view from other side of the “rogue wall” on 82nd 1 day ago
- Cyclocosm – Pro Cycling Blog Contador’s Opening Salvo 1 day ago
- Boulder Report Sky’s Limit 2 days ago
- le grimpeur Cooling off with le blaireau 1 week ago
My Favorites
I Recommend Need for the Bike Paul Fournel (Pap… $10.20 This is one of those rare… Get WidgetPrivacy
Thursday Lawyer Lunch Ride 2009
My Daily Cycling Updates
- Joe Parkin’s In The Know
- Daily Peleton
- Bicycling Northwest
- Cycling News
- USA Cycling
- VeloNews
- Steephill
Tuesday Night Rides 2009
About Me
Gerry Elsewhere
Followers
Filed under: 1, Cycling, Iran, mountain biking, Road Cycling, rock music, running, Sexy TV presenters |
Leave a comment