Tag Archives: tour de france

Not a happy camper…Vale Pou Pou

Dear Rouleurs,

I’ve been neglecting this blog to the point of it also being defunct. The combination of juggling work, life, 2 kids and a crappy run with bronchitis and hayfever has reduced MMT’s output on the bike to a trickle in the last few weeks. This has been deeply frustrating hence the title of this blog.

However in the time since MMT’s last blog, besides a very interesting, weather impacted set of results in the World Championships in Yorkshire, only one important albeit sad event occurred. Vale Raymond Poulidor, cyclist and French folk hero, passed away on Nov. 13 in a hospital outside Limoges, France, aged 83.

Poulidor, who became universally known as the “eternal second,” was on the podium as a second- or third-place finisher for eight out of the 14 Tours he entered. Not only did he never win; he also never wore the Tour leader’s yellow jersey for even a single day, a feat achieved by numerous far less accomplished riders.

Anquetil and Poulidor going head to head on the Puy du Dome in the 1964 Tour de France

What some athletes might view as failure, however, only enhanced Poulidor’s status among French cycling fans, who have a soft spot for underdogs. For decades after Poulidor retired at the advanced age (for cyclists) of 41, “Poupoularité” remained strong. He became the unofficial patriarch of the Tour.

MMT’s favourite Poulidor story, was retold recently on the Rapha Cycling Podcast. Poulidor visited Jacques Anquetil, on his death bed back in 1987. Anquetil and Poulidor had bitter rivalry in the early 1960’s and had become good friends after both retired from professional cycling. Anquetil is said to have quipped to Poulidor, something like, ‘It looks like I’ve beaten you in this as well’. Somehow MMT thinks Poulidor wouldn’t have minded too much.

Hopefully MMT will resume proper cycling soon, in the mean time ride safe.

MMT

Chapeau to Michelton Scott

Dear Rouleurs,

In case you weren’t playing attention, Michelton Scott seem to taken the mantle of being the best cycling team in the world. The last couple of weeks have been spectacular for the men’s and women’s teams.

First a brief tangent…Allez Alaphillipe…put Team Ineos in their pace. How good would it be for world cycling for a Frenchman to win the Tour since Benard Hinault in 1985? Allez Alaphillipe, Allez Alaphillipe , Allez Alaphillipe.

First let us start with the Men’s team competing in this year’s Tour De France. Up front, its clear that by stage 13, Michelton Scott’s Plan A win the TDF 2019 with Adam Yates wasn’t working. So recasting the team’s strategy to Plan B stage hunting, was probably something of gamble. However much to every Australian cycling fan’s delight its worked a treat. Here’s how its worked so far:

Stage Rider How it happened
9: Saint-Étienne >
Brioude		 Daryl Impey
launched a late attack on the final climb and storm into Brioude
with just Tiesj Benoot(Soudal-Lotto) left to
out sprint.
12: Toulouse >
Bagnères-de-Bigorre 		Simon Yates sprinted
to his debut Tour de
France victory on
stage 12 to give the team their second win of
the race.
15: Limoux >
Foix Prat d’Albis 		Simon Yates won his
second stage win,
attacking from the
breakaway on a day
the general
classification received a significant shake-up.
17: Pont du Gard >
Gap 		Matteo Trentin soloed to his first Tour de
France victory in five years and the team’s
fourth of the race on
stage 17 into Gap.

…and if that wasn’t enough, the Michelton Scott women’s team cleaned up at the Giro Rosa in Italy. For a second year the women’s thrashed its rivals in the biggest race in women’s cycling, finishing first and third overall. Team leader, Annemiek van Vleuten, defended her title by quickly amassing an unassailable lead in the mountains, while Australian teammate Amanda Spratt took a late opportunity to fight her way onto the prestigious overall podium of the ten-day Giro Rosa.

So there so have it, Michelton Scott, arguably the best sporting team in Australia and with claim to being the best team in international cycling.

Until next time, Allez Alaphillipe

Marv

Chapeau!! Caleb Ewan

Dear Rouleurs,

Just a quick post to celebrate Caleb Ewan’s first ever win in the Tour de France. MMT has ripped off the Herald-Sun’s Friday edition and shamelessly reproduced it on this blog.

Congratulations to Caleb, who might start filling in the very big shoes of another (Mc) Ewan.

Until next time, ride safe

Marv

Team MMT announces the arrival of a new member

Dear Rouleurs,

MMT and Mrs. MMT, the team’s Directeur Sportive, have been frantically preparing and then adjusting to the arrival of the team’s newest member, a baby girl. Born in late June, R.R arrived at a civil time in the early evening, weighing 3.3kg, R.R is joy to behold.

R.R is a project rider who be placed in the women’s branch of Team MMT. The only problem being now that the women’s branch of Team MMT out numbers the men’s branch by 3 to 1. Not only that, they are all red heads. MMT wonders what the team grupetto will be like in a few years time.

MMT purchased a small girl’s bike, for the original ninja ginger, A.J. a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, the last few week’s weather in Melbourne have bordered on apocalyptic. So there have been few still sunny days to introduce A.J. to joys of riding a bike. This remains a work in progress.

Speaking of works in progress, hopefully when MMT gets back to work, next week he’ll be able to take a more serious approach to this blog. In the meantime, MMT will continue to enjoy the liesurely afternoon viewing of 2019 Tour de France stage replays. Go Richie Porte…its your year.

Until next time ride safe,

Marv