Rideurs of the decade

No_Ta_Doctor

God rouleur article on the man many picked as Demoiselle d'Honneur, Sep Vanmarcke. Though I mainly remember the mechanicals, which they don't mention.

https://journal.rouleur.cc/sep-vanmarcke-the-nearly-man/

rick_chasey

I don't think there is a rider that rouleur would ever possibly like more than Sep.


In case they couldn't make it plainer....

rick_chasey

Enjoyed that one.

Especially this bit.

“But I’m sure I’ve made mistakes. In that 2013 Roubaix where I got second, I have Cancellara by the balls. In the last turn, he comes round above me. If I hold him there he has to brake to dive inside. But what do I do? I start sprinting 200 metres from the line! This gives him the space and he can pass me in the last 20 metres. If I wait till 150 metres to go…


“Before that, I’d already given him the mental upper hand. He asked how I was feeling. I was young and naive, and answered that I was knackered. So dumb! Soon after that he attacked, four kilometres from the line. I had to give everything to get back on his wheel. After that attack I was too quick to take a turn again. He signalled once with his hand and that was enough. I should have said: ‘You work it out.’ My lack of experience did me in. It was my first big finale, up against the best rider of the era. A couple of years before, I was still sat in front of the television dreaming of performances like that.”