Originally Posted by
darkmoon
1975, it was a surprising year.
I started cycling that year, but didn't know there were surprises.
I would know them some years later.
Tour de France
While Eddy Merckx was climbing Puy de Dome with other cyclists, he was punched on the stomach by one of thousands spectators.
It was a real hard blow, devastating blow.
We might say his decline started by it.
When I saw this pic, 1983 I think, I was surprised indeed.
the fabulous world of cycling by Aldo Tonnoir and Eddy Merckx
Giro d'Italia
I didn't know a word "summit finish".
When I bought Kennedy Brothers booklet Giro 1975, which I don't have now,
I was surprised again.
A pic showed how hard Grand Tour was.
One glance was enough.
The last stage finish was the summit of Passo dell Stelvio.
Ordinary Gran Tours' last stage is just a lap of honor.
But Giro 1975, the cyclists, and hard-core fans too, had to climb the mighty pass!
And it was covered with snow.
Years later, I bought La Veridique Histoire des Geants de la Route, by Jean Durry.
I found the same pic.
Graham Watson would take the same pic.
Yep, this is the real summit finish.
Those are some great photos!
The shot of Eddy is not the typical bike race photo, but certainly shows the pain and the unusual situation. Boy.. not even Lance motivated a bystander to punch him! (maybe some of his team mates were thinking of punching him, though)
The scenic shots of the race impress me, partly because I try to get nice shots of bike rides and such, and know how difficult it can be to predict where the view will be impressive, or the light will be good. A lot of experience and planning goes into it.
Owen Mulholland was one of the writers producing great articles in Bicycling magazine here at that time, and he did great work. His article (in the Oct 1975 issue of Bicycling) on the 1975 TdF does mention Eddy getting punched, and includes a photo (but not as dramatic as the one you showed)....
Mr. Mulholland also covered the Vuelta d'Espana. The fact that he had to explain that the Tour of Spain was not a bicycle tour does show how unfamiliar the readers are with European bike racing. It was a good article, and Mr. Mulholland did a good job of creating a story of the race.
Steve in Peoria