Tom Simpson
07-13-11 | 05:14 AM
#4
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Sacramento, CA
Bikes: '64 Bianchi CDM, '62ish Altenburger Cinelli Mod B, '63-64 Cinelli SC, 69 Rene Herse Competition, '71 Gitane SC, '73 Cinelli SC, '73-74 Colnago Super,, '73-74 Cinelli SC, '78ish counterfeit Confente, '82 Medici Gran Turismo, '67ish Mondia Speciale
Bar cons and center pulls. I love it.
Was this his final ride on Ventoux?
Was this his final ride on Ventoux?
07-13-11 | 05:24 AM
#5
Senior Member
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From: Plano, TX
Bikes: 1968 Falcon San Remo 1973 Raleigh International, 1974 Schwinn Suburban, 1987 Schwinn High Sierra, 1992 Univega Ultraleggera, 2007 Dahon Vitesse DH7G
It's funny to look at races pre helmet.
It's even funnier to realize how recently helmets became standard.
I always toast Tom Simpson whenever people are doing toasts. Or methamphetamine.
It's even funnier to realize how recently helmets became standard.
I always toast Tom Simpson whenever people are doing toasts. Or methamphetamine.
07-13-11 | 05:27 AM
#6
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Rocket City, No'ala
Bikes: 2014 Trek Domane 5.2, 1985 Pinarello Treviso, 1990 Gardin Shred, 2006 Bianchi San Jose
Yes, here it is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtAyGvZqiwk
07-13-11 | 05:29 AM
#7
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From: Lancaster County, PA
Bikes: '39 Hobbs, '58 Marastoni, '73 Italian custom, '75 Wizard, '76 Wilier, '78 Tom Kellogg, '79 Colnago Super, '79 Sachs, '81 Masi Prestige, '82 Cuevas, '83 Picchio Special, '84 Murray-Serotta, '85 Trek 170, '89 Bianchi, '90 Bill Holland, '94 Grandis
07-13-11 | 05:39 AM
#8
multimodal commuter
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: NJ, NYC, LI
Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...
Do I see this correctly: he's on his big chain ring and his biggest cog and his chain is still sagging?
07-13-11 | 05:45 AM
#9
Thread Starter
12345
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From: south france
I believe Tommy Simpson died in the 1967 Tour de France.
Yes, here it is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtAyGvZqiwk
Yes, here it is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtAyGvZqiwk
'riders were actually limited to 4 bidons a day'
07-13-11 | 05:47 AM
#10
multimodal commuter
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From: NJ, NYC, LI
Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...
07-13-11 | 06:01 AM
#11
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From: Hervey Bay, Qld, Australia.
Bikes: Colnago (82, 85, 89, 90, 91, 96, 03), 85 Cinelli, 90 Rossin, 83 Alan, 82 Bianchi, 78 Fountain, 2 x Pinarello, Malvern Star (37), Hillman (70's), 80's Beretto Lo-Pro Track, 80's Kenevans Lo-Pro, Columbus Max (95), DeGrandi (80's) Track.
Such a tragic story but his death should be a warning to others. Hope his death was not without learning.
07-13-11 | 06:13 AM
#12
Cisalpinist
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From: Holland
Bikes: blue ones.
07-13-11 | 06:30 AM
#13
Palmer
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Parts Unknown
Bikes: Mike Melton custom, Alex Moulton AM, Dahon Curl
07-13-11 | 06:33 AM
#14
multimodal commuter
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: NJ, NYC, LI
Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...
Fausto Coppi, being interviewed about drugs (from wikipedia)
Question: Do cyclists take la bomba (amphetamine)?
Answer: Yes, and those who claim otherwise, it's not worth talking to them about cycling.
Question: And you, did you take la bomba?
Answer: Yes. Whenever it was necessary.
Question: And when was it necessary?
Answer: Almost all the time!
Question: Do cyclists take la bomba (amphetamine)?
Answer: Yes, and those who claim otherwise, it's not worth talking to them about cycling.
Question: And you, did you take la bomba?
Answer: Yes. Whenever it was necessary.
Question: And when was it necessary?
Answer: Almost all the time!
07-13-11 | 06:51 AM
#15
Thread Starter
12345
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From: south france
07-13-11 | 07:01 AM
#16
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From: Holland
Bikes: blue ones.
07-13-11 | 11:29 AM
#18
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From: Rocket City, No'ala
Bikes: 2014 Trek Domane 5.2, 1985 Pinarello Treviso, 1990 Gardin Shred, 2006 Bianchi San Jose
Because of the circumstances of his death, the Tour officials changed their rules and allowed riders to take bottles from their team cars.
07-13-11 | 12:40 PM
#20
Cisalpinist
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From: Holland
Bikes: blue ones.
07-13-11 | 12:46 PM
#21
On a mission from God
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From: In a squalor
Bikes: 6? Favorit (under construction), 82 Bianchi Nuovo Racer, 76 Alan, 8? Raleigh Fixie, 75 Atala, 94 Cannondale 2.8, 75 Paramount P13, 94 Cannondale RT1000 tandem, 76 Masi Gran Criterium, 81 Motobecane Grand Touring, 77 Mondia Super, 12 Specialized Crux
07-13-11 | 04:45 PM
#22
Cisalpinist
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From: Holland
Bikes: blue ones.
07-13-11 | 05:08 PM
#23
Palmer
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From: Parts Unknown
Bikes: Mike Melton custom, Alex Moulton AM, Dahon Curl
Simpson Memorial on the slope of Mont Ventoux, where he collapsed. I disagree with his approach to competition, but I wouldn't mind if my last words on this earth were the same as his: "Put me back on my bike."
Simpson testing the Moulton bike. "If I wasn't under contract to Peugeot, I'd be happy to ride one."
Simpson testing the Moulton bike. "If I wasn't under contract to Peugeot, I'd be happy to ride one."
07-13-11 | 09:12 PM
#24
Crawlin' up, flyin' down
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Democratic Peoples' Republic of Berkeley
Bikes: 1967 Paramount; 1982-ish Ron Cooper; 1978 Eisentraut "A"; two mid-1960s Cinelli Speciale Corsas; and others in various stages of non-rideability.
Except he never said "put me back on my bike." That line was invented by a reporter who was not there.
No, the photo is not from his last ride. It looks like a photo of him in the TdF yellow jersey, which he wore for exactly one day some years earlier. There are some shots of him on his last day - seeing them, it is easy to believe that he died that day, as he looked, well, like death warmed over.
Don't forget that Tom Simpson died on a bald mountain on a brutally hot day. It is one of the few places outside the USA I've been to, and that mountain is bare-naked devoid of vegetation outside a scattering of little pants that are no mre than two inches tall, and that might be generous. Every single day is hot, windy or both up there. His last day was hot, as in well over 100 degrees. The peak is something like 6,000 feet elevation - that cannot have helped.
The received wisdom of the day was a nip o' brandy was good to ward off dehydration, so he had a little. He was also incredibly tough and incredibly motivated by the money - of which there was a heck of a lot less than now. (Remember, in Europe, cycling was and largely remains the sport of the blue-collar classes looking ofr a way off the farm or out of the factory or mine, not of the middle class as in the US.) He was 29, and he figured he did not have too many productive years left on the bike. So 1967 was something of a "do or die" year (no pun intended) in his mind. All these factors, plus the speed he took (as did so many others, as noted) allowed him to ride through all the normal signs of heatstroke and keep going. He literally rode himself to death.
No, the photo is not from his last ride. It looks like a photo of him in the TdF yellow jersey, which he wore for exactly one day some years earlier. There are some shots of him on his last day - seeing them, it is easy to believe that he died that day, as he looked, well, like death warmed over.
Don't forget that Tom Simpson died on a bald mountain on a brutally hot day. It is one of the few places outside the USA I've been to, and that mountain is bare-naked devoid of vegetation outside a scattering of little pants that are no mre than two inches tall, and that might be generous. Every single day is hot, windy or both up there. His last day was hot, as in well over 100 degrees. The peak is something like 6,000 feet elevation - that cannot have helped.
The received wisdom of the day was a nip o' brandy was good to ward off dehydration, so he had a little. He was also incredibly tough and incredibly motivated by the money - of which there was a heck of a lot less than now. (Remember, in Europe, cycling was and largely remains the sport of the blue-collar classes looking ofr a way off the farm or out of the factory or mine, not of the middle class as in the US.) He was 29, and he figured he did not have too many productive years left on the bike. So 1967 was something of a "do or die" year (no pun intended) in his mind. All these factors, plus the speed he took (as did so many others, as noted) allowed him to ride through all the normal signs of heatstroke and keep going. He literally rode himself to death.
__________________
"I'm in shape -- round is a shape." Andy Rooney
"I'm in shape -- round is a shape." Andy Rooney
07-13-11 | 09:17 PM
#25
Crawlin' up, flyin' down
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Democratic Peoples' Republic of Berkeley
Bikes: 1967 Paramount; 1982-ish Ron Cooper; 1978 Eisentraut "A"; two mid-1960s Cinelli Speciale Corsas; and others in various stages of non-rideability.