crank_addict

Its a cold January day for some reading but oh man, this IS cold! Lol

Excerpt from a worthy read, courtesy of Pez and David Mayer-Oakes.

The Winning-Merckx team was a one off deal for the Tour of America, and Mike (Neel) released me to do that race. I was really excited about it; mainly because I got to meet Eddy Merckx, who had custom built all of our bikes, which he said we could keep. I’ll never forget the moment after the final event in Washington when it was Eddy himself who brought us trays of sandwiches and hot tea, while the rest of the team mechanics and manager whisked away our bikes, never to be seen again.

bikemig 

Great read. I dig those daangerously drilled out brake levers in the 2d photo. They look like something you need on your Peugeot PSV 10 to make it lighter,

Mr. Spadoni 

Cool article, but one question.....
last photo is of the US Junior team. I know all went on to have careers as senior riders. Except.....Matteo Martignoni.
Clearly, from the PNW, with the club listed, but what did he do before and after this photo?

big chainring 

My first race ever, I was a 15 yr old Junior , on my Motobecane Grand Record with sewup wheels my brother lent me. Race started, I was off the back almost immediately. Chased and chased. David Mayer Oaks and Dale Stetina broke away and lapped the field on a one mile course...think the race was like 15 miles long. I was hooked.

big chainring 

My first race ever, I was a 15 yr old Junior , on my Motobecane Grand Record with sewup wheels my brother lent me. Race started, I was off the back almost immediately. Chased and chased. David Mayer Oaks and Dale Stetina broke away and lapped the field on a one mile course...think the race was like 15 miles long. I was hooked.

Drillium Dude 

I noticed that further down in the article there's a photo of him with three others, he's on the far right, in his Turin kit. The driveside brake lever has been replaced with something that isn't drilled - maybe the original drilled one failed

DD

repechage

The Nationals in 1974 was in Pontiac MI, finish on Widetrack Circle, most of the race up and down Woodward Avenue, which I knew about from guys who had worked for GM Styling. The carpet twice per lap was indeed infamous. The course was too too flat.


I did not win of course, placed 11th. My problem I think was our district rep played by the rules, we were not to ride above our category and then only when the race was under 35 miles. The guys who did better raced above category all the time, as most districts did not have enough riders to stage individual category races. Being able to race in a big field was a major benefit.


I could blame Tom Ritchey, they cracked down after he won a 117 mile senior cat 1 road race as a junior.


The Next years I did race in open races in Mexico early in the season, I got found out, riding under an assumed name only worked so much, almost got suspended for that, but the experience was worth it. Lesson, pull off before the finish, if you place too well... trouble.


I did did do a training ride through Bloomfield Hills, amazing to see houses with front lawns that required a riding mower.

RobbieTunes

You must have done it twice.

clubman 

Great article and those 'leaning' race pics are perfect