Fausto Coppi - Original Hipster?

Remember Nathan Fabian?

If we're going down the top trumps route, anquetil wins, because if all else fails, his name is longer than coppi's.

Or Coppi, as Anquetil was never World Champ.

I thought someone would break the stale-mate before me, but here goes:

It's all about the underdog, Poulidor was the crowd favourite.
The only one still alive? Merckx is just some fat bloke running a factory now.. ;)

@Andyp, I realised, not long after I'd made my (drunk) reply, that your post was a "flippant remark".
Sorry for coming across as an arse.

BTW can anyone verify the story about Anqetil's (successful?) hour record attempt that was ruled out because he refused to take a drug test immediately after the finish, saying something along the lines of "I'm going for a shower and a cup of coffee, and then I will piss in your bottle"

JA has always been, for me, top dog
My dad always went for Gino Bartalli, it's about age Iguess

It's all about the underdog, Poulidor was the crowd favourite.
The only one still alive? Merckx is just some fat bloke running a factory now.. ;)

I thought he'd lost all the weight? Mind you, it was a couple of years ago!

"Anquetil himself "broke" the record again in 1967, but in the confusion at the end of the hour, the correct drug-testing protocols were not followed and the record was never ratified."

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/veloarchive/races/hour.htm

How cool would it be to ride with Merckx?!

Bollox.

Coppi was the man. Palmares surpassed only by Merckx and Hinault (Giro Tour Worlds Classics inc Roubaix), but not nearly as demented as those two. Merckx was deeply introverted, Hinault simply nasty. Charismatic, courteous, stylish, the only great (apart from the Pelissier brothers) that I would like to have ridden with.

Anquetil? Give me Geminiani or Bobet any day. Anquetil style was like Indurain. Crush the opposition in TT, then follow in the mountains. Very effective, but not nearly as stirring.

Coppi makes Lance look like what he is - two-dimensional.

And you wouldn't have caught Fausto wearing those abominable black tennis socks, either...

Makes Lance look like what he is - two-dimensional.

Two? You're in a generous mood...

And you wouldn't have caught Fausto wearing those abominable black tennis socks, either...

I like black socks. They show off my anti-tan.

Not tennis ones though. Or Nike. Or any with fucking yellow bands and weak, patronizing mottos.

Tennis socks = instant dismissal at Creative Couriers.

Pelissier!

Check the hat and black socks. This guy was the man.

Bollox.
Coppi makes Lance look like what he is - two-dimensional.

Coppi was twice the man lance is....

are the one ball jokes really old? ill get my coat.

Tennis socks = instant dismissal at Creative Couriers.

Pelissier!

Check the hat and black socks. This guy was the man.

This guy was the man at C&A.

Pelissier was just a complete lunatic.. his first wife shot herself because of living with him, then his next missus shot him cuz he was such a loony!

Have you read Albert Londres book, 'Slaves of the Road'? Thinking of the Pelissier's itemisation of their drug intake, it's not surprising he was woof-woof.

Would ya recommend the book?

Yes, I would. Albert Londres was a proper reporter for a newspaper that was a rival to L'Auto. He had written a series of reports on 'Devil's Island', a french penal colony, that scandalised France, and was a name in his own right.

The french title Les Forcats de la Route, doesn't really translate properly. Forcat (c sydilla) is a convict sentenced to penal servitude. 'Convicts of the Road' isn't quite right, either.

Anyway. It's a slim volume but gives a clear account of the savage nature of the Tour's early years. If you want to understand the sport, and its heritage, then it's far more important to read this book than, say, 'It's all about the bike' or anything else written in the last 20 years.

Yes, I would. Albert Londres was a proper reporter for a newspaper that was a rival to L'Auto. He had written a series of reports on 'Devil's Island', a french penal colony, that scandalised France, and was a name in his own right.

The french title Les Forcats de la Route, doesn't really translate properly. Forcat (c sydilla) is a convict sentenced to penal servitude. 'Convicts of the Road' isn't quite right, either.

Anyway. It's a slim volume but gives a clear account of the savage nature of the Tour's early years. If you want to understand the sport, and its heritage, then it's far more important to read this book than, say, 'It's all about the bike' or anything else written in the last 20 years.

quite the review! went to check amazon, but it's not there...

I am not sure if it has ever been published in english! There are bits and pieces floating around but not the whole thing.

The french version is available from amazon.fr here

Pas cher. Je vais visite Paris au fin du mois. Je vais le cherche a ce temps.

But my French is shit, so hopefully the language isn't trop difficile. Cheers.

Pas cher. Je vais visite Paris au fin du mois. Je vais le cherche a ce temps.

But my French is shit, so hopefully the language isn't trop difficile. Cheers.

My french is probably better than most British people, ie I can actually form and understand basic French sentences, but it's not up to much. I managed to understand most of it. It's a lot easier to understand than L'Equipe for instance.

There's no translation? Bummer :(

Someone else looking..
http://www.londoncyclesport.com/forum/forummessages/mps/utn/1000/v/7/cp/1/

hippy is a closet hipster lol... i love tags (that one is not mine)