OP
OP
Rockn Robin
Senior Member
- Location
- Arizona
OK. Prepare to be a bit weirded out by this one. By "favourite" cyclist, I take this to mean the one who has inspired you the most. As usual, couldn't actually decide between two of them. I give you ...... (1) Clare Balding and (2) Andrew Flintoff (!!!!). I shall explain.
Back in 2012, both of them appeared on the telly as rather unlikely stars of cycling programmes.
First up, our Clare:
View attachment 433986
Clare Balding's "Britain by Bike" was a tribute to Harold Briercliffe's 1950s travels on a vintage touring bike. Bits of it were more watchable than others, but it was mostly a pleasant aspirational odyssey for anyone tempted to do a bit of touring cycling to dream of replicating some time. The final episode was the one which really caught my attention, as we had recently started to enjoy holidaying around Loch Duich in Scotland, and she took on the (to me) mighty and daunting Mam Ratagan Pass from Shiel Bridge over to the Skye turntable ferry. This involved a steep and unremitting climb up to an amazing viewpoint that I already knew well, but had never even considered cycling up to. Clare's cycling was heavily edited. In the cold light of day, whether or not Clare actually rode all the way up, (and her efforts were just edited out), the next time we were up that way, I got my 20 stone backside on my bike and rode all the way up that mountain. She had inspired me to do what seemed the impossible, and to conquer my very first mountain.
In equal first place, our Freddie Flintoff:
View attachment 433987
As a 6'6", 20 stoner of a second row forward type, I was quite blown away by Andrew Flintoff and Lawrence Dallaglio's charity ride from Mount Olympus to the London Olympic stadium .... up and over the Alps on the way. I had religiously watched several editions of the incomparable Tour de France, where most of the sprinters seemed to habitually make hay during the first week of the tour and then bugger off home as soon as the race hit the Alps. I had never even considered the possibility of anyone my size ever cycling across the Alps, cresting some of the cols that you see in the TdF. OK, they were both former professional athletes, but still, this was mightily impressive stuff. I remember the difference between the two of them, character wise. Dallaglio the alpha male, ultra competitive, target driven type, racing off on his own at the front, and Freddie was the exact opposite. He would routinely stay with the non VIPs, checking that they were OK, and motivating them to keep going. One day he even saved the life of a fellow rider who had a heart attack, staying with him until the ambulance arrived, then trudging in to that night's hotel in darkness long after Dallaglio had sprinted in. Apparently Dallaglio wanted to bring in a fine system for those who overdid the refreshment in the evenings, and regarded Freddy as a "drinker with a cycling problem"! They both made it to the end on time though. Freddie Flintoff .... what a man. Straight after the final episode of that series, Mrs Donger and I booked our first holiday in Annecy in the Savoy Alps, and in September 2013 I rode my own bike up a category 1 climb from the recent 100th edition of the Tour de France .... non-stop up the Col de l'Epine.
I have since gone on to ride bigger and tougher mountains in the Highlands, Alps and Vosges, but I can honestly say it would all have been pie in the sky if it hadn't been for my cycling inspirations, Clare Balding and Andrew Flintoff. Odd but true.
Very interesting. I would agree that ones favorites would be those that inspire, and it looks like, according to your achievements, you were very much inspired. A perfect vacation when you can go and accomplish something like what you did. Well done!! For me, I don't think at my age and present physical condition I could climb any of the mountains you managed to get up. Ride down, yes, but not up. I have a hard enough time climbing a category -10 slope in the roads here.
Was your tour in the 1950s though? ..........He also lived in Iceland for the latter part of his life so it's surprising that he didn't update info given out in his name.
