Photo of the day: Pollentier in the '77 Giro.

Style, schmyle.    It's overrated.


Case in point.  Flandria's Michel Pollentier in the '77 Giro.   Team leader out with broken wrist, the man from Nieuwport just stepped up and took command.    Pollentier may not have looked very good on a bike- sitting sideways, kness sticking out, lots of upper body movement.   But he had the fitness and the motor to make the thing go.

Some say his success was chemically induced.  I'm inclined to believe it came from riding all winter into the wind off the nordzee, and marathon cyclocross sessions in the dunes with Freddy Maertens.

Comments

  1. TedMay 28, 2011 at 7:15 PM

    Not only in the leader's jersey - but the overall leader in GC and winner of the '77 Giro.

    In my opinion, I think Pollentier could've been just shifting positions on the bike during a climb - doubtful he would be that successful with such an unorthodox position.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977_Giro_d%27Italia

    ReplyDelete
  2. ChrisJune 1, 2011 at 8:34 AM

    Slightly off-center, judging by pics.

    Unorthodox but effective.

    Google Image: http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1259&bih=882&q=michel+pollentier&gbv=2&aq=f&aqi=g1&aql=&oq=

    ReplyDelete
  3. TedJune 1, 2011 at 6:32 PM

    Thanks Chris - I would say 50% of the photos his position looks good - but the rest look a bit odd - for a European pro of that era.

    ReplyDelete

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