Richard Sachs wrote about Eddy Merckx and how he'd seen him at the Milan Cycle show. We had a booth near his at that show and I was struck by the fact that he could never manage a smile (Eddy I mean, not Richard!) during the entire week. I put it down to the fact that he was at a trade show and miserable about his huge post-racing weight gain, but then I saw him in Dublin three years ago watching Axel and despite the weight loss and apparent success of his son, he looked as glum as ever!
In contrast, big Mig who was in Dublin with Spanish TV, was walking down Grafton Street and spotted my son, then about nine, dressed in full kid's Banesto gear. He came over, autographed his cap and let us take photographs and was utterly charming. The normally strong silent one even managed a few words in English.
What I hadn't noticed when I took one of the pictures was just behind where Mig is standing with his arm on my tiny Banesto-clad son's shoulder is a shop window bearing a sale sign which says 'Buy one and get a small size free.'
David Blight Exeter UK, where it's now drizzling (so that means it will soon be doing the same in Bristol, Hilary)