[CR]This Week's Quiz update & Hello Again (Ian Briggs - Luton)

(Example: Events:Cirque du Cyclisme:2007)

From: <LeMansGTMAN@aol.com>
Date: Sat, 15 May 2004 05:23:13 EDT
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]This Week's Quiz update & Hello Again (Ian Briggs - Luton)

Hurro again everyone... I have had v.bad PC problems for about a month and have only just got back on-line, and find that I had about 6 squillion e-mails in my 'box - 5.5 squillion being from the list... Can't read them all of course and started yesterday with Aldo post asking us to ID the rider in his pix... Easy-peasy... Answer:- Jean Robic 1947 Tour de France - he has just won for the Ouest France (West France) team and is at the finish at the Parc des Princes (20th July). The reason Jean is not in 'yellow' is because he snatched the Tour only on the final stage from Caen into Paris and was riding his lap of honour before being awarded the jersey (presumably) He's riding a 'Genial Lucifer' bike, equipped with:- LAM Brakes* Hutchinson tubs Simplex Gears Brampton Chain AVA 'bar and stem Mavic rims laced with 3 Etoiles spokes, I don't know the hub type (anyone?) - but using Huret wingnuts) Don't know any of the rest of the gear except that he also carried a Zefal pump. How do I know all this? - I go to France every summer and buy the right books... *Looking at another side-on pic of Robic riding the '47 Tour it is apparent that his bike has neither downtube nor handlebar end gear change levers - so these combo levers in the picture way have been some form of experimental brake / gear changer - but almost certainly friction... P.S. - Jean Robic was also famous for being the first rider to routinely use a crash hat whilst racing - very much to amusement / derision of his fellow 'pros. Luv to all you retro blokes and blokettes... Ian Briggs