The front door of my hour was difficult to open this morning, because lodged behind it, having fallen vertically through the letter box, was an innocuous looking large buff envelope - one of those that have a stiff piece of card stuck inside to prevent the contents from getting creased or damaged.
There was no trace of the sender's address on the reverse side..or anywhere else..and the post-office franking ink had been smudged..so no evidence there either,
The envelope was very light to the touch and obviously contained very few enclosures. A craft knife hissed along the sealed edge and deftly slit open the flap.There was just one piece of paper inside whose edges appeared somewhat tarnished brown from old age..and the paper itself was of an old beige colour, it's texture slightly coarse.. The paper, a page of an old magazine, gradually emerged from the tight hug of the envelope, which seemed reluctant to release its secret. Out eventually...page 127 of Cycling, dated August 8 1951...all black ink on jaundiced newsprint paper
It was the R/H page of a two-page spread....and carried half of the title of the article ...Of The Tour. Prominent in the top ride hand corner was a classic photo of Fausto Coppi breaking away with apparent ease on the final slopes of the Izoard. However more prominent, and obviously the feature photo, was an equally classic photo of Koblet draped elegantly along his bike, forearms parallel with the top-tube, and wearing his yellow jersey (but showing only as darker fawn) and his black cotton racing shorts on which the name LA.PERLE stood out for the camera. The bottom edge of the photo cut off at mid thigh, throwing into relief the sponsor's name. The legend under the photo read "..the forceful, yet not strained style of Hugo Koblet.."
An arrow drawn in felt tip pen directed my eyes to a small rectangular box 6cms by 4cms that rested on the bottom margin of the page - TECHNICAL POINTS. Within the 24 square centimetres of the box the author had set out the specification of THE bike..in brief..basically a 22 inch frame made from Reynolds 531 DB Hutchinson tubs, PRIOR hubs, bracket and pedals, Brampton chain, Lam brakes, Campagnolo rear gear and....Cyclo Benelux handlebar gear control and front chain shifter..
On page 16 of the advertising supplement to the magazine The Cyclo Gear Company Co.Ltd, proudly announced that KOBLET USED BENELUX Handlebar Control Levers... for both gear and chainwheels...
Now..remember where you first read that stunning news...the answer to the riddle...undisputedly...no argument...no matter what Tullio claimed..and show me his advert in any case in the Gazetta del Sport.
Norris Lockley, smugly..Settle Uk
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