Claude Dube
They Yapped All Day
Claude Dube, the 28-year-oId Quebec cyclist who left Montreal last summer bound for Osaka 70 with a caravan of 90 girls, is back in Montreal – $20,000 in the red.
And he never did make it to Japan.
“When we got lo Vancouver they told me they didn’t need me anymore,” he told The Gazette yesterday.
‘The girls left me with all the debts and humiliated – but it was an experience.” Dube became. a well-known figure in 1966 when he peddled from Vancouver to Montreal and in Centennial year he led a group of young girls on a bicycle caravan from Halifax lo Expo 67.
He has written a book entitled Around the World in 6o Months on a Bicycle With $5.
His Montreal – Vancouver- Osaka caravan was to have arrived in Japan for the opening of Expo ’70
But he said he made four mistakes:
“I accepted too many unilingual French-Canadians,” he said. “It made communication next to impossible as i had to repeat everything twice, once in English then in French.”
“1 accepted too many minors ,” he continued. “Sometimes l almost bad lo fight to get them out of bars.
“Thirdly, I had loo much confidence in women, l’ve learned my lesson now.”
“And my fourth mistake was to head for the bottle to calm my nerves,” he said.
“From the time we left Montreal lo the time wc got to Vancouver, all they did is yap all day,” be said.
When the troupe finally arrived in Vancouver, last
Oct. 17. after four months of cycling across Canada, six girls 1eft the caravan.
There the six girls met public relations officers and became involved in various fund raising campaigns, Dube said.
They told the rest of the. girls that a lot of money could be made and the best way to do it would he to leave Dube and form an all girl caravan, he said. “And that is what they did.
“Eventually the publicity deals fell through and 30 girls are still stranded in Vancouver,” Dube said. “I was left with all the tents, bicycles and equipment.”
He said he sold everything but his 1951 car and returned to Montrea1.
“But I haven’t given up on cycling.” he said yesterday. “l’m trying to organize a two-month trip around the province this summer.
“But this time it won’t be all women – no sir.”
By Richard Nutbrown The Montreal Gazette – Mar 27, 1970 source
NFB movie: 10 milles/heure
10 milles/heure by Marcel Carrière, National Film Board of Canada
Retrica
LizBet’s “Retrica”
This photograph appeared in my inbox. From LizBet the mysterious photographer.
Shopping on the Drive
“Maddy Cristall”
Maddy is a Music Journalist and Photographer / Publicist. And avid cyclist. Shopping on the Drive.
Al Parco di Monza
“Meteo It Girl “
Stefania Andriola la Meteo it in bici per la seconda volta. Nel futuro forse il Giro d’italia
Urban Revolution
“Copenhagen Wheel”
“The Copenhagen Wheel makes your bike look even better. It’s completely wireless, compact and simple; all designed for your everyday commute. Twist two nuts, install the wheel, download the app and you’re ready to go!”
— Steve Jobs
Early Gastown Riders
“They rode in the 1970s”
We’ve had some great photographers shoot our race over the years, but none more famous and internationally acclaimed than the great Fred Herzog. Since arriving in Vancouver in 1953, Herzog has shot more than 100,000 of street scenes and daily life in Vancouver. After working in relative obscurity for 50 years, he’s now rightfully recognized as one of Vancouver’s most important photographers. This 1973 shot is the only colour photo we’ve ever found of the first Gastown Grand Prix, which was then part of the Vancouver Sea Festival. Second from left on the start line is Bill Wild, who will out sprint Max Grace for the win. The shot is one of 50 Herzog photos in the 1976 book, The City of Vancouver, published by J.J. Douglas and edited and designed by Dave Broadfoot. Our thanks to Peter Ross for the contribution.
Gus Paterson writes: I took a picture almost identical to this … Bill Dove, Bill Wild, ?, George Demoulin, Bruno Tonietto, Mark Ackerstream. There are more riders in my photo.
A Bike Built for Four
“Family outing on a Bike”
The Flight Brigade
“A Girl Who Loves Her Smoke & Wine”
From the official promotional video for the music collective: The Flight Brigade.
“Making extensive use of borrowed bikes, friends equipment and the signature white van, Flight Brigade showcase the homespun characteristics which trademarks the band and their music.
After releasing the video the song made in onto the BBC Radio 2 playlist. In the words of Janice Long: “I just think that’s an astonishing record I really do. If that gets the attention it deserves to get that could be a hit. Really, really good.” “
Luci in bici
“Le Biciclette Luminose”
Sono una delle due novità tra le “Luci d’Artista”, le “Luci in bici” dell’artista e designer sudtirolese Martino Gamper. I led colorati inseriti tra i raggi si accendono settanta volte al secondo, realizzando così cerchi di fuoco che si muovono per la città. Ce n’è una decina a disposizione, alcune in una postazione fissa in via Carlo Alberto, le altre nei parcheggi di ToBike che verranno di volta in volta comunicati. E saranno gli abbonati a ToBike che potranno pedalare per le città con le installazioni luminose di Gamper.
Source – repubblica.it
Fiorenzo Magni
“Lion of Flanders”
Fiorenzo Magni, the Lion of Flanders, who was the “third man” of the golden age of Italian cycling, rival of Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali, has passed at the age of 91. Magni would have been 92 years old on December 7.
Addio a Fiorenzo Magni!
A cyclist from the golden era and winner of major races unaided by “bought” teams. Rode with pure guts.
Honest and Consistent — The notion that cycling was an escape, first from misery and then from poverty. That it was always better than having to toil in the fields or in factories. Cycling was a hunger as well as abstinence. Adventure and exploration.
Fiorenzo Magni was cycling as he lived and breathed the sport: a rider, a sporting director, a coach.
His cycling was a religion. A mission. A passion. In a word: love. Often thwarted by Bartali and Coppi, Magni did nothing but thank them: he would say that, without those two, he would have been a nobody. They made him a man.
We have lost one more cyclist from an ear that was golden – Honest and Passionate
ERA IL CICLISMO — Fiorenzo Magni era il ciclismo perché lo aveva respirato da corridore, da direttore sportivo, da commissario tecnico, da presidente dei corridori e da presidente della Lega, poi da console onorario, da ambasciatore internazionale, da autorità planetaria. Il supremo organo giudicante: accoglieva tutti, ma sapeva immediatamente individuare trasgressori, usurpatori, traditori. Il suo ciclismo era religione, missione, passione. In una parola: amore. Stretto fra Bartali e Coppi, Magni non ha mai fatto altro che ringraziarli: senza quei due – diceva – non sarei stato nessuno, mi hanno fatto diventare uomo.
Source – English Gazzetta
