These people had a lot to celebrate today. Follow me to the Patrick Verhoest gallery du jour...
I love Belgian fans, they come in many different flavors of hardcore. This guy, for an example, cares far more about supporting his team than not looking ridiculous:
These fans are dressed as garbage. Or members of Parliament. Either way...
Then there are the home-made (please say these are home-made) concoctions, like the Pauwels Victory Umbrella:
And the Albert sash, complete with serious face paint:
This Rob Peeters flag is Belgian, and awesome, on so many levels:
The Stybar Supporters could be spotted from passing helicopters:
Hooo-kaaay, it's distinctive at least. Anyway, there was racing too. Here, the women get started:
Katie Compton puts in a dig, en route to a solid fifth place:
Meredith Miller and Nicole Duke took the last two spots in the top 20:
Nobody got too close to catching the Golden Fox:
You see what I did there? Nobody needs a nickname more than Marianne Vos, and as far as I can tell she doesn't really have one. The Empress of 's-Hertogenbosch? Too hard to pronounce. And Vos in Dutch for Fox. Sure, a cynic might call her the Silver Fox one day each year, but it's a testimony to Marianne's greatness that she can come second in the worlds road race five times in a row and not have it define her in the least. So yeah, the Golden Fox. And hey, it's an Olympic year! Anyway, here's your women's podium:
And an awesome closeup of the great Golden Fox with some more hardware:
OK, time for the men to roll out...
Slightly better view. It was right about here where the Belgian national team made its move...
Want a chaser? Start with Tom Meeusen, fourth on the day:
Then there's the great Sven Nys, seventh and last among his countrymen, in what he said might be his last worlds appearance (an assertion I don't buy for a second):
Next was K-Pow. What's up with the red legs Kev?
Tim Johnson and John Gadret lead one of the foreign chases. Johnson finished 34th.
Anyway, here's the guy they were chasing in vain, King Albert:
Sufferface getting it done:
Digging deep:
And drinking in the win. Albert spent much of the last lap enjoying himself.
Peeters, Albert and Pauwels on the podium:
Albert shakes hands with the actual King Albert of Belgium:
Happy bunch:
Winaar!
All photos by Patrick Verhoest for the Podium Cafe. Great job Patrick!
0 recs | 49 comments
and did you know
That the Golden Fox has a cat named Chiapoessie? That would be a merger of Chiapucci and the Dutch word for kitty.
Chris Fontecchio - January 30, 2012
Brilliant name
broerie - January 30, 2012
On the pet name theme, dId you know that
“Piti” is a merger of “Poulidor” and the Spanish word for autologous blood transfusion?
straw dog - January 30, 2012
Did you know
that ZOMG!?! is actually a reference to Zombie Maurice Garin?
Chris Fontecchio - January 30, 2012
I had always assumed that....
straw dog - January 30, 2012
I used to have a black cat
who had unusually long fangs that poked out from under his top lip and made him look like a vampire. So I named him Incupuss.
John Cyclopunk - January 30, 2012
She also had a cat named Flecha.
Because he always attacked.
blackswangreen - January 31, 2012
Cool!
Did the cat blame other cats when the attacks failed?
Chris Fontecchio - February 1, 2012 via mobile
No but it surfs in the offseason
Jens - February 1, 2012
That last pic is the first ne I see where Albert actually looks happy
broerie - January 30, 2012
Vos looks very, very comfortable.
She could have another 5-6 years at the top, if she can stay motivated.
Nys will be back for one more.
Uphill - January 30, 2012
Thank you for the pics
could have done a with a bit of action shots
singhstax - January 30, 2012
Plenty of action
Podiuminsight
Jens - January 30, 2012
Many thanks
Wonderful photos. Lots of fun stuff.
My favourites: The pink hat gang, the peloton full of Belgiums, and Mister Red Stockings,
Willj - January 30, 2012
I heard the UCI is investigating that kid with the WC stripes on his face. Apparently it is unlicensed face painting.
Great shots and thanks for sharing!
JustJoshinYa - January 30, 2012
Oh man, the UCI is ruining face painting
VirtKitty - January 30, 2012
Speaking of WC stripes
Petter Northug, half-decent cross-country skier from Norway.
TheFigurehead - January 30, 2012
he's annoying the UCI
ZoeRochelle - January 30, 2012
What about the kid with the rainbow jersey beanie?
I thought that was pretty sharp
Aly Edge - January 30, 2012
The fans dressed up as garbage aren’t really fans, but promo-people for a government campaign against littering.
And the Rob Peeters banner is even funnier when you know it’s a play on a very well known campaign slogan that says Het is feest als Bob rijdt (it’s a party when Bob is riding), Bob being a name given to the designated driver of the evening (seriously, having the name Bob must be no fun at all in Flanders).
tgsgirl - January 30, 2012
I am a superfan. I won the Omega Pharma Quick Step Stybar fan photo competition!!!
Happyface. Apparently I get a ‘Styby related prize’…bahaha! Oh the possibilities!
Albertina - January 30, 2012 via iPhone app
i take that to mean you and styby will soon be related.
ant1 - January 30, 2012
Do you think?! Ooooo! ;)
Albertina - January 30, 2012 via iPhone app
30 minutes
on the fainting couch together?
Chris Fontecchio - January 30, 2012
Hmm, I think it's upholstered in velvet.
Hard to get stains out.
straw dog - January 30, 2012
I found this relevant…
Vlaanderen90 - January 30, 2012
There's a doctor in Erfurt
who can take care of that, he use ultraviolet radiation.
TheFigurehead - January 30, 2012
good one.
ant1 - January 30, 2012
Only 30? sadface.
Albertina - January 30, 2012 via iPhone app
I guess the assumption is that after 30 minutes
he’ll be so far ahead, he’s finished and you’ll have another 30 minutes make it to the finish alone.
omnevelnihil - January 31, 2012
Haha, awesome
tgsgirl - January 30, 2012
Cool!
broerie - January 30, 2012
and congrats
broerie - January 30, 2012
I thank you sir
Albertina - January 31, 2012
very nice!
Willj - January 30, 2012
I only recognize Vos
in photos where she’s got the just-crossed-the-line-first scream face going. The emoticon would look something like this… O
phantom_51 - January 30, 2012
Okay...
so what exactly is the deal with Štybar and pink whatever?
Aly Edge - January 30, 2012
Specialized
http://bikehugger.com/post/view/specialized-a-legacy-of-pink
tedvdw - January 30, 2012
Thanks
Aly Edge - January 31, 2012
Great photos!
marleen888 - January 31, 2012
The picture of the women's podium confuses me greatly
Isn’t the second step higher than the third? So is the Belgian girl just like 8 inches taller than the Dutch girl, or is she standing on her tippy toes or something, because that just looks so weird.
Aly Edge - January 31, 2012
Steps were the same height and Van den Brand (2nd) is quite small
Maybe she was on flip-flops and Cant (3rd) on cycling shoes? Dunno, doesn’t look too weird.
tedvdw - January 31, 2012
Yes, don't mind me, I have a real tendency to let weird shit nag at me
exhale It is what it is :)
Aly Edge - January 31, 2012
Daphny is teenytiny
not as small as Pavla Havlikova, but still, very small (& pretty) in real life
Sarah Connolly - January 31, 2012
Oh I think they're all good-looking ;)
That was never my problem with the picture! :p
Aly Edge - January 31, 2012
Ha! sorry if it sounded like I was implying you wouldn't!
Sarah Connolly - February 1, 2012
I love all these photos
and I also love this one, of poor Helen Wyman, flying through the air before her bike landed on her in her big crash! Yikes!
Sarah Connolly - February 1, 2012
They caught the "Oh shit, this is gonna hurt look"...
And Lynne caught it from a little further away…and her next picture shows Wyman in full body plant.
That sux…
JustJoshinYa - February 1, 2012
Ouchie
Aly Edge - February 1, 2012
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