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Belgium Knee Warmers Defined
For many professional cyclists the Spring campaign is the toughest of the season; it means training from October until March in the worst, character-building weather conditions Europe can dish out. This weather and the suffering that is bicycle racing breed characters known as "hardmen".
Select cyclists tackle these conditions in shorts, long sleeve jerseys or short sleeve jerseys with arm warmers, wind vests, and shoe covers. A true hardman opts to forego the knee or leg warmers and instead chooses an embrocation to cover the knees. The liniment provides warmth for the legs and keeps the blood circulating and muscles supple. Embrocation and the sheen created is affectionately known as "Belgium knee warmers". The hardest of cyclists will sport bare legs in the most ruthless of conditions.
Belgium Knee Warmers are indicitive of the many subtleties that make professional cycling so enthralling.
Select cyclists tackle these conditions in shorts, long sleeve jerseys or short sleeve jerseys with arm warmers, wind vests, and shoe covers. A true hardman opts to forego the knee or leg warmers and instead chooses an embrocation to cover the knees. The liniment provides warmth for the legs and keeps the blood circulating and muscles supple. Embrocation and the sheen created is affectionately known as "Belgium knee warmers". The hardest of cyclists will sport bare legs in the most ruthless of conditions.
Belgium Knee Warmers are indicitive of the many subtleties that make professional cycling so enthralling.
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- I spent 20 years of my life working in the bicycle industry, turning wrenches and selling bikes for some of the industry's best shops. I have extensive experience designing and constructing frames in both steel and titanium and have performed thousands of bike fits. I am passionate about bicycles in all forms. The bicycle provides me with physical and mental health and taps me into a social pipeline that allows me to share my passion with others. I ride as often as possible and love the flow of a hard group ride. Check back for musings about all things road cycling and, especially, the Spring Classics. The devil is in the details and I am an expert in the useless minutia that makes up our discipline.
© 2006-2009 Belgium Knee Warmers. All Rights Reserved.
© 2006-2009 Belgium Knee Warmers. All Rights Reserved.
4 comments:
Great Pics. Thanks for putting the high resolution up.
The finish line photo of Devolder is awesome. A Flandrien winning the Ronde in the Belgian national champion's jersey. Stijn will never need to buy a drink in Flanders for the rest of his days.
The Eddy look-alike is becoming a mainstay. He's at all the Classics. I saw him at Amstel a couple years ago and he's the spitting image - wasn't too bad up the Cauberg either. I, too, thought it was fitting that Flanders was won in the national colours and what colours they are. There isn't a strip better than that, whether its the Oranje of Holland or the all white of Real or the hoops of Celtic, there's something about the Belgian colours that evokes a mixture of nostalgia, achievement and awe.
yeah for sure the real treat is the close and personal, bravo john pierce
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