Some things don’t.
This afternoon, in a bout of nostalgia, I attempted – largely in vain – to find hot helmets and hot handsignals. After a week off my bike, I was feeling very unhot, but I put on enough matching red, white and blue to kill a French horse and went off in search.
I saw one sweet handsignal. On Dan, who’s pumping up the Bridges of Brisbane Alley Cat for the 19th stage. 22 July pussy cats.
I was most hoping to ride this, but I realise now I can’t actually go. I didn’t stop to snap Dan, because a handsignal is regrettably fleeting and you can’t really ask someone to re-issue a handsignal. But I saw it, and it made me feel pretty damn good.
So I kept on riding and, unfortunately, after the good start of Dan’s hand, was becoming quite despondent passing not terribly hot helmets as I went about my ride. I’m sorry to say this but, Brisbane, today you did not have your nice clothes on. You had your horrible tracksuits and your helmets with the plastic taken off for some reason. I guess I caught you on a bad one.
Oh, except for Domenico. Technically, I believe that the meaning of the name Domenico is “Lord”, but I am going to take it as “Prince”. Because when I see Dom, I am feeling it.
Because Dom is all about the details. And after three hours of scoping out Brisbane’s finest (who were obviously not advised that I was hoping they’d be dressed up nice and riding, so yeah, I forgive them), I found them – just around the corner at Musgrave Park. Where – tomorrow, there will be sweet polo if you’re up for it. Afternoon I’m guessing.
It’ll look a bit like this, but more populated.
But without putting pressure on the poor fellow, I would say that Dom is my pick for best dressed of the polo men. I won’t prejudice your choices, but I believe that resistance to Lycra can be quite character building, and makes me admire the practicality of men’s clothing. I should wear more of it.
Oh, and I should get a matching watch in every colour of the rainbow. Especially yellow.
And I want a customised helmet so terribly much it feels almost sinful. For this, I would be prepared to take up roller derby.
Look out for Dom on the polo courts, and his (often very well-attired) polo companions.
Tonight is the first stage of the Tour de France. So much has passed since the last Tour, and yet – not much at all. As with last year, I may or may not intermittently cover those stages that I am able to stay awake and watch. Look out for it, it will presumably have more cycling content that I thought I was capable of producing and less than you could find out in ten minutes of googling or watching the race highlights.
So – if you are new to the Tour, let’s start as gently as I would want to be started.
With the Tour, as in life, some people want you to pick a team. As with life, the Tour is a very long ride, and sometimes choosing just one team can really limit your choices. But declare if you must and then be prepared to change you mind. It’s much nicer that way, I believe.
For me, it’s BMC (always a bridesmaid) and Garmin Cervelo. Let’s see how they do in a few hours, eh?
eleanor j jackson 