Davis and Connie – a film by Ben Ingham

[pdmtong]

Beautifully done.

http://pages.rapha.cc/stories/davis-and-connie-a-film-by-ben-ingham

[witcombusa]

I have some great memories from the Red Zinger/Coors days and both Davis and Connie racing. North Boulder Park had some awesome crit racing and back then no one did it better than Phinney.

It's also a huge success story of their lives after racing.

[pdmtong]

I have some great memories from the Red Zinger/Coors days and both Davis and Connie racing. North Boulder Park had some awesome crit racing and back then no one did it better than Phinney.
It's also a huge success story of their lives after racing.

Very jealous if you were able to see these races in person. It was all back of the sports section or 5 min on Saturday wide world of sports for me. I met Davis a few years ago when he, Taylor and Och came by the LBS to talk about the 7-11 book that had just come out. Amazing evening. Taylor just stood in the back listening like all the rest of us as Och and Davis talked about the days.

[FlashUNC]

Davis is certainly dealing with Parkinsons with far more grace, dignity and positivity than I could ever muster.

The Phinneys seem like pretty outstanding people all around.

[roguedog]

Very nicely done. Tks

[shovelhd]

I have some great memories from the Red Zinger/Coors days and both Davis and Connie racing. North Boulder Park had some awesome crit racing and back then no one did it better than Phinney.

It's also a huge success story of their lives after racing.

Heiden wasn't too bad himself. I am fortunate to have raced in the same field as the both of them, and watch Connie, Jeannie Longo, and Inga Thompson battle it out. It was a great era for American cycling although the shadows were just starting to creep in.

I'd like to watch the video but I can't get to it.

[pdmtong]

I'd like to watch the video but I can't get to it.

The start/play triangle is in the middle of the image on the page I linked.
Yesterday I had to click it a few different times of the day for the video to load. When it finally did it was well worth the effort.

It'd be great to get your comments after you've viewed it.

[Bruce K]

I have been lucky enough to spend some time and miles with Davis, Connie, and their 2 kids at several Davis Phinney Foundation cycling events. I hope to do a few more at done point.

They are all very classy folks and this is a cool video

BK

[shovelhd]

Thank you pmtong for giving me the persistence to keep clicking the arrow. The video eventually played.

I thought it was very well done. Given all he is going through, I think he looks and sounds great.

I am not a field sprinter by any means but when I have won them it's because of exactly what Davis talks about. I have always referred to it as "The Calm". It doesn't matter what is going on around you. You don't hear anything, even your breathing. You are just locked into every minute movement around you waiting patiently for that hole to open that you can stick your bike through. He describes it better than I ever could.

[pdmtong]

Thank you pmtong for giving me the persistence to keep clicking the arrow. The video eventually played.

I thought it was very well done. Given all he is going through, I think he looks and sounds great.

I am not a field sprinter by any means but when I have won them it's because of exactly what Davis talks about. I have always referred to it as "The Calm". It doesn't matter what is going on around you. You don't hear anything, even your breathing. You are just locked into every minute movement around you waiting patiently for that hole to open that you can stick your bike through. He describes it better than I ever could.

I appreciate your comments. PITA the Rapha server but once I finally got it to play that film made me sit up straight. It was powerfully emotive, in all the best ways. And, whatever folks may feel about Rapha, I for one am soo glad they made this film. If they stopped now, fine with me. they made their mark.

When folks were there for the "book signing" I will tell you that everyone knew and felt the gravity of his presence. There are only a few folks in USA cycling that can make most of us pause...certainly he is one of them.

That your thoughts echo his in the final 500m gives me insight into a feeling I will never have.

Maybe its like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=H65GYfd2e84

[witcombusa]

Very jealous if you were able to see these races in person. It was all back of the sports section or 5 min on Saturday wide world of sports for me. I met Davis a few years ago when he, Taylor and Och came by the LBS to talk about the 7-11 book that had just come out. Amazing evening. Taylor just stood in the back listening like all the rest of us as Och and Davis talked about the days.


If you can find it, there is a great 3 disc DVD set released in 2006 by VeloGear out of Boulder. It is titled; Red Zinger/Coors Classic, Where it all began. They did a big release party in Boulder when it first came out, everyone was there.
VERY highly recommended if this era interests you. (I even have a cameo appearance walking along the roadside as the field go by). It cover from '77 through '88 which still my favorite period of US cycling. Truly the roots of our American cycling.

[paredown]

If you can find it, there is a great 3 disc DVD set released in 2006 by VeloGear out of Boulder. It is titled; Red Zinger/Coors Classic, Where it all began. They did a big release party in Boulder when it first came out, everyone was there.
VERY highly recommended if this era interests you. (I even have a cameo appearance walking along the roadside as the field go by). It cover from '77 through '88 which still my favorite period of US cycling. Truly the roots of our American cycling.

Does this look like the right one?

http://www.amazon.com/Red-Zinger-Coors-Classic-Where/dp/B000FH2YTS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410088484&sr=8-1&keywords=coors+classic+dvd

[witcombusa]

Does this look like the right one?

http://www.amazon.com/Red-Zinger-Coors-Classic-Where/dp/B000FH2YTS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410088484&sr=8-1&keywords=coors+classic+dvd


YES! That's it :banana:

[572cv]

Cool to read all of your comments. My wife was in the women's field one year, racing against Connie C et. al. Great memories. I wish I had taken up racing by then, but I was a slow adopter.:)

[witcombusa]

Heiden wasn't too bad himself. I am fortunate to have raced in the same field as the both of them, and watch Connie, Jeannie Longo, and Inga Thompson battle it out. It was a great era for American cycling although the shadows were just starting to creep in.

I'd like to watch the video but I can't get to it.


Eric was a monster athlete, Period. He could have made a mark in almost any sport he chose. We are fortunate that cycling was cross training for his skating and went in that direction after it was over. Beth was awesome too.

I wonder what Tom Ritchey was thinking when he filet brazed these bikes for Heiden. Maybe just a touch more brass?! He looks like he would tear them in half with all that power :eek:

[Tandem Rider]

The top dudes from that era are the benchmark that I use for everyone, out of habit I suppose.

It was hard to see Davis like that, haven't talked to him for 25-30 years, not what I remember, been spending all day trying to get my head wrapped around it. I knew he had Parkinson's but until you see that, it doesn't click. It seems like Connie is taking it harder than anyone, I can understand that.

Thanks for sharing.

[climbgdh]

Such a great video. I remember watching the 84 Olympic road race for both men and women. Historic for US cycling for sure. I shed a few tears near the end of the video. Davis and Connie both are class acts. Thanks for posting.

[shovelhd]

Such a great video. I remember watching the 84 Olympic road race for both men and women. Historic for US cycling for sure. I shed a few tears near the end of the video. Davis and Connie both are class acts. Thanks for posting.

Alexi was a head case for sure, but man, that was one of the ballsiest moves I have ever seen in any bike race.

[Aaron O]

This is almost definitely one of Connie's frames...still deciding how to build it up. 753, SBDU...drilled front drops. Dates to 83'. The previous owner is known to a few here and acquired it from a person who would know of the provenance.

http://i936.photobucket.com/albums/ad205/aolk67/team%20Raleigh/F00F5E04-60DA-4428-BD19-2319A5EE52C9_zpsyrllrfl6.jpg

[Elefantino]

Indulge me this brief story:

Ride for the Roses, 2001. I was there with my then 81-year-old mom, whose story of cancer survival so impressed the then-Lance Armstrong Foundation that they flew her out. Cut to the day before the event. Those of us who raised enough money for the foundation got to go on a special ride with Armstrong, Robin Williams, Ron Kiefel, Mari Holden and others big (and fast) shots. My mom stayed at the hotel. "I'll find something to do," she assured me.

After the ride, I arrived in the lobby. At the restaurant in the atrium, I saw my mom at a table with two people, chatting away, laughing. I walked up and she said, "Michael, I'd like to introduce you to my two new friends, Davis and Connie." And they couldn't have been nicer, making over this wacky old lady. Me? I was more star-struck than when I had been riding on Armstrong's wheel hours earlier. Because of course I knew who they were. She didn't; they didn't say they were America's greatest bike racing couple, ever. They just introduced themselves as, well, themselves.

My mom is in her final weeks now, cancer having returned these many years later. Her memory is fading. But we were going through pictures recently and she remembered that weekend and her "new friends."

[pzung]

Beautifully done.

http://pages.rapha.cc/stories/davis-and-connie-a-film-by-ben-ingham
Watched the brief video with wife this morning. Enjoyed it very much. Classy couple.

[AgilisMerlin]

I met Connie, when at Cannondale / long time ago

thanks for the link /


k

[shovelhd]

Elefantino, that's priceless. God bless your mom.

[malcolm]

Thanks for posting

Davis looks great. I've not seen a photo or video in several years.

What incredibly remarkable people

[climbgdh]

Alexi was a head case for sure, but man, that was one of the ballsiest moves I have ever seen in any bike race.

Certainly was....... But naturally I was rooting for Steve Bauer!!! Awesome race!!! :)

[CSTRider]

Connie won a HUGE race, but Davis got the prize ... Connie.

[54ny77]

that was really great, thanks for sharing the link/vid.

i was lucky to be there watching the road race, it was awesome, especially the grind up vista del lago. brutal climb to have to do over & over.

[Louis]

elefantino, that's priceless. God bless your mom.

+1

[Fiertetimestwo]

Watched the video- I am usually a bit of a cynic, but that was really beautifully done and very affecting.

Just great.