Words and photographyJoseph Delves
The Rouleur Classic is an annual celebration of all things road racing. Held in the swanky surroundings of Victoria House in Bloomsbury, London, you’ll need to pop on your smart shoes and cough up a decent chunk for tickets. However, in exchange, you’ll get free drinks all night (on opening night), along with the chance to pester several decades’ worth of cycling champions for their autograph.
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Divided between a theatre where the great and good hold forth, and an exhibition stacked with the latest bikes and kit; first on stage was British Cycling’s latest track bike. Created by British brands Lotus and Hope, it was introduced by Tony Purnell, GB Cycling’s head of technology. Thereafter deposited on a pedestal in the show area, it was by some distance the most ogled bike of the evening, despite Max Pedersen’s World Champs winning Trek being propped up around the corner, along with Grand Tour winning Pinarellos belonging to Chris Froome and Egan Bernal.
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There were actual winners present too. Early on we found Sir Bradley Wiggins chatting on stage with Sean Yates. Followed by Lizzie Deignan and Giulio Ciccone, who were unveiling the new Trek-Segafredo team kit, the pair made way for Fabian Cancellara, who brought along his collection of 29 yellow jerseys. Finally, the evening’s star-turn was Greg LeMond, who was being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
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With many of the riders milling around afterwards, it was a wrench to maintain journalistic integrity and not ask for a selfie. Especially after several beers courtesy of Brewdog combined with multiple glasses of Prosecco passed up from many of the Italian stands.
With tickets still available for this evening and Sunday, there’s time yet to catch speakers including Lachlan Morton, Mat Hayman, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, Greg LeMond, Phil Anderson, Johan Museeuw and Mark Cavendish.
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