Cyclist
In The Drops: Guillaume Martin’s new book, Endura waterproof jacket, Beyonce’s sister’s favourite jersey and Father John Misty
Another week has come to a close. We’ve made it through Thanksgiving, another dark November, and now Christmas looms on the horizon. The shops are already blasting out mind-numbing Christmas music and the tinsel has made it out of the dusty box in the attic. Let’s look past the blinding Christmas lights and make our way into the drops.
We’ve been in good company this week at Cyclist. James Spender had a chit-chat with Tadej Pogačar, discussing all things Tour de France, domination and dealing with endless praise. If one Grand Tour stage winner wasn’t enough, Will Strickson chewed the fat with Tom Pidcock on this week’s episode of the Cyclist Magazine Podcast.
Scott released its new lightweight Addict RC. It received some glittering success pretty early on. WorldTour hopeful Jack Burke just broke the Strava KOMs on the Mortirolo and Alpe d’Huez with that bike. On the tech and reviews side, we’ve seen a hell of a lot of Andy Turner’s legs on the site this week as he’s worked his way through the best winter bib tights. Don’t worry, he’s also evaluated the best heart monitors on the market.
Happy Thanksgiving to our American readers. To everyone else in the world, I hope you haven’t been knocked out in the foyer of your local supermarket fighting for a discounted Playstation 5 this Black Friday. For those who aren’t rummaging through the bargain bucket in the commercial wilderness, we’ve been trawling through the online cycling shopping centre and shared some of the best deals this Black Friday – or month as it seems these days.
Anyways, let’s dig into our helping of cycling turkey and mac and cheese. We have some wintery clothes, a book and an album recommendation to chew through.
‘Les gens qui rêvent’ by Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet
In the big book of pro cycling commentary clichés lies the entry: ‘Guillaume Martin’s a philosopher, you know’. When he’s up the road in a race – which he often is – there’s usually at least one philosophy reference or mention of his published works.
The soon-to-be Groupama-FDJ climber has published three philosophy-themed books covering professional cycling. His most renowned work Socrate à Velo – ‘Socrates by Bike’ in English – shadows a Grand Tour fought between schools of philosophy. A unique concept, I know, but it’s a compelling read.
His latest book Les gens qui rêvent – ‘The people who dream’ in English – follows the lives of three different characters in time all living in the same country home in La Suisse Normande, a hilly region of Normandy the Tour will visit next year on Stage 6. The earliest protagonist is sixteenth-century humanist scholar Guy Lefèvre de la Boderie. The second is Martin’s own father who begins life as a young farmer in rural Normandy before finding a career in Paris as an expert in martial arts. The youngest is a teenage cyclist who we eventually realise is a vessel for Martin’s autobiographical tale. All three men discover careers that take them far from their Norman estate, forcing them to come to terms with losing touch with their rural beginnings.
As the story develops, the timelines jump around to chart the ebbs and flows of growing professionally and mentally. In particular, there’s a sense of longing when it comes to Martin’s own character. He shares a growing sense of missing the naive teenager who used to roam the country roads of Normandy stress-free, a feeling that is lost almost entirely as he takes to the roads of the Tour de France.
This is also the first book under his new double-barrelled name, Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet. The name change stems from a rejection of patriarchal naming norms and he hopes for this to catch on next year. He’s updated his name in the UCI database and he stated in L’Équipe that he’ll change his name when it comes to renewing his passport.
I will note, the book is currently only available in French, but don’t worry, his previous works were eventually translated, so keep your eyes peeled.
- Buy from Fnac (from 15.99 EUR)
Endura Men’s Pro SL Waterproof Shell Jacket
If we can trust Scottish people with one thing, it’s rain jackets. Livingston-based Endura has rain jackets for mountain biking, gravel and road cycling. The brand’s flagship road jacket however, the Pro SL Waterproof Shell Jacket, has been my weapon of choice to fend off the rain recently.
In terms of the fit, the high-cut collar is useful for counteracting unwanted drafts and leakages. On this, the jersey also comes with an external pocket just about big enough for gels or a card wallet – if people still carry those these days. For extra peace of mind, the jersey is lined with a waterproof Exoshell60SL, a two-way water-repellent zip and a non-toxic waterproof layering. If you’ve read Cyclist Magazine Issue 158, you’ll know all about how damaging that can be for the environment.
The Pro SL Shell Jacket is available in black and a high-viz yellow. If you’re worried about visibility, both colours come with reflective strips to keep you seen. The black colour is currently on a mega 50% offer for Black Friday so make the most of it while you can.
- Buy from Endura (£250)
Café du Cycliste Solange Jersey
The Solange – presumably named after Beyoncé’s sister – is part of French brand Café du Cycliste’s 2024 autumn/winter collection. The jersey marries cycling jersey with flannel and fleece. With that brief pitch, you can probably tell that it’s not your ordinary winter jersey.
Suitable for road, mountain biking and gravel riding, the jersey is more casual than normal, so you won’t look out of place ordering a flat white on the cafe ride. That said, the jersey isn’t waterproof and I’m not quite sure how the fleecy material will hold up in the rain.
Talking of materials, the fleece material is made of recycled polyester and comes furnished with three pockets. Keeping with the casual look, the jersey is more relaxed than your normal race-fit winter jersey. To add, the Solange comes with a breast pocket and elasticated cuffs, just like your typical sweatshirt.
The jersey comes in three patterns, all following the flannel style for that extra Brokeback Mountain feel. I personally think Ennis del Mar would have worn the navy and orange combo (shown above) on one of his ‘fishing trips’.
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What we’re into: Father John Misty
Father John Misty – not to be confused with your local mass leader – is a staple of the independent radio DJ. With lyrics baked in satire, wordplay and existential dread, Father John Misty has carved a name as one of America’s most popular folk singers in recent years. His discography stretches back decades and includes his time as a drummer for the popular 2000s band Fleet Foxes – the group behind the Christmas song White Winter Hymnal.
After his mellow return in 2022 with the album Chloë and the Next 20th Century, Father John Misty has put the world to rights on his latest release Mahashmashana, unveiled last Friday.
Mahashmashana is a real return to form for Misty. The album opens up with the nine-minute-long title track, which ticks all the Father John Misty clichés in the best way possible. She Cleans Up shares Misty’s struggles with substance abuse over a gravelly bass-driven instrumental while Screamland is another solid listen if you’re a fan of a loud doom-mongering chorus.
Misty, whose real name is Josh Tillman. will be touring the UK next spring with dates confirmed in Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester, London and Brighton. I saw him a couple of years back at Waterloo Park in Austin and I’d recommend it if you’re looking for a gentle gig to keep you occupied next April.
The post In The Drops: Guillaume Martin’s new book, Endura waterproof jacket, Beyonce’s sister’s favourite jersey and Father John Misty appeared first on Cyclist.