An Interview with Ed Hood: Whenever you see the title Edmond Hood on the prime of an article, you recognize you will get fascinating, in-depth, and incisive writing. Ed had extra expertise at each stage of the game than simply about anybody and everybody. Alastair Hamilton interviewed the ‘King of the Blackberry’ again in 2009 to spill the beans on the person behind the phrases.
PEZ: In your broad profession in biking you may have been a rider, supervisor, sponsor, runner on the Sixes and (clearly) a journalist. Has one been extra satisfying or gratifying than the others?
Ed Hood: I used to be primarily a time trial rider however did the odd bittie on the highway and observe – I cherished it. All the things about it, the coaching; getting the lightest potential bike; the race rituals; the entire thing. When all of it got here proper; while you had been on prime of the gear and the silks had been singing on the tar on a Sunday morning, there was no higher feeling.
The “administration” you point out was of GS Modena, a Scottish newbie membership which I used to be concerned within the arrange and working of, together with my buddy, Stewart Sutherland – it’s not as if I used to be Lom Driessens!
Having stated that, we had been profitable in our time and the equipment, organisation and group work weren’t to this point behind what I see now, in Scottish racing.
Sponsorship on the Scottish stage may be very a lot a labour of affection. It’s completely different in case you’re Phil Griffiths together with his Pinarello group in England and also you’re getting good protection within the mags and on the web sites – that’ll promote for you. We did it as a result of it was our ardour – the business return was zero.
Bruno Risi is a favourite of Ed’s.
Operating on the Sixes; it’s the most effective. You’re in there with a few of the greatest riders on the planet – Bruno Risi is an all time nice – there’s the music, the gossip, the banter. Each night time when the programme kicks off and the 70’s disco pumps, I sit and assume, “God, I really like this!”
The most effective factor about writing concerning the sport is when somebody you’ve by no means met takes the difficulty to take a seat down and write and inform you they loved your phrases – that’s particular. To summarise: the whole lot I’ve been concerned in with biking has had its moments – it’s the King of sports activities.
PEZ: You’ve gotten been road-side in any respect three of the Grand Excursions, the World Champs and possibly a lot of the classics, which is your favorite race?
The Primavera is epic, a seven hour odyssey throughout a rustic; by completely different topography, tradition and local weather. It’s an impressive race – however it must get again to the Through Roma end.
Flanders must be seen to be believed – an entire nation enthralled.
The Worlds is awe inspiring, that final lap, with its pace, drama, desperation and anticipation is likely one of the biggest twenty minutes of sport you’ll ever witness.
Ed working arduous for a terrific shot on the Tour de France.
As a well-known rider from days previous, as soon as stated; “le Tour est le Tour!” Officers who’re energy mad, over-kill safety, too business, big in its scale – however drive a stage, meet these followers and it’ll wash all of your cynicism away.
It’s not at all times solar and enjoyable!
The Giro is extra sympatico and Italy is so various and delightful – and the followers know their stuff.
The Vuelta; it’s 1,000,000 miles behind the Tour; however it’s so laid again and quirky. On one of many relaxation days, final 12 months, Contador was ambling about chatting to one and all – merely no probability of that on le Tour.
My favorite? A kermesse in Flanders, with the boys, hanging over the boundaries chatting to the locals with our frittes and beer – bliss.
PEZ: Are there any races that you haven’t been to which are nonetheless on the checklist of races to be given the Ed remedy?
Tro Bro Leon, Munich Six, the Ras in Eire, Philly and, if I had a time machine – the GP des Nations, Escalada a Montjuich and Trofeo Barrachi of their golden days.
PEZ: And your favorite nation for the game of biking?
Flanders, no query. While races like Milan – San Remo and Lombardy are fantastic events; there’s nothing like Flanders with its kermesses, inter-clubs, semi-classics, cafes and bars. It’s a part of the material of the nation.
PEZ: You’ve gotten coated races from native Scottish occasions to the largest on the planet, what does it really feel wish to go from; shall we say the Giro d’Italia to a spherical of the Scottish race collection?
You’ll be able to’t and don’t examine – two completely different worlds.
Now we have a bit of web site, VeloVeritas, the place we attempt to sustain with the racing, however we are able to’t attend all of the Scottish races. We attend a lot of the major ones although.
The Biking Weekly journal doesn’t cowl Scottish races anymore; we really feel that guys who practice arduous deserve a bit of fuss to be made after they do a very good trip. We’ve coated a couple of of the Scottish races on PEZ through the years as properly.
PEZ: As a biking journalist what would you say was your greatest reminiscence?
Being on the Copenhagen Six this 12 months when “my” group, Michael Morkov and Alex Rasmussen received was fairly particular.
Ed together with his ‘boys’: Michael Morkov and Alex Rasmussen.
Following David Millar in a Tour time trial, was an eye fixed opener – he was so quick and fearless within the pouring rain.
And following CSC in a group time trial on the Giro in Sardinia, in 2006, was jaw droppingly spectacular.
PEZ: What riders influenced you previously and who do you price within the peloton in the meanwhile?
I grew up within the Merckx period – he’s my nonetheless my hero. I met him at Milan – San Remo, this 12 months; I used to be like a child! Patrick Sercu; an athlete of such unbelievable versatility, however I don’t assume individuals realise how particular he was – think about Chris Hoy successful the inexperienced jersey within the Tour: that it places it into perspective. Ole Ritter; the Danish pursuit and chrono star, the Terminator on Clements. Felice Gimondi; he was simply so cool and fashionable. Cipo; I cherished his showmanship and pace – I miss him.
Ed bought the possibility to fulfill one in all his heroes this 12 months: Eddy Merckx.
At the moment; for the classics, Tom Boonen – let’s hope his nonsense is behind him; within the Giro, Danilo Di Luca; within the three week Excursions, Alberto Contador – he’s such a quiet unassuming man, however the most effective on the planet within the Grand Excursions, he’s a person of the individuals too, I like that.
Danilo Di Luca is a favourite.
PEZ: Inform us about your French journalist hero?
Philippe Brunel; he at all times clothes in black, he’s skinny with lengthy black hair – like a hip professor of literature or a Beat technology poet. Biking is one thing grand – Shakespeare would have written about it (Hemingway did!) a Greek tragedy, a Norse saga; heroes, villains, despair, pleasure, betrayal, victory, defeat.
The inimitable Philippe Brunel.
There’s no publish trendy irony from him; bike racing is a necessary a part of life, not a cross time to be handled flippantly – it issues!
PEZ: Not like most biking journalists you truly went to varsity to be taught the commerce, there should have been a plan?
I used to be sick of what I used to be doing, I wanted a change; I at all times thought I might write. Initially I believed I might go into normal journalism however as every day goes by, I realise increasingly more that the one factor I ever actually wished to do was write about biking.
Ed ready patiently for a couple of phrases from Geraint Thomas.
PEZ: How did you get began with PEZ?
My buddy, Stepano recommended I submit a chunk – it was about Mike Neel’s sensible trip within the Worlds, again within the 70’s; one factor result in one other. When Richard requested me to go to my first Tour, there have been tears of pleasure in my eyes.
PEZ: How did you’re feeling when he despatched you to your first massive race as a completely accredited journalist?
Terrified! Stricken with worry, self doubt and sheer horror!
PEZ: Which has been your favorite PEZ project?
The subsequent one!
PEZ: What makes you become involved with what should be the bottom job on the ‘6 days’, being a runner, doing all of the not so good jobs?
I’m actually fortunate, my buddy Kris is a soigneur and treats me with respect. Often we’re working for Franco Marvulli, who’s a cool man to take care of.
Ed typically works for Franco Marvulli on the Sixes.
There’s stress, positive, however usually its nice enjoyable and also you make wonderful contacts. You’re in a bit of bubble and all that issues is the race. There are fringe advantages too – just like the pizzas in Grenoble and Lou Bega’s dancers in Berlin.
PEZ: OK, the medication query, is it getting higher?
I believe so, I hope so, however actually, I don’t know. The UCI don’t take a constant stance and even ASO, who organise the Tour have some individuals on the race who shouldn’t be there – in any capability. I received’t say any extra – I don’t need my credentials ‘pulled!’
Kohl’s revelations had been disturbing; however the issue is what to imagine – we all know the person is a cheat and a liar so it’s troublesome to simply accept something he says.
After I first bought into biking within the early 70’s’ ‘equipment’ was a part of the tradition in professional biking – in case your hero was ‘declassed’ every now and then, properly, that was a part of the game. We didn’t pay an excessive amount of consideration, actually; however the world has turned and what was acceptable 30 years in the past, merely isn’t now.
And the extent that doping and blood manipulation has reached is insane. The Festina Affair in ’98 ought to have been a watershed, however it wasn’t – it bought worse, as a substitute of higher.
Ed with Sr. Masi.
The governing our bodies should maintain battling and the efforts of groups like Garmin and Columbia should be applauded.
The checklist of names is miserable; Schumacher, Kohl, Rebellin, Colom – it actually does depress me when the scandals break. When Rasmussen was ejected from the Tour, two years in the past, I simply wished to go dwelling.
PEZ: What’s Ed’s tackle the previous, current and the way forward for biking?
Regardless of the scandals, the credit score crunch, the modifications within the construction of society, the necessity for immediate data and gratification, the game nonetheless has a powerful pull – it actually is exclusive.
Ed will get a couple of phrases from soon-to-be Milano-Sanremo winner, Mark Cavendish, proper earlier than the this 12 months’s begin.
The pace, the color, the spectacle, the truth that it’s on the open roads and zooms previous your home, normally it’s free, there’s little or no of the thuggery, racism and violence that afflict different sports activities – distinctive.
PEZ: Lance Armstrong?
Vastly skilled, pushed, devoted, a drive of nature. I’ve combined emotions about his comeback; he gave the one hundredth Giro an enormous PR enhance however I additionally assume his hype attracts consideration away from good younger riders on their means up. Regardless of what’s occurring with Astana, he’ll be at le Tour – ASO will see to that.
PEZ: What are your plans for this years’ Tour de France (2009)? And who will win?
Martin Williamson and I might be overlaying the final ten levels; our primary objective is to take Pez readers there with us. The surroundings, the followers, the characters, the quirky stuff, the bars, the celebrities, the bikes . . .
I’d have stated; Contador to win – however that’s provided that he will get a begin, nevertheless, he’s with Lance, and “what Lance desires, Lance will get!”
PEZ: With the whole lot you may have achieved, which is nearly the whole lot, what does the long run maintain for Edmond Hood the journalist, the bicycle owner and the person?
The primary factor is to get again on my bike – it’s miserable to take a look at my fats face in pictures!
Learn Ed’s 17+ years physique of labor creating biking tales:
# You’ll be able to learn a few of the proud reminiscences of Ed from the PEZ Crew HERE. #
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