Many thanks to Lance Armstrong of USA Postal Services who wrote this wonderful biography.
One of the biggest names in England, and great reference in cobblestone, Lucas Loudon. Raised in Leeds, he usually enjoyed hanging around and playing football when he got interested in Cycling. However, Lucas didn’t knew what kind of cyclist he could be. He tried as time trialist, but he wasn’t good enough on long distances, on hills he had a real lack of punch to fight. One day, he decided to try on a gravel road close to his grandparent’s house, the Loudon thunder was born.
Equipped with a small bag and 100 pounds in his pocket, Lucas applied to several teams across England, until he was signed by Onuba Maniacs back at Season 32. Riding three seasons for them, with the Roubaix Mini Classic as the most prestigious win, Belgian team Comfius chose him as its new leader, so Loudon joined...
Read moreMany thanks to Lance Armstrong of USA Postal Services who wrote this wonderful biography.
One of the biggest names in England, and great reference in cobblestone, Lucas Loudon. Raised in Leeds, he usually enjoyed hanging around and playing football when he got interested in Cycling. However, Lucas didn’t knew what kind of cyclist he could be. He tried as time trialist, but he wasn’t good enough on long distances, on hills he had a real lack of punch to fight. One day, he decided to try on a gravel road close to his grandparent’s house, the Loudon thunder was born.
Equipped with a small bag and 100 pounds in his pocket, Lucas applied to several teams across England, until he was signed by Onuba Maniacs back at Season 32. Riding three seasons for them, with the Roubaix Mini Classic as the most prestigious win, Belgian team Comfius chose him as its new leader, so Loudon joined them at the beginning of Season 35. Enthusiastic and permanent smiling, Lucas impressed the cobble experts of the Top Division in his first season.
In no time, his personal palmares grew really fast, and he found his favorite race in Belgium, Championnat des Ardennes. Although nothing can be perfect sometimes. Manager Jempie found an incredible market opportunity and hired Portuguese cyclist Márcio Fialho at the middle of Season 38, to help Loudon. At first sight, there was no problem, after all, the roles were defined for both riders and it shouldn’t be inconvenient.
Jempie sent Fialho to Pre-Roubaix at Season 39, and then he would support Loudon at Tweedaagse van Antwerpen. Lucas was the main favorite for the win with a strong team behind him, but he felt a bit suspicious about Fialho, because he perfomed well at Pre-Roubaix (2nd) whilst Loudon could be 5th in Roubaix. Without losing too much time on the first two stages, Loudon was ahead of Fialho and the third stage was the chance for the English man to attack, and Fialho to help.
During the stage, Fialho felt good and against the strategy, he launched an attack. Loudon, disbelieving his teammate’s surprising move, struggled and followed him. The Portuguese looked back and when Loudon caught him, he attacked again, leaving his captain behind and winning the stage. Despite he was the new leader, Lucas was mad at him and didn’t talk to the media. At the end, Loudon won the TvA and Fialho ended 4th, but the rivalry between them was born.
Lucas didn’t talk to Márcio for weeks, and that was a problem at the races, lack of communication and cooperation affected the team results on cobbles. Jempie knew he had a good problem, two super riders fighting for the leadership. They didn’t race together until the Championnat des Ardennes, and once again Fialho set a hard pace and Loudon couldn't follow, so Lucas ended 5th while Márcio won the race.
‘’This wasn’t supposed to happen. I don’t know what he has in his head, but surely his brain is missing,’’ Loudon said pissed after the race. The peace at Comfius was over, from now on, the war on the roads intensified even more when Jempie announced Fialho as co-captain with Lucas.
Loudon didn’t hesitate when he was alone with Fialho, the rivalry in and out of races was fierce. One of the most famous episodes took place at Championnat des Ardennes at Season 40, Fialho was defending his triumph from Season 39, Loudon and Márcio were alone at the front. Both riders offered a real spectacle of attacks and counterattacks, at the end Loudon beat Fialho in the sprint, celebrating it furiously with his fist in the air.
But not all the races they didn’t fight for the victory. The fight between them in certain races avoid them to win several times, however Lucas managed to increase his palmares. Eventually, the rivalry between them diminished its intensity but Lucas avoid any contact with Fialho. Lucas Loudon, mentally exhausted after several seasons fighting against Fialho, retired at Season 45 with 35 years old; 71 results and 30 wins, including 3 Roubaix Classics, 2 TvA, 3 Antwerpen-Huy and 4 Championnat des Ardennes as his most important results. He accepted a job as trainer with his team, to train the new cobble stars of the team.
England