When We Were Kings

An exhibition of large scale photographic portraits featuring some of the great pro cyclists of the 60s and 70s captured in the present day, no longer in their prime. The incredible detail of the medium format black and white photographs are intensified and dramatised by the large scale of the images. Accompanying materials contain interviews with the riders and insights into their true personalities

It started with Rudi Altig. When I was driving to his house two years ago, I had the normal interview questions in my head: your most emotional moment in cycling, what do you think about doping? Then I realised that I’m not really interested in that. The questions changed completely. It’s about what’s important in life, when they were last drunk, do they sing in the shower?

At first, it was just going to be four or five German cyclists. Then afterwards, Rudi said ‘do you need something else? You know, more riders?’ I reeled off the ones I wanted: Gimondi, Moser etc. There and then, he picked up his mobile phone and called Felice Gimondi – “ciao Felice, sono io, Rudi”, and told him about me.

Raphael Geminiani offered Champagne,
Roger deVlaeminck gave me homegrown potatoes,
Joop Zoetemelk provided coffee and cookies,
Federico Bahamontes showed his Mercedes,
one rider wanted Euro 200,­ for the picture.

Over a period of 2 years 12 large format black and white portraits emerged, featuring many of the greatest riders of the 60s and the 70s, and an accompanying newspaper containing transcriptions of the interviews alongside the photographs.”

RSVP and further event details can be found here: http://rapha.cc/mcr/events