Carpe Velo
On two wheels, shoulder-to-shoulder, the race is set;
On a climb, your Team Leader hands you his musette.
Just as curious as the crowds who line the street,
The peleton exchange swift jeers, assured of his defeat.
But his strength is greater than any of their doubt;
When nearing the final sprint, he starts the lead-out.
Because in his preparation you saw him kneel,
~
Carpe Velo is partially taken from the Latin phrase, Carpe Diem. The latter phrase is from Odes book one by Horace (23 BC). The phrase is part of the longer carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero, which can be translated as "seize the day, put very little trust in tomorrow (the future)". Carpe is Latin for "seize". Velo is from the Latin word Velocipede. The Flemish and French also use velo for "bicycle". As a cyclist, it is loosely used for "wheel", specifically a bicycle wheel -- "Seize the wheel!"
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| "Aalborg bicycle race II" by Muao is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. |
Contrary to the latter meaning of carpe diem -- specifically "put very little trust in tomorrow" -- the above poem emphasizes placing trust in another, who is referenced as the "Team Leader". The leader portrays humility and sacrifice. And, in contrast to common opinion there is triumph in knowing the leader and the strength provided during the race and at the finish. The wheel I find strength from is that of Jesus, my Team Leader.
This blog has carried the title Carpe Velo since its inception nearly a decade ago. It means, more loosely as is sometimes heard in a peleton, "grab that wheel" (see expanded definition below). The theme of the above poem has been rolling around in my mind for many years, but has not reached the page until now. I consider it the anthem of this blog and my life. "Grab that wheel!"
~Definitions
Musette: a small bag used to pass meals to racing cyclists typically handed out by a domestique (helper) to other team-mates and especially to the team leader.
Peleton: from the French, it is the main group or pack of riders in a cycling race.
Lead-out: a small group of riders within the peleton consisting of a rider's team-mates who form a single line in front of the team leader (the sprinter), in order to provide a maximum draft until the leader starts his or her final sprint to the finish line.
"Grab that wheel": a phrase a rider will shout to a fellow team-mate encouraging him or her to ride behind another rider.