Rest Day in the Tour de France? So let's talk coffee with a coffee-loving pro cyclist!

#1: Post by **JamieS** » July 5th, 2022, 2:28 pm

This piece combines three of my favorite things: coffee, cycling, and the writing of Kate Wagner, who I first discovered in her hilarious blog https://mcmansionhell.com/. The blog used her knowledge of architecture and sarcastic wit to ridicule the ostentatiously ugly homes becoming ubiquitous in American exurbs, as well as to do a bit of educating about architecture and aesthetics. So I was thrilled to see she was also a huge cycling fan when she began doing pro cycling journalism, covering races such as the Vuelta a España and Tour de France. Here, she uses the Tour's first race day to interview Slovenian cyclist Luka Mezgec about his transformation in a few short years from non-drinker of coffee into a hobbyist on the level of many here, due to the omnipresence of coffee in the world of competitive cycling.

https://derailleur.substack.com/p/luka ... he-perfect

#2: Post by **jbviau** » July 5th, 2022, 6:46 pm

Fun read. It reminds me of other sports figures who have fallen hard for coffee, like Jimmy Butler (NBA) or Hunter Pence (MLB).

As an aside, he's got this killer home set-up, and then he starts talking about the Kinu grinder (possibly for coffee on the road), but the picture shown is not a Kinu?!

#3: Post by **romlee** » July 5th, 2022, 7:07 pm

Now we're talking! Fabulous interview. Signed up for a subscription to the derailleur sub stack. It was that much fun.

Been on and into bikes for all but 12 of 71 years. Coffee and espresso has been a part of a life with bikes since college. Bikes and espresso are two rabbit holes that warp time, priorities, dollars and sense/cents. So much in common with each other.

I wake up thinking about making that first shot and about my ride.

#4: Post by **baldheadracing** » July 5th, 2022, 7:12 pm

jbviau wrote: As an aside, he's got this killer home set-up, and then he starts talking about the Kinu grinder (possibly for coffee on the road), but the picture shown is not a Kinu?!

Looks like an 1Z-Presso. Those photos must be older - that doesn't look like France in the background.

Seems very rare to me to see a Strada EP in a home.

#5: Post by **ohwhen** » July 5th, 2022, 7:23 pm

jbviau wrote:Fun read. It reminds me of other sports figures who have fallen hard for coffee, like Jimmy Butler (NBA) or Hunter Pence (MLB).

As an aside, he's got this killer home set-up, and then he starts talking about the Kinu grinder (possibly for coffee on the road), but the picture shown is not a Kinu?!

I noticed this too when I read it the other day. His language is specific "Now I'm actually running the Kinu Classic". Maybe he swapped the JX-Pro for the Kinu after Lance Hedrick's big hand grinder breakdown last month

#6: Post by **gscace** » July 7th, 2022, 4:43 pm

Wow that's cool!!! +1 on Frank Durra's Nautilus grinder. It's a great grinder.

I really enjoyed reading that!!

-Greg

#7: Post by **daveR1** » July 8th, 2022, 3:49 pm

I've found good coffee is a natural partner to bicycles & bicycle racing.
The years i worked as a race photographer @ Tour of California (& other races) riding the back of a moto taking photos of the racers, I got to try a lot of cafes.
A long time roaster in Cali would give me a list of shops to try based on the week long course each year.
My moto drivers love coffee so they had no problem leapfrogging ahead of the peloton to drink a shot or two along the course, then drift back into the race.
I was surprised one day, I think it was in Tahoe, to find a Slayer in a bike shop near the finish line for that day's stage. Those guys really took their coffee seriously!