From the Archives: Christian Vande Velde 1996

Back when we thought it was all the rage to have trading cards, and that the EDS track sponsorship would be forever, comes this piece from the archives: a signed example of bike racer humor from Chistrian Vande Velde, from when he was a pursuiter with the US National Team.

[Ed. note: The dedication "To Joe, With All My Love, CVV" is a joke...]

Joe Papp and Christian Vande Velde (l-r) after the 1996 UCI Pan Am Championships (c) Pappillon

[Ed. note: Concerning EDS and its sordid involvement in track cycling in the United States during the run-up to the 1996 Olympics, don't miss the VeloNews piece "Fear and loathing in Plano - Chenowth hurls charges as prison time looms". An excerpt follows:

“I’m now bankrupt and going to jail for things that people were applauding me for five years ago. I’m going to jail for paying Marty Nothstein a fraction of what he was worth. I’m at a point I could never have imagined when this whole thing started.” - Nick Chenowth (link to Chenowth's deposition)]