Mariano Martinez, a figure linked to the era, is referenced alongside Freddy Mercury, who in Spain went by the nickname the Frenchman from Burgos. This line of praise continues with Mariano as a Spaniard by birth and a Frenchman by choice, a lineage that traces through the father and grandfather of cyclists. Bernard Hinault, famed for wearing the points jersey as the 1978 Tour de France mountains leader, accomplished this by gaining on the 18th stage, moving from Morzine across the Swiss border to Lausanne while leading the peloton. The fans along Lake Geneva’s Montreux cheered as the gala unfolded.
On July 10, the race returns to carve a path between Aigle and Châtel, introducing the Tour’s first Alpine theme for 2022. A tribute is planned in Montreal and beyond to Mercury, with runners passing by his statue. The moment underscores the French round’s role in birthing a universally bike-inspired anthem. Mercury, inspired by the energy of the 1978 Tour peloton, wrote a new song while wearing the yellow leader’s jersey on July 19, with Joop Zoetemelk in the foreground.
Mercury turned away from the bustle of the Tour to focus on creating “Jazz,” the first of seven Queen albums crafted in the Middle East. He arrived in Montreux’s Mountain Studios with a warmth that mirrored the city’s reception of a French attack. After triumphing at Alpe d’Huez, he faced anti-doping procedures when an attempt to substitute urine led to an embarrassing incident and public dismissal.
casual encounter
Mercury and his bandmates’ meeting with the Tour participants proved fairly ordinary at first. They arranged their studio work around the event, and when told that the Grand Boucle would pass soon, they welcomed the chance to witness the cyclists and the spectacle. Mercury and his team mingled with the audience, and the encounter became a memorable moment tied to the ongoing race.
Around that time, a group of fugitives including Gerrie Knetemann, Lausanne’s eventual winner, was already in motion as the peloton arrived. Mercury, aflame with excitement, retreated to his hotel room to compose “Bike Race.” The song’s lyrics repeatedly celebrate cycling, with the word bike appearing many times as a homage to the riders.
Mercury’s world would see new names among cycling heroes, with Hinault not appearing in the Nancy time trial two stages later, and Zoetemelk arriving in Paris wearing the yellow jersey. The era also saw Agostinho’s years passing, along with other figures like Paco Galdos, who opened a pizzeria in Vitoria after retiring, and Lucien van Impe, who failed to repeat his 1976 Tour victory in 1978 due to injuries.
Mercury’s ‘Cyclists’
The aura of Mercury’s riders in the Bike Race peloton extended to famous figures including Jesus Christ, Peter Pan, Frankenstein, and Superman, among others.
“Bike Race” was released as a single and quickly became a worldwide hit. The sound of bicycle bells filled the air as the chorus, often rendered as “Bike, bike, bike, I want to ride my bike,” became an enduring anthem in Montreux. Mercury found inspiration in the city, eventually renting a lakeside house from which he would repeatedly return until his death on November 24, 1991.
Mariano Martinez’s name appears again, reflecting Mercury’s deep connections to cycling. The French links and the enduring influence of the era’s stars are celebrated in Montreux, with Mercury’s music becoming a symbol of the sport’s joyful spirit. The city’s association with the Tour and with Mercury endures in memory, captured in this eclectic, music-filled portrait of a transformative moment.
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