What began as a Contemporary Study of Speed and Spectacle is now, seven years later, a sprawling, semi-episodic Fan Art Odyssey. When and why it stopped being the one and became the other is not important. Had Emiliano and I, at the time of MFS’s inception in 2012, done a deep dive into our motivations and imaginations, literal facts and observations would not have been at the top of our list while lateral vibes would have. What are lateral vibes? Who knows, who cares? Whatever they are, the implication is this: it turns out we’re motivated less by the process—journalists with a journalistic POV, inclined and committed to the documentation of reality—and motivated more by our painfully simple love for & fascination with the sport of cycling.
For the athleticism and the competition, sure. For the history and romance, sure. Totally. But what about the Mutts & Butts, the French sneakers, the HARIBO-ejaculating and noise-polluting caravan, and the fact that watching dusty AF racers pound Fantas in a field among the dead and wounded NEVER gets old?
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/manualforspeed_springclassics17_parisroubaix-56-1680x2100-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=dd6e5e57db48f6630f7f1dc087a9bff4)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mfs_parisroubaix2017-71-1-1680x1120-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=0ab4beda4278257b9e83af54402cc246)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_2018uciworlds_men-30-1680x1344-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=7122176aa262f37be7c577b0545d5615)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_tdf2018_stage12-77-1680x1120-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=1054ad25ef81ff9a7f758ec9ac599af1)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/manualforspeed_tdc_stage04-53-1440x1152.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=08bf621ffa75ca7deabd77b134c8e1e2)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/manualforspeed_springclassics17_lbl-28-1680x1344-1680x1344.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=7578596386bbdca2d1acaaebe4431ed6)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_tdf2018_stage15-39.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=efff1c61cdc621e425ec9c7d87e86116)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_tdf2018_stage15-40-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=b01e68af4027d291055db59ae25981b6)
![](https://thousand-percent.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/2019/11/manualforspeed_usaprochallenge2015_stage01-136.gif)
Wait for it.
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_tdf2018_stage12-100-1680x1120.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=3d675de21e8be2c19141cc5a0b82fc7a)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_tulsatough2018_riverpark_women-48-1680x1120.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=c277a2bc00dbfec80057a91decb27113)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_2018uciworlds_women-51-1680x2100.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=5ca6cc4d4be244311173342f96704828)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_tdf2018_stage11-55-1680x1120.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=b0d0d9fcb0bd8a47bc0beb68ef851171)
![](https://thousand-percent.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/2019/11/mso_mfs_lasweat_tulsarough-4-1.gif)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/LOST-PHONE-01-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=1b529db4a5dc21a40374fee2e472a042)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/manualforspeed_springclassics17_parisroubaix-64-1680x1344.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=8012f710964f7ac5e1e0b85e3a15594b)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/manualforspeed_springclassics17_parisroubaix-11-1680x1344.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=698ed31fa9e9eaec5377a56e142babb6)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_tdf2018_stage10-71-1680x1344.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=dde735144183b7fa9a4878a9b706976c)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_tdf2018_stage11-66.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=ef13f626cb52343cac394ecb95abc901)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_tdf2018_stage12-82.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=bde57ae34ad9ad52716558da1e4a6152)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_tdf2018_stage12-84-1680x1344.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=abff3ea48a4426f7ddd1d8fdfadac475)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_tdf2018_stage13-98-1680x1120.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=619eda1d55974d718f57c6ef7e831ae6)
![](https://thousand-percent.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/2019/11/manualforspeed_springclassics17_parisroubaix-32-1.gif)
![](https://thousand-percent.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/2019/11/manualforspeed_springclassics17_parisroubaix-30-1.gif)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_tdf2018_stage10-59-1680x1344-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=565de976ef3005653eccb408becca325)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_2018uciworlds_men-58-1680x1120-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=bcfa16e49e0105fbf973ecd5e30842cd)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/manualforspeed_tdc_skyroster-3-1440x1800.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=f6350b2b056bd247208592c4f9b939df)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/manualforspeed_tdc_skyroster-8-1440x1800.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=ee97d0d81a02710ac46fd8f785e3b21b)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/manualforspeed_tdc_skyroster-26-1440x1800.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=3f78b0627efefacc83d1df7393a9899b)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/manualforspeed_tdc_stage04-54-1680x1344-1680x1344.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=28b3b2846ebbc2319176df0a0e97aa58)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/manualforspeed_tdc_stage04-70-1680x1344-1680x1344.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=db10f34f1b6087bd3a064a580701d429)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_tdf2018_stage11-93-1-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=f80c787a81c928fae802dd9e16ec2de2)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_tdf2018_stage11-41-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=14351aaabeb0c91517ce4ff856b8f696)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_tdf2018_stage10-58-1680x1344-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=077551cb89299af84ce0dfceec51c4e0)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_tdf2018_stage10-26-1680x1120-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=74ecf60317ac5d8c70975ecad9465002)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_giro2018_stage18-90-1680x1344-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=ee0290d6c10491d8f9d662054a51f8ae)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_giro2018_stage20-66-1680x1344-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=074e10371cdd72bb788171fe1482a575)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_giro2018_stage17-75-1680x1120-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=8e53d2e0d5f545af69dfca9f76c141f6)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_giro2018_stage20-69-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=bc925c9bebe7fa281e11a69b9f1c193e)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_tulsatough2018_riverpark_women-43-1680x1120-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=d1b46a917246355327f485a5f0090821)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_giro2018_stage17-28-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=b641c3ee1174a27f4d7e405dcbcd2d2f)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_giro2018_stage19-49-1-1680x1121-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=299d7ab78012823abd2933e620067c1e)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/yp_mfs_2018flanders-34-1680x1344-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=4c2051e7646e4f49c3c162a0823e1493)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_tdf2018_stage15-58-1680x1120-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=78d3b9998bf0c30387027b5efad51bd0)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_giro2018_stage19-13-1680x1344-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=6f3bbcd9ba6f94e8a52688119f1a2d72)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_tdf2018_stage14-65.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=73d0807c30f515444f08234cc2eb08a2)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_2018uciworlds_women-56-1680x2100-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=1b399856f7ddd9840206456f7dfd61a1)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_2018uciworlds_men-19-1680x2100-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=4620c27b70b41f4e7238720fd9d42d55)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/mso_mfs_giro2018_stage18-7-1680x1344-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=c2eb21e9cdca0da15023d730d56ec8d6)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/manualforspeed_tourdefrance2015_stage02-68-1680x1344-1680x1344.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=564e80b631d7cbf92bcf96b449825961)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/manualforspeed_rondevanvlaanderen16-68-1280x1024-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=b221a95f449a7ee7aac572c2ed89f3fe)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/manualforspeed_tourdefrance2015_stage01-100-1680x1344-1680x1344.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=1d4faa96358337e3d6952a9e1898064c)
![](https://thousand-percent.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/2019/11/manualforspeed_amstelgold_prerace-4.gif)
Alex Howes
![](https://thousand-percent.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/2019/11/manualforspeed_amstelgold_prerace-12.gif)
Nate Brown
![](https://thousand-percent.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/2019/11/manualforspeed_amstelgold_prerace-20.gif)
Tom Skujins
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/manualforspeed_flechewallone2016-45-1680x1344-1680x1344.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=92a7508a7656df6300940b97fac342b1)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/manualforspeed_tourdefrance2015_stage03-31-1680x1344-1680x1344.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=35688beb1dc8b2d909fb3a1fe4f70dd6)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/manualforspeed_tourdefrance2015_stage03-8-1680x1344-1680x1344.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=7f4f624eb9f2fcbe9a8387acaef3dcb5)
![](https://thousand-percent.imgix.net/2019/11/manualforspeed_tourdefrance2015_stage02-83-1680x1344.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.0&q=65&s=cf0b0364575e565d7a22881437a36a44)