Let me begin by admitting that I am not a sports photographer. My passion lies in portraiture and documentary photography. However, I believe it’s essential to push boundaries and experiment with different styles.

Each year, on the first Tuesday following the Tour de France, our city hosts the Natourcriterium—a unique event where some of the world’s top cyclists race through our streets. Last year, I brought my camera along to test its in-body image stabilization (IBIS), a feature I had always considered unnecessary for photography. My goal was to capture the incredible speed of the cyclists while freezing the city around them, as the sheer velocity they reach is often lost in both television and traditional photography.

Now, you might be wondering how this ties into the image above from this year’s race. After sharing some of last year’s shots on Instagram stories, I caught the attention of the event’s PR team. This unexpected exposure granted me closer access to the cyclists this year—a fantastic opportunity. However, this year’s edition saw fewer participants due to the Paris Olympics, which was initially disappointing. But Mathieu van der Poel, the current world champion, did attend, and my plan was to follow him closely.

While I captured some standard behind-the-scenes shots, I wanted more than just the usual. So, once the race began, I decided to experiment by attempting to freeze both the cyclists and convey their speed—essentially the opposite approach from last year. I focused primarily on Mathieu van der Poel and, through trial and error, managed to achieve some compelling results. The beauty of a Natourcriterium is that the cyclists run multiple laps, giving you several chances to refine your technique. While these might not be the typical sports images seen in the press, I believe they capture the essence of the sport more authentically.

Curious to see the rest of the images from that day? You can view them here.

What are the TWO most impactful features that make your image a good photograph? Don’t be shy!

Beyond the obvious fact that the rainbow jersey is sharply captured, I’m particularly pleased with how the colors and dynamics came together in this shot. I think the interplay of motion and vibrancy really adds to the overall impact, and I’m happy with how it turned out.

If you could make this photo again, what would be the ONE thing you would like to do better or different?

It would have been even better if the cyclist on the left had brought more color into the frame. Additionally, there’s a slight haze from that cyclist over the world champion’s face, which might have been preferable to avoid. But with images like this, where the action is fast and dynamic, you can’t control every detail. That unpredictability is part of what makes capturing these moments so challenging and rewarding.

Alain Monnens shared this photograph with the FRAMES Facebook Group.

Photographer

Alain Monnens, Roeselare, Belgium

WEBSITE
INSTAGRAM

Equipment and settings

Nikon Zf & Nikkor Z 28mmF2.8
ISO100 – F11 – 1/30