crooked fingers and clarity
So today I screwed up and saw the news headlines about who won the tour stage while at work. The anticipation was lacking a bit when I got home. I can't exactly root for the breakaway when I know the guy who wins isn't in it. Oh well, live and learn. You of course will all be happy to hear that Zabriskie did race today and finished with the pack.
Today was pretty unexciting; work, tour, lift weights, shave head, shower, make lunch for tomorrow, read email, write blog entry.. Although on a happy note, the refrigerator I'm buying from Brian will fit in my kitchen. Only a few more weeks until I have a proper fridge. Woo!
So I got a comment from Chris about him having a crash like Zabriskie, that left him with a bloody hand and a crooked finger. He finished the ride, using the one working working finger. See, not only the tour shows you what cyclists are all about, even Chris can roll with the punches.
And while surfing the comments I visited big Eddie's website (http://www.eddiewilliams.org/) to see a wonderful quote to finish today with. It is especially fitting given the recent events of my life;
"Ever have one of those moments of perfect clarity where you know
exactly what you want to do with your life and how you're going to do it? No? Me neither." - Via my old boss
Poor Zabriskie
Damn. I was starting to associate with the 26 year old shy kid from Utah thrust in front of the world media circus as leader of the Tour de France. He's also the first American ever to win a stage in all three grand tours... only the fifth American to win a Tour de France stage, only the third American to don the yellow jersey as leader of the race, and the first member of the major CSC cycling team to wear it.
So with the burden, he takes his CSC team, tears up the Team Time Trial, beats Lance Armstrong's Discovery team at every intermediate time check, only to touch wheels with the guy in front of him with 1.5km to go (another half kilometer and the rules would have given him the same finish time as his team). His crash slowed his team down, who then lost to Lance Armstrong's team by 2 seconds, and he lost 1:24 while he slowly limped his way to the finish. He did manage to hold on to 9th place overall. Not bad for his first tour.
It
is odd seeing the yellow jersey (ever wonder why the livstrong bands
are yellow? that's why.) all tarnished and bloody. But the
guts he showed limping to the finish showed what cycling is all about.
Here is Zabriskie tearing it up with Bobby Julich (another American) in second position; 
And here is when finished;
Shorts split open, leg bleeding, and a caravan of about 50 cameramen on motorcycles following behind. He has definitely felt the ups and downs this year.
The media says he needs stitches in his arm, but his leg should be alright and he will continue the race tomorrow. Woooo! Go Dave!
Oh yeah.. and now Lance Armstrong is leading the Tour de France =).