Family on Wheels

It was a shocker yesterday hearing about Javier Tondo. I was saddened when I saw photos that reminded me just who he was. It was Paris-Nice last year, stage 6. Watching it on TV I remember not wanting him to win for some reason, probably one of my picks was closing in on him or something that usually leads me to yell at the TV. When he got closer to the finish line and I knew he was going to win, and he knew he was going to win, well, that's when I started rooting for him. His win was so genuine and pure, I loved it. It reminded me of H. Haussler's TdF stage win. When I saw him on the podium, he was a bit goofy looking, but something about him made you like him. Thoughts and prayers go out.

The cycling community has lost 2 amazing guys this month. I can't imagine how the pro peloton is taking loosing another rider. They're like a family on wheels, but on a larger scale, we're all like a family. As cyclists we share a passion, we're not all on the same ability level, but we all love getting our ass in the saddle, whether it's with our friends or an early morning solo. It's not like we love putting on Lycra (maybe some do), wasting cash on carbon, and for the men, shaving legs. We take part in these crack pot behaviors because it's part of the cycling lifestyle, but to be honest, riding a bike is fun, plain and simple. Unfortunately when we loose a professional or local club rider, it hurts. It hurts because we're all just that big family on wheels.