Here are my stories, new and old. I imagine the emotional wave is already starting to consume you Well, I don't know about 'consuming' but it certainly feels surreal — 25 years ago half of my life! Our 7-Eleven team had an incredible run in the '80s and I was proud to be a part of that team. We really had incredible team spirit, something that is witnessed by the fact that we get together for a reunion every five years or so.
Does 50 suit you? How do the legs feel on the bike? I feel great! I also run an indoor cycling class January to April. Did you have a specific strategy on July 5, , and did you share it with anyone in the organization? Whose idea was it for you to wear a one-piece skinsuit on Stage 2 from Nanterre to Sceaux? It was a short, mile stage As an ex-pursuiter and criterium guy, I knew that this distance would be perfect for me.
There was no need to carry any food with me and there was no rain in the forecast, so why not use a skinsuit? I knew there were time bonuses and I was the best-placed guy on our team after the prologue, just 17 seconds down on the General Classification. You never know what can happen, but I had a solo break in the back of my mind. I didn't actually share this with my teammates as it would have sounded a bit audacious: "it's our first stage in our first Tour and I'm going to go solo, okay guys?
The time bonuses ended up working out perfectly; the last one I went through was close. Mike Neel — our Director Sportif — had to come up in the car and encourage me to go harder as a break was catching me. That extra bonus made the difference in the end. Phil Anderson was racing for Panasonic that year, and seemed hell-bent to chase you down. There were riders breathing down your neck. Could you feel the pressure?
What was going through your mind? I certainly knew that everyone of those riders wanted to win the stage, and that it could certainly come down to a bunch sprint. Once the break caught me, I covered every attack to keep us together and hung on for dear life, as another attack went. This way, the break was motivated to keep working together since they all thought they had a chance to win the stage. Did you realize the gravity of the situation right away, or did someone have to tell you?
