Professional Cycling For the Fans - What is Simoni smoking?

“I came here hoping to win the race but my morale is in my boots. I've never liked the Tour anyway. I feel really bad, I just want to go home." I came here hoping to win the race but my morale is in my boots. I've never liked the Tour anyway. I feel really bad, I just want to go home." I came here hoping to win the race but my morale is in my boots. I've never liked the Tour anyway. I feel really bad, I just want to go home."

The part that sticks out to me is “I've never liked the Tour anyway.” He sounds very bitter.

He was bitter at the Giro also.

Simoni is, to put it politely, a subjective thinker. But those northern Italians have always had to see enemies where there were none, so, he's just being true to his heritage.

I'm guessing this was in response to finding out his finishing time in the TTT... finish 7 seconds behind the team, but gets his *actual* finish time. The TTT timing/scoring rules are messed up. Period.

He got completely hosed in the TTT because of the rules. The 1k crash rule should have applied. I can sympathize; I would be pretty pissed/bummed too.

Check out the following quote on bicycling.com about today's stage...

All were apparently not seriously injured, although BICYCLING.com rider diarist Gilberto Simoni did appear to be in some pain as he crossed the line.

Do you think he will abandon? Seems to have a good enough excuse now.

He hasn't been the same since he was humiliated in last year's Tour after talking so much smack.

I do hope he sticks with it and gets a stage victory, however. Preferably in the mountains.

“I came here hoping to win the race but my morale is in my boots. I've never liked the Tour anyway. I feel really bad, I just want to go home." I came here hoping to win the race but my morale is in my boots. I've never liked the Tour anyway. I feel really bad, I just want to go home." I came here hoping to win the race but my morale is in my boots. I've never liked the Tour anyway. I feel really bad, I just want to go home."

The part that sticks out to me is “I've never liked the Tour anyway.” He sounds very bitter.

Did he really repeat himself three times? He must be messed up. Maybe he thought the if he clicked his shoes together and repeated it three times that he would go home. There's no place like home.

That's a far cry from last year's "I'm going to dominate Armstrong in the mountains" attitude. The Italians are not having a good Tour with Simoni crying and Petacchi/Chipo leaving WAY early.