Originally Posted by
Ygduf
in this sport everyone faces setbacks. It's not if, but when, and when they happen it's about how you respond to them.
Gary's gnawing his cast off with his teeth so he can ride a trainer that he hates. I rode a week after clavicle surgery with my thumb hooked in my jersey, etc... anyone who's achieved any measure of success in bike racing has overcome something to get there or stay there.
It seems like young guys who breeze through the 3s, get their 2 and find out it wasn't competing that they liked, but winning. If all someone cares about is winning and not the competition, it's going to be pretty hard to stay fulfilled.
This. I desperately want to win but like everyone who competes, but if that was what gave me fulfillment, I would have been out so long ago. I've learned that for me it's all about the process of finding how far I can push myself and how I can continue to find ways to get better in the face of age/life/genetics etc. Today's participation reward mentality makes it harder for younger kids to maintain interest when there is only one winner and the smallest thing can mean the difference between 1st and 30th.