There's a great quote from a pro rider in the '80's who described cycling as 97% suffering. Most of the time, you're in pain, you don't win, you're always traveling, you're tired, you don't make a lot of money, you can't maintain close relationships, and it's not much different from working in a fucking factory. But 3% of the time, things go well. You have good legs, you win, you experience some joy and satisfaction.
I've come to love the 97% as much as the 3%, because there is redemption and satisfaction in all that suffering. When you learn to love the 97%, the 3% doesn't feel that different. Still, it's a job, and sometimes it's your job to win on a certain day that matters to the sponsors or to the team, or maybe even to yourself.
Here's what 3% looked like recently for me:
![](https://dz3ixmv6nok8z.cloudfront.net/static/img/ph-508.604ed20cffa9.gif)
Fucking right.
I've come to love the 97% as much as the 3%, because there is redemption and satisfaction in all that suffering. When you learn to love the 97%, the 3% doesn't feel that different. Still, it's a job, and sometimes it's your job to win on a certain day that matters to the sponsors or to the team, or maybe even to yourself.
Here's what 3% looked like recently for me:
![](https://dz3ixmv6nok8z.cloudfront.net/static/img/ph-508.604ed20cffa9.gif)
Fucking right.
VIEW 7 of 7 COMMENTS
palo:
Quite, thank you.
lady_a:
i'm jealous. i was hoping for some time to head off by myself and grab a coffee at haymarket or something but we were too busy to leave hotel noho ![frown](https://dz3ixmv6nok8z.cloudfront.net/static/img/emoticons/frown.cec081026989.gif)
![frown](https://dz3ixmv6nok8z.cloudfront.net/static/img/emoticons/frown.cec081026989.gif)