I don't know why, but I love this pic. I love that the race seems to be finishing on a boring, regular old street--just like I ride on. I love that, with his relatively big arms and simple (albeit professional) kit, McDonald looks like maybe I would if I got really serious about cycling and turned out to have some natural talent.
I love the story of the race, too, with a lone rider audacious enough to challenge the bunch finish. Look at those suckers in his wake, out of focus, trying to bring him back for everyone else who either didn't or wasn't able to go on the climb when McDonald and his mate made their move.
I watch the big races--Roubaix, Le Tour, San Remo, etc--and almost lose track of what these guys are actually doing, and what it means to ride. It's easy to get caught up in the spectacle of the top-end guys. But occasionally a picture from a smaller race like the Tour of Wellington, focused on cyclists I've never heard of doing amazing things, brings me back to what I love about the sport--namely that, yeah, every time I go out on my bike, I'm kinda riding my own Roubaix, Worlds, or Tour of Wellington.
Whatever. Maybe that's a silly sentiment, and maybe I've offended some McDonald/Tour of Wellington fans by seeming to demean them (But I had no such intention--in fact, I look forward to diving into the rest of the race's coverage after I finally shut up here), but whatever. Every once in a while, I see a pic that gets me really excited to go out and ride my bike. This is one. I was compelled to share, and hope that you enjoy it as much as I do!
I love the story of the race, too, with a lone rider audacious enough to challenge the bunch finish. Look at those suckers in his wake, out of focus, trying to bring him back for everyone else who either didn't or wasn't able to go on the climb when McDonald and his mate made their move.
I watch the big races--Roubaix, Le Tour, San Remo, etc--and almost lose track of what these guys are actually doing, and what it means to ride. It's easy to get caught up in the spectacle of the top-end guys. But occasionally a picture from a smaller race like the Tour of Wellington, focused on cyclists I've never heard of doing amazing things, brings me back to what I love about the sport--namely that, yeah, every time I go out on my bike, I'm kinda riding my own Roubaix, Worlds, or Tour of Wellington.
Whatever. Maybe that's a silly sentiment, and maybe I've offended some McDonald/Tour of Wellington fans by seeming to demean them (But I had no such intention--in fact, I look forward to diving into the rest of the race's coverage after I finally shut up here), but whatever. Every once in a while, I see a pic that gets me really excited to go out and ride my bike. This is one. I was compelled to share, and hope that you enjoy it as much as I do!
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