His Lampre-Merida teammates completed a two-hour training spin, showered, had lunch, and were deep into siesta; still no Horner. One sport director went to the local airport to pick up team manager Brett Copeland.
Journalists checked their watches. A team PR man came out to say Horner still had 90 kilometers to ride. Another sport director left in a team car, came back, and when asked where Horner was, he shrugged his shoulders; he had gone for a haircut. At 5 p.m., just as a handful of exasperated reporters were packing up to head back to Jerez de la Frontera for the team presentation, Horner finally rolled up.
With the enormity of the news of his Vuelta scratch, Horner searched for solace in the only place he knows, the bike.
“I found out this morning, so I went out and rode my bike for six hours,” Horner said. “It’s the best thing to do. It clears the head. It’s where I feel most comfortable, either riding my bike or hanging out with my wife. For me, the best thing to do was to ride six hours. It’s a great day. The countryside is fantastic. … If you had spoken to me this morning, it would have been a bit ugly. When you’re out training six hours, you realize life is not that bad.”
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http://velonews.competitor.com/2014...ersial-vuelta-exit_342172#lKV5yEliJ4fHlRMP.99
this guy is one of the very few who transcend the sport, it's something you can learn in the real life. if i live, even 50 years from now, i will remember his smile while climbing out the saddle. huge respect, mr. horner! _O_