the words are by hans mauritz, the co-organizer of le tour direct, on a fascinating 2006 article on the nytimes. he’s talking about jure robic, a slovenian super endurance athlete, who has a peculiar approach to the sport. he’s not physically stronger than other contestants, but he has the ability to push himself beyond the point of mental breakdown.
‘‘During race, I am going crazy, definitely,’’ he says, smiling in bemused despair. ‘‘I cannot explain why is that, but it is true.’’
The craziness is methodical, however, and Robic and his crew know its pattern by heart. Around Day 2 of a typical weeklong race, his speech goes staccato. By Day 3, he is belligerent and sometimes paranoid. His short-term memory vanishes, and he weeps uncontrollably. The last days are marked by hallucinations: bears, wolves and aliens prowl the roadside; asphalt cracks rearrange themselves into coded messages. Occasionally, Robic leaps from his bike to square off with shadowy figures that turn out to be mailboxes. In a 2004 race, he turned to see himself pursued by a howling band of black-bearded men on horseback.
‘‘Mujahedeen, shooting at me,’’ he explains. ‘‘So I ride faster.’’
they say he wins for the most fundamental of reasons: refusing to stop. long article, but definitely worth a read.
image by camera obscura.
