Monday, September 20, 2010

Grit and Determination

How about the last few stages of the Vuelta??  Damn that was some good racing.  Give it up for the promoters for putting together a course that kept things fresh and interesting right up to the end and more importantly to the racers who beat each other and themselves to a pulp for three straight weeks for the show that was the 2010 Vuelta!  How great would it be if every stage race came down to the wire like this year's tour of Spain?

Gilbert, as has been said, is certainly showing he's on form for worlds.  The attack with three days left ripped the legs off everyone including one of the best sprinters in the world, who just happened to be sitting on his wheel and was unable to come around at the end which, of course, is what the best sprinters in the world are paid to do!  Impressive to say the least, but has he shown too much?  Will he be so well marked at world's it will be next to impossible to perform or could he again show such power that it won't even matter?  What is apparent is that he is going to go in to world's with a ton of confidence.  Often it is that belief in yourself that is the difference.  In fact you could argue that when everyone is equally prepared, peaked and ready to race that it is the mind that makes THE difference.  Those who know they can win are absolutely more likely to get the job done than those that think they might have a chance.

The battle between Mosquera and Nibali on the final climb of the Vuelta was certainly one that will go down in history as a famous duel.  In a world that is seemingly less influenced by doping mountain stages seem less likely to follow the script; huge acceleration to drop everyone 10k to go and a super human outlay of power from there to the finish to distance everyone.  That final climb was one of the most exciting I've ever seen and the way those two racer willed themselves up that climb was a phenomenal display of grit and determination.  From the tactical start to the climb that kept the group together until only 3.5 miles were left on the stage to Mosquera's accelerations on every steep pitch to Nibali's strength of mind to respond every time the grade slackened kept you on the edge of your seat.  The battle up that final climb seesawed with each seemingly having broken the other multiple times only to see the other react every single time and make another stand for victory.  Nibali's final surge that just caught Mosquera before the line came down to one thing - his mind overcame everything his body was saying, told it to shut the hell up, and chased down his adversary to leave no doubt he was the strongest man in this race.

We know the mind is a terrible thing to waste; it is also the most performance enhancing piece of equipment you will ever own.  Train your mind like you train your body and prepare to win.