Pure Grit ~ Eugene Christophe at the 1910 Milan San Remo

We, cyclists, are a little crazy.  Finding new hills to put your lungs on the verge of exploding.  New trails that actively try to figure out new and creative ways to break your bones.  Even the bike that you call your best friend will seem to find the perfect moment to crush your spirit.

We all find ways to make ourselves continue on as the world does its best to destroy us.  Whether it's by having some internal conversation with yourself for two hours or shutting down any emotions you have, well prepared for the night terrors that will haunt you later that night.  These are just two examples of what are known as Grit.

In 1910 during the Milan-San Remo, a spring blizzard blew over the Turchino pass.  A small, stern and very practical Frenchman by the name of Eugene Christophe showed the true depth a man with an endless tolerance for pain can endure.  This story is a tale that you can look back on as your legs are on fire and you don't think you can go any further and tell yourself that, maybe, you need to think like a tiny turn of the century Frenchman.

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