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Stepping up - The Chris Horner diary
From being the USA's top domestic rider for several years to riding for a ProTour team in the Tour de France, Chris Horner is always on the up.
A talented all-rounder, Chris had a successful year Saunier Duval-Prodir in 2005, and is now riding for Davitamon-Lotto. As one of the team's key men in the Vuelta, Horner will be detailing his progress in this special diary for Cyclingnews during the race.
September 10: Looking for a rest day
Last stage before the rest day! Before doing my first Tour, I really thought that I would hate rest days - I thought that it would upset the flow and make me bored and ready to just get the race over with. But, I've come to love rest days! They are a great chance to catch up on sleep and spend as much time is possible in bed! With today's early start and long transfer (including an airplane ride) after the race, I was definitely looking forward to arriving at the next hotel for 36 hours of very little movement!
The race was really easy today. The easiest race I've done in Europe in my entire career, by far! I think everyone else was looking forward to the rest day so much that they didn't really get around to doing too much racing today. We spent a lot of time chatting in the field today, so everyone got to catch up with friends while we cruised along. I worked for Freddy a little going in, but the run into the finish was a lot different than the race bible showed, so we were caught a little off guard. But it was nice day - now it feels like I've already HAD a rest day, which means that tomorrow will give me two rest days in a row! Not a bad thing at this point in the race. There are a few really good days coming up, and I'm still hoping to get in that right break, the one that goes the distance. So we'll see how my luck goes!
We've finally arrived in Almeria, and are sprawled out in the hotel room that will be home until Tuesday morning. It's kind of like coming home, since I lived in Almeria for a few months at the beginning of the season, and our hotel is only a block or two away from my apartment! Funny how small the world seems sometimes! But coming to Almeria meant leaving my current Spanish home, since the race finished in Valencia, and I live around there! I'll be back there in only a week, though, so that's not so bad! Anyway, now it's time to get some sleep - I had a hard time sleeping last night so I need to catch up! Thanks for reading! Chris.
Until tomorrow,
Chris
- September 17: Three from three
- September 16: A little taste of home
- September 15: Getting ready for the TT
- September 14: Team-mates got me through
- September 13: Total chaos
- September 12: The psychological warfare involved in peeing
- September 10: Looking for a rest day
- September 9: TT Time
- September 8: Lucky 13
- September 7: Karma?
- September 6: A delirious idiot
- September 5: Form is coming around
- September 3: A tall order
- September 2: Another big loss
- September 1: Looks can be deceiving
- August 31: It's the little things that count
- August 30: Survival in the mountains
- August 29: Calm before the storm
- August 28: A long, hot day
- August 27: Real racing
- August 26: Groundhog Day
