Ringers at the Gila

If I was racing in the five-day Tour of the Gila road race in New Mexico this week, and looked over and saw these three entrants on the Mellow Johnny's team, I might suddenly develop a "sprinter's limp" and withdraw. They are (L to R) Levi Leipheimer, Chris Horner, and Lance Armstrong, the three Americans on pro cycling's most powerful team, Astana.


Mellow Johnny's (the closest-sounding English words for the French "yellow jersey" worn by the leader of the Tour de France) is the name of Armstrong's bike shop in Austin, Texas -- and the MJ team was thrown together at the last minute to participate in the Gila as a warm up race for these three heading into the upcoming three-week Tour (Giro) of Italy.

This is of interest to me, having just broken my collarbone and a rib in a crash last Sunday, since Horner just broke the same two bones three weeks ago and Armstrong shattered his collarbone a month ago. (And Leipheimer cracked his sacrum in February in the Tour of California.) So they apparently heal quickly -- good news.