Tour of Missouri - The Grand Finale

Just a few stories to finish of our adventure at the Tour of Missouri. We thought we were done after the podium and decided to take one last look through the hotel lobby. Well, I don't remember who's idea it was, but it was a great one. We'll just go from encounter to encounter.
-Mick Rogers (Asssie, Columbia-Highroad): after laying his guts on the line and being swept up by the pelaton within 500 yards of the finish line, you can understand why he was standing by himself and not in a very good mood. But as I've always said "Cyclists don't walk" that's the only way we can catch 'em. He did try to blend into a post that was nearby, but we got him anyway.



-Yaroslav Popovich (Ukranian, Astana): from a fellow stalker that was in the lobby we heard the Popo was outside the hotel about to get into a taxi. After a few moments of deliberation, we decided, what the hell. There where about a half dozen people standing outside and Popo packing things into the side door of the taxi van, so I walk right past them and as I tap him on his shoulder I swear he was singing to himself. But here's a lesson to all you stalker wannabes, don't be shy. As we head back into the lobby after getting our picture, we hear someone from the group that was hanging back say "well, if she can get a picture...". Hell ya!

-Franco Pellizotti (Italian, Liquigas): fantastic hair, but slightly scary upclose. He won the Climbers Jersey in the Tour de France this year, so he's little. Totally not flattering to stand next to.

-Gustav Larsson (Swede, Saxo Bank): he is so in my top ten now. Check out his tat. Oh, by the way, he was second in the Tour of Missouri and is the reigning Olympic silver medalist in the time trial. He's got pretty eyes, is nice and 6' 4", 169 lb, *ding*. That's why my eyebrows are raised, I just said to Gustav "You're tall!" You can see in the background !Jens! running away. What Would Jens Do?


-Tom Zirbel (American, Bissell): he finished 3rd in the time trial, & has signed with Garmin next year. Seems like a really nice guy, but you would think he was from England.
And the cyclists we missed (let walk by) Floyd, Frankie Andreu, Chicchi, Eki & his sad little mullet. It was like shooting fish in a barrel.

And check this out, we were like 20 ft away and Cozza almost took out Dave Z after the race. And the Garmin guy in black...it was his wife that got !Jens! flowers that were for me! Arg!
It was a good time that was had by all, except Dirtman, I don't think he was impressed.