Which came first the chicken or the egg?

What is better? Being physically or mentally exhausted?

This is a serious question. Is it better to have tired legs from riding at the front all day for a week or because you haven't slept in a week, sitting bolt upright every time you dream that you are riding into the back of the guy ahead and your brakes aren't working?

Personally I like the situation we are currently in, dictating the race, rather than having its terms handed to us by other teams. Really, it sucks having no impact on the race whatsoever and suffering from behind nonetheless while getting from point A to B.

Being on the front hurts, but sitting on the wheel is kinda like an annoying pain that kills you mentally. You start to think that you are the only guy in the field hurting. After a while, your self esteem takes a knock when you begin to wonder how it’s possible that those guys in the front - some of whom you’ve never even heard of – are breaking my legs like this.

These things add up and before you know it you are docile and lack the confidence to attack or to even think of attacking. Unless, of course, you have the amazing mentality of a person like Jens who yells at himself, something like “I am the great Jens-freakin’-Voigt! These poofters on X team can't break you! They are nothing!” (Yeah, yeah… he learned his English from the Australians so cut him some slack.)

Unfortunately we don't think the same way. Well, come to think of it, maybe that is fortunate. I don't know.

Anyway, the whole point of this is that a little work never hurt anyone. (I hope I don't eat these words in the mountains.)