I think you'll get the drift - it's bloody hard work just staying with the grupetto!

Robert Foster (Gerolsteiner) is racing the Giro and finding the time to write a blow-by-blow for Radsport. For me this says it all: (my rough translation) "We're still far 50km from the goal. In the back in the grupetto I torment myself on the mountain. McGee, who had today also no good day, still behind me, otherwise none. Ramps with 18, 19 per cent. In my head I wonder: For what do you make this shit and ride seven hours in the mountains? I see an advertisement somewhere: for "listen to your body", on a sign... What in the devil's name does that mean? If I had heard my body, I would have stopped riding and gotten in the car long ago. But one naturally torments oneself."


Here's an even rougher sample (from radsport.com, loose translation from German to poor English via Altavista):

"7.Etappe "listen to your body...???" POSTAGE SAN GIORGIO, 13.05.06. Outer one weiha, which was that a hard day. That was with the hardest stage, which I drove ever. Yesterday we spoke evening still in such a way with the mechanics. Those meant, we braeuchten the completely small translations, which one makes only completely rarely, only with the completely hard stages drauf. And one needed today really several times. Running began fast and I thought there already, now wirds violently. After 20km there was a fall, into which also Andre Korff was complicated. ME whom drove thereupon before and it calls that all should make now times calm. To it then also all adhered, only two outliers, the Belgian and the Frenchman, the opportunity used. However, it became then in the back fortunately only once calm. I make myself hopes already: Now a team, which controls, is then drives we relaxed the stage to end. But I did not believe that naturally. At the first mountain went attack loosely. Hiekmann was straight beside me, I legend only: "Hieke, Houston, we have a problem..." It began a wild Gefahre. Only 30 men away, then again 15. In the field fully one drove. At the next hill I caught already on too wackeln. We drove there so fast purely that I was located in the acid. I sweat, the shoulder do pain. At the food supply I could not eat much. Thus went to long rise with good conditions into the 16km. Down wars okay, but then I still see a sign: 18 per cent. Oh, oh, we have the next problem... I gondelte there completely in the back rum. Even my friend Loddo, which cannot at all drive mountains, overhauls me. Cars drive past. It stinks after clutch, the heat of the engines stands on the road. Everything completely badly. 7, 8 men was. One cannot call Grupetto that. The departure down full risk. So I have me then again sometime rank-fought in the main field. The next mountain. 7km, 18 per cent. I have a hunger branch, headache of the heat, the shoulder hurt. Today everything accumulated and I was totally broad. Cola was my rescue. Snaps energy, sugar. Were still far 50km in the goal. In the back in grupetto I torment myself the mountain highly. McGee, which had today also no good day, still behind me, otherwise none. Ramps with 18, 19 per cent. Goes to me only through the head: For what do you make this shit and do drive seven hours by the mountains? I see an advertisement somewhere: for "stands lists tons your body", on a sign... What to the devil is to now mean that? If I had heard on my body, I would have risen already long in the car. But one naturally torments oneself through and none rises voluntarily from the wheel the conclusion rise in a 80-Mann-Grupetto. In the goal gabs at all all could not roll back-up, over the target line. The result, as far as it concerns grupetto, is made rather arbitrary. After the 230km and then again 140km-Transfer in the car lined up to 4250 elevator meters. Of it I received however few. In the car I fell asleep. In the hotel it lasted with the meal eternally. All were provoked. After so one day one wants to eat only and then off in the bed. Tomorrow the stage becomes rather easier. Only flat, then an arrival of mountain, that are my favourite mountain groping. There one drives briskly to the conclusion mountain, there can the Kletterer and Klassementfahrer out-rave themselves and we drive comfortably into grupetto into the goal. So far the theory. Times look, how practice looks."

I think you'll get the drift - it's bloody hard work just staying with the grupetto!