RIP Marco

13 January 1970 - 14 February 2004

I've spent most of the day trying to figure out how to write a post about Elefantino, but couldn't decide how to assemble my thoughts. Does one call him a genius, or a fool? I lean toward genius, as genius has brilliant highs and shocking lows, and we all know that Marco swung from one to the other.
It's terribly unfortunate that, in an era in which EVERY rider of any quality had AvGas coursing through his veins, Pantani got popped and was affected so greatly by the detritus that surrounds a positive.
Was he troubled? Yes. Was he a doper? Yes. Was he a straight fucking baller when the road turned up? YES!
As I worked in The ManHole(tm) tonight, dis-assembling my Ridley, a poster of Marco from the 1998 Tour stared me dead in the face. He was wet, dirty and exhausted. The poster is a photo of him crossing the line @ Les Deux Alpes. Watch the video and see who he shelled like so many pecans, then form your opinion...



Pozzo di sonno Il Pirata...