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VeloNews: 2003 Tour de France Special CoverageIf you can believe it, Tyler Hamilton has a cracked collarbone and is muscling his way through the Tour de France, now that’s inspiration. Here’s what he says about it
“Sometimes I was wondering if I’d finish with the front group, but I grit my teeth and kept going,” he said after finishing 43rd and safely in the main field. “There’s pain all the time, all day. If it was a sharp pain, I’d have to reconsider. I tried not to think about the race today. I sang songs to myself to take my mind off the pain.”
“Tyler is a tough dude, he’s a fighter,” Reuters quoted Armstrong said before the start of the stage. “I dislocated my collarbone once and I didn’t want to get on my bike but Tyler’s got a lot of ability to suffer. Yesterday the stage to Sedan wasn’t an easy day, especially if you don’t have complete control of the bike. I was riding along thinking, ?man, how’s he doing it all taped up and in pain?’ I admire him a lot for having the courage to carry on. I knew he’d finish if he managed to start the stage but that’s the kind of guy he is.”