A couple years ago I spent a few days with some guys on the California coast, and one of them was professional cyclist Scott Nydam, who races with team BMC and is currently riding in the Tour of California. The small retreat was in a house outside Monterrey and Scott and I were bunking across the garden in a couple small rooms connected to the green house. Every morning, before the sun came up, Scott would suit up, drink a pot of coffee and hit the road for his daily fifty miles. He’d be back before breakfast, and before some of us even got out of bed. He did this every day.
I remember the way Scott introduced himself to the group. He said my name is Scott Nydam, and I live in my truck, and my roomate is a thirteen-thousand dollar bicycle. There were a few of us amateur cyclist at the retreat and though there were nano-technologists, ivy-league professors and a few famous folks, we all wanted to talk to Scott. We wanted to know how he trained, what he ate, who he’d ridden with. Scott was humble and devoted, and at one point when we were all sharing where we were in our careers, Scott said “I don’t really belong here. I just ride a bike. But I’m hoping I can stand on the podium someday. That’s all I’m hoping for.”
Like most professional sports, Cycling takes everything. Pro riders give their lives to the sport. You have to ride for hours every day. And Scott, at the time, was even giving up his home. He literally did sleep in the back of his truck, with his bike. As a team sport, many riders simply ride to cut the headwind down for their team leader, and Scott has done his ten-thousand miles sacrificing for his team. After our retreat, Scott went on to finish sixth in the Tour of Georgia, supporting Levi Leihpheimer. And last year he won the King of the Mountain Jersey in the Tour of California. He stood on the podium like he said he’d hoped to do. And this year he races alongside Levi and Lance Armstrong in the Tour of California.
Yesterday Scott took a nasty fall. Sportif Lelangue called Scott’s crash the scariest he’d ever seen. He suffered a concussion and, at the hospital, had to be woken every two hours to make sure he didn’t slip into something serious. And his collarbone was re-broken.
That said, Scott looks like he will make a full recovery and hopes to return to training soon. Scott is in top form, and he should go on to have a great season.
One of the cool things about watching Scott is you get to see a young man giving everything he’s got to his dream. The mountains will miss you this year, Scott. Sorry about the fall. Looking forward to seeing you ride again.
I’m heading to CA. this weekend and hope to get an eye on the pelaton. It will stink to not see Scott.
