i like this description perry stone gave robic...(both are ultra cyclists that have competed in race accross america..

"But is he really a machine or just a quiet man with an internal fire set on eradicating the miles of America’s highways? In an article posted on Wikipedia it is reported that,  “Robic is renowned for pushing himself to extreme mental breakdown during endurance races. “He has been laboratory tested, with his ability to produce power and transport oxygen found to be no greater than many other similar ultra-endurance athletes”.

'extreme mental breakdown' i like that line. robic lives by the saying 'tuff moments end, tuff people dont..'