AN: This story was written as a birthday surprise for our lovely friend Erron.
We put our thinking caps on to answer the burning question - What Would Wonders Want? We decided she needed a gruff, hot, and sexy man with bulging muscles and a dirty mouth.
Well, unfortunately you've got Cycleward instead. ;)
Think: skintight lycra, oiled up thighs, and lots of deep tissue massages from Physioella.
We love you to bits, Wonders. Hope you enjoy. Sparrow & Choc xxx
Thanks to jcat5507 and Eternally Edward's Girl for their beta'ing and prereading skills.
~~ SHIFTING GEARS ~~
CYCLING NEWS MAY 2013
EDWARD CULLEN: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
By Jared Cameron
Edward Cullen enters the interview room with a swagger that is just this side of arrogant. Sitting down in the black leather chair, his long legs crossed in front of him, he exudes confidence and determination; his eyes completely set on the prize of the Maillot Jaune.
Born and raised in southern California, Cullen exudes an all-American glamor that other cyclists can only dream about. He may often be photographed with models or actresses on his arm, but rumor has it that women come a very poor second to his first love. When asked about this, his cagey reply is that "No woman would put up with me being out of the country for half the year, and on my bike in the Californian mountains for the other half."
A product of the extreme training that Team Eclipse puts its riders through, Cullen appears to be a perfectly honed machine. Even under the baggy sweats he is wearing, you can see that every inch of him is firm and toned, from his sculpted calves to his bulging biceps. Despite being in the twilight of his career, this 32-year-old cyclist appears to be in the best physical condition of his life.
And now, only weeks away from the start of the 2013 Tour De France, Cycling News has secured an exclusive interview with possibly the most famous, and certainly the most infamous, cyclist on the Tour.
CN: After missing out on Gold in last year's Olympic Time Trial (Cullen won silver, coming second to Great Britain's Riley Swan), do you feel that you have a good mental focus on the 2013 Tour?
EC: Absolutely. I've spent the last few months completely focused on the different stages. I've been training individually and with the team, and I can confidently say that I'm in the best shape I have ever been.
CN: There's been a lot of talk about your rivalry with Swan. How did it feel coming second to him in London last year?
EC: Not good.
CN: Did you read the comments Swan made about you following his Olympic win?
EC: I read 'em all.
CN: Will that bad feeling translate into your riding in the Tour?
EC: When you're cycling in the Tour, it's not about the rivalry. It's about being the best you can be, working with your team and coming out on top. There's no time for pettiness, or to lose your focus.
CN: So, it isn't going to ruin your focus when the Prologue is set in Swan's hometown?
EC: No.
CN: How well prepared is Team Eclipse to face the up and coming cyclists in Team Volturi?
EC: After our winter training camp, and once the mountain passes opened, we spent the spring in France and Spain. We know the routes and we know what we're facing. Jasper Whitlock is possibly the most talented mountain rider in the Tour at the moment, and Eclipse is lucky to have him on the team. We also have a couple of great sprinters and our domestiques are second to none. I truly believe that Eclipse is the best team on the Tour.
CN: It's been rumoured that this is your last Tour, and that you are planning to retire from cycling. What do you have to say to this?
EC: (Laughs) Nothing. I have nothing to say.
CN: You are a big man (Cullen is 6 ft 2), how do you control your weight to make sure you are in prime condition for the tour?
EC: I eat what I'm told. I cycle all day. I never have to worry about my weight. I usually start the season at around 180 pounds, I'm 170 now. By the time the Tour starts I will be around 165. It isn't a big deal for me.
CN: Do you have any injuries going into the race?
EC: Nothing important. I have a great physio who works hard to keep me in top physical condition (Editor's Note-Cullen's physiotherapist is Alice Whitlock, wife of his teammate, Jasper Whitlock)
CN: So you're not feeling the effects of getting old?
EC: Are you trying to tell me something?
CN: Final question and one that my wife asked me to ask. Are you ever going to settle down and get married?
EC: (Laughs uproariously) Tell your wife that when the time is right, I'll give her a call.
As the interview wraps up, and Cullen leaves the room to go back to training, he gives the impression of a man who will do anything to win. He is prepared—both mentally and physically—to go up against the best cyclists that the world has to offer. The only question remaining is will he be able to live up to his own expectations?
Editor's Note: At the time of printing, Jasper Whitlock has just retired from the Tour, due to a nasty crash with 12 other cyclists. It would appear that, going into the final week of the Tour, Team Eclipse is in disarray.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Maillot Jaune - The yellow jersey (awarded to the leader of the Tour)
Domestique - The 'worker bee' of the team, responsible for looking after the team leader and other stars
Prologue - The first stage of the Tour De France
Peloton - The main group of cyclists in the race
Lead-Out Man - Cyclist responsible for providing a wheel for the sprinter to follow in the final stages of a race
Cleats - Cycling shoes with metal plugs that fit into the pedals of the bike.
AN: Next chapter will post on Tuesday!
Sparrow & Choc x