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 TWINCAM/Salomon taskmaster Eddy Matzger ensured that the world's toughest 10K lived up to its billing by testing the field sorely with withering attacks on six brutal Appalachian ridges at the US 10K Classic on September 2, 2002 in Atlanta, Georgia. Eddy wasted no time getting the festivities started right out of the gate, warming up hard on the sidelines before coming out of hiding to surprise attack partway up the first anticlinal ridge. It shattered the field immediately, causing young bucks to clutch their own seizing legs. But the festivities were just getting started. Pesky Eddy went again and again, managing to achieve separation each time but never able to encourage break-mates to work together to distance themselves definitively from the chasers. "It makes it more fun when you're considered a threat and get keyed on in a race," Matzger said, "but awfully hard to get it all done solo. When I have a teammate to counter my attacks, that is when serious damage can be done. That way I can be fresher for the final assault." The salvo of rocket launches that were Matzger's attacks continued on each hill and took the legs out from under more of the competition with each successive break. Eddy ground the pack into submission with attack after attack before encouraging a young upstart to make a break with a mile to go. "Everybody was marking me so heavily today that I wanted someone else to play rabbit and make them do the work," explained Eddy after the race. Young Gorman played spoiler and ensured that there would be no mass sprint at the end. He nearly held off a hard charging Derek Downing. Harry Vogel took third, with Matzger over the line just 2 seconds later in 8th place. Eddy is renowned for his make-it-or-break-it racing style. Making the greatest possible impact on the greatest number of people is Matzger's aim. Never racing for second, attacking, attacking, attacking, and more humility through pain are some of the overriding themes throughout Matzger's storied career. |