http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/paralympic-sport/9523221/Paralympics-2012-Alex-Zanardi-takes-an-emotional-gold-at-Brands-Hatch.html
Alex Zanardi, the star racing driver who cheated death in a nightmarish crash, completed an emotional return to the Brands Hatch racing circuit on Wednesday as a Paralympic cyclist – and celebrated one of sport’s greatest comebacks with a glorious gold medal.
Seriously. Is that a great picture or what?
I'm just pondering how light that chair is. Good on Zanardi. Once a racer, always a racer.
EDIT: Pic.
That guy is going to have one he'll of a biography when it's all said and done.
Show off. Let's see him do that with one hand tied behind his back.
Awesome. 
mazdeuce wrote: That guy is going to have one he'll of a biography when it's all said and done.
He already does. But pretty soon he'll need to write a sequel.
Full of awesome
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Show off. Let's see him do that with one hand tied behind his back.
Tom_Spangler wrote:mazdeuce wrote: That guy is going to have one he'll of a biography when it's all said and done.He already does. But pretty soon he'll need to write a sequel.
As a long time Zanardi fan, I read that book. I have to say I was more than a little put off with his arrogance in the book. I still like him, but think less of him than I used to.
Bravo Alex, bravo
He is an amazing man
I love that guy – what an incredible attitude. Read his book twice. Just try to watch that video of him completing the remaining laps at Lausitzring without choking up...
In reply to Lesley:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8GLzCAI0cM
A little research says that he would have qualified fifth. I don't think he had the stamina to cover the whole distance back then, but IMO that's still an amazing achievement.
look at the pipes on that guy!
So awesome! That is inspiration.
friedgreencorrado wrote: I'm just pondering how light that chair is. Good on Zanardi. Once a racer, always a racer. EDIT: Pic.
So true.
Zanardi may be arrogant, but he can back it up. There are so many people who would have folded, spent the rest of their lives sitting in a wheelchair and feeling sorry for themselves. Not him.
There was a column in DIRT BIKE Magazine many years ago about a guy who lost his left arm in an industrial accident. He recovered and went on to race MX in the Southwest. He also drove a 'three on the tree' Ford van when evryone told him he couldn't. That was the first motorsports comeback story that made me sit up and take REAL notice, Zanardi was the next.
Awesome to see him meet his goal!
friedgreencorrado wrote:
Are his shoes backwards? Shouldn't the green be on the foot for the loud pedal?
In reply to Secretariata:
Likely wore the first reversed pair out, had to go with these as his backup pair.
In reply to Curmudgeon:
Arrogant? Really? I've watched dozens of interviews with him (for a piece I did a few years ago) and he seems hilarious, a bit hyper and driven.
Tom_Spangler wrote:mazdeuce wrote: That guy is going to have one he'll of a biography when it's all said and done.He already does. But pretty soon he'll need to write a sequel.
I knew about the book (though I haven't read it) but he keeps tacking on more and more stuff. His life prior to losing his legs is more interesting than 99% of the population. Then the accident, actually living, back to racing and now a gold medalist. Amazing. He's the kind of guy who needs to write his autobiography in his 90's.
Secretariata wrote:friedgreencorrado wrote:Are his shoes backwards? Shouldn't the green be on the foot for the loud pedal?
ROFL! Yeah, I was thinking that too. I just rationalize it off as it all being Italian colors. Hell, maybe his sponsors bought the things, and screwed it up.
...wait, what? When did that happen? How come I never heard about this?
Yet another great Zanardi story"
http://espn.go.com/racing/story/_/id/8341623/paralympics-alex-zanardi-story-just-got-better
In reply to Lesley:
I've never gotten the idea from hearing him that he was arrogant, but let me ask you, because you said you read his book twice. You don't think he sounded arrogant in the book? I had a hard time finishing it because of that very reason. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big Zanardi fan, then and now, and while he does have reason to be arrogant, or at least extremely confident, he certainly doesn't need to be, since his accomplishments speak for themselves. Just my perception. I once found myself at a trough in the head at Mid-Ohio a few minutes before a CART race. Suddenly I hear in garbled English somebody frantically trying to get through the line to the trough. I look to my right and there is Zanardi. He looks at me and says, "No time, gotta go". We both laughed and he left. I was still, well, you know....
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