Flying Scotsman - The Graeme Obre story

“There is a little sadness in all of us, the men who dread defy the Hour. One must be a little crazy to undertake such a torture: can you remember what Merckx said after getting off the bike in Mexico City? He talked about pure suffering; it is difficult to deny it.”
 
This quote from Flying Scotsman: The Graeme Obree Story captures the brutal reality of endurance cycling and the emotional turmoil faced by those who dare to challenge the Hour Record.
 
It speaks to the inevitable suffering that comes with pushing the body to its absolute limits—something only those with a certain level of madness would willingly endure. Graeme Obree reflects on the words of Eddy Merckx, who, after breaking the record in Mexico City (1972), described the experience as pure suffering.
 
The quote conveys the universal struggle of cyclists against time, pain, and themselves, highlighting the raw and almost existential nature of the pursuit.