DZ Nuts

Dave Zabriske's got to be one of the strangest professional athletes in history. In the last year alone he's sported a handful of completely different looks, ranging from GQ to Grizzly Adams to sporting a crazy moustache that made him look like a porn star from the 70s. The days when he lived with another eccentric character, Floyd Landis, provided non-stop entertainment for those who enjoyed alternative flare. He's so in his own world that you can't even compare him to anyone--at least not an athlete. Comic book geek or Trekkie, maybe.

I interviewed him once when I was writing for Cyclingnews. I didn't know him and he was making a lot of comments that were, well, different than what I normally heard. It seemed like a weird interview but I ended up getting a quote that became the theme for the entire stage race. This is how Z is, subtle, offbeat, often unconvincing and, yet, almost always the one to leave an impression. He also happens to be one of the world's best time trialists, so we can look forward to getting used to him.

So, while the rest of cycling's elite are starting charities for children or illnesses or cultures that need more bikes, the Z man is lookin' after our junk. When was the last time you saw an ad campaign like this one?