David

First Place takes home a jersey with stars and stripes, like Captain America.

Ian was not having it. He immediately told the reporter what happened. He was like, Mike cheated. He cheated.

Ian was not having it. He immediately told the reporter what happened. He was like, Mike cheated. He cheated.

As if to say, hey man, you're doing well. If you keep it up, you might even win this thing. I said you could win, not that I'd let you win. And so, life goes on. Ian races professionally for a bit, but gets injured and becomes a journalist. Of course, he covers cycling. Mike becomes an Olympian. The whole time, they're sort of circling each other's orbits, but avoiding crossing paths.

As if to say, hey man, you're doing well. If you keep it up, you might even win this thing. I said you could win, not that I'd let you win. And so, life goes on. Ian races professionally for a bit, but gets injured and becomes a journalist. Of course, he covers cycling. Mike becomes an Olympian. The whole time, they're sort of circling each other's orbits, but avoiding crossing paths.

And annoyingly, everyone in the racing world really likes Mike.

And annoyingly, everyone in the racing world really likes Mike.

It's like saying you hate Mr. Rogers, right? Yeah, yeah. So as time passes, this race stays. like a thorn in Ian's side.

It's like saying you hate Mr. Rogers, right? Yeah, yeah. So as time passes, this race stays. like a thorn in Ian's side.

Then one day, about 15 years later, Ian's covering a race in Colorado, near where Mike lived, He's on the tour bus hanging out.

Then one day, about 15 years later, Ian's covering a race in Colorado, near where Mike lived, He's on the tour bus hanging out.

And that is Mike Friedman. That day on the bus, Mike didn't fully fess up and apologize. For Mike, it's complicated. Here's how he remembers those final moments of the race.

And that is Mike Friedman. That day on the bus, Mike didn't fully fess up and apologize. For Mike, it's complicated. Here's how he remembers those final moments of the race.

It ate at him. He didn't race for two years. Mike didn't even tell anyone for a really long time. Fessing up that he cheated would mean that he was just that, a cheater. Not a kid who lost himself for a minute in a race.

It ate at him. He didn't race for two years. Mike didn't even tell anyone for a really long time. Fessing up that he cheated would mean that he was just that, a cheater. Not a kid who lost himself for a minute in a race.

It never meant as much to anyone else as it did to him, but he couldn't let it go. He thought about it for years. After a cycling career was done, his life sort of tanked. His marriage ended, hit bottom. He was living in a camper in his friend's land when he realized he wanted to reach out to Ian, that he missed his opportunity on the bus a year back.

It never meant as much to anyone else as it did to him, but he couldn't let it go. He thought about it for years. After a cycling career was done, his life sort of tanked. His marriage ended, hit bottom. He was living in a camper in his friend's land when he realized he wanted to reach out to Ian, that he missed his opportunity on the bus a year back.

Mike also wanted to give Ian the jersey, the Captain America one. He'd stuffed it deep in a drawer all these years. So they agreed to meet up.

Mike also wanted to give Ian the jersey, the Captain America one. He'd stuffed it deep in a drawer all these years. So they agreed to meet up.

This event set off by a few words had just ballooned and ballooned in their heads for about 15 years. Even though in the grand scheme of things, this race didn't matter. It's not like it was the reason Mike made it or the thing that ended Ian's career. And fixing it took something that's so simple. Three words. You were right.