eb wrote:
Hahaha! Clearly you are even more USA-centric than I am! The Brits will be here shortly to weigh in on the abbreviation of "mathematics", and whether it is "math" or ""maths". ;^>
It's called a Ph.D. at nearly all other British universities, such as Cambridge, so just a very small detail, but pertinent to some. Math or maths is way too general a descriptor, her's is in pure maths, namely topology and category theory. You have to have a very big field of 'vision' in order to work in that area, highly suited to those on the spectrum. Cycling for an hour on a track seems like a glorious antithesis of that kind of mental effort.
Going back to Oxford though, she was very fortunate to have been part of the huge explosion in club cycling that Flavio Zappi inspired and developed before moving onto creating his hugely successful junior development squad. Flavio is a very charismatic character, rode the giro in 1984 (wore the green jersey along the way) along with Paris-Roubaix a couple of times. Gave up cycling to raise his kids and got back into it in his late 40s, instantly regained his mojo and encouraged so many to give racing a go. Not a huge fan of time trailing though, but someone worth interviewing for a piece here. If Herbert does, then do ask him how he rode the last TT in 1984.... the famous one where Fignon had the helicopter against him.
