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Patrick Redford

David Roth

Kathryn Xu

Brandy Jensen

Cyclists in a race are in the background. There is a house or wall on the left side of the road. There is a man in front, looking at the peloton, squatting halfway with his arms spread just past his knees. Next to him in the center of the road is a bicycle laid across the ground.

Defector Reads A Book

Tim Krabbe’s ‘The Rider’ Won Us Over By Losing

Ray Ratto

Colorado Rockies owner Dick Monfort, left, during batting practice before the opening day game against the Athletics at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado on Friday, April 4, 2025.

The Colorado Rockies Can’t Even Lose Right

A distraught-looking Kyle Kuzma ards looks on against the Sacramento Kings in the third quarter at Golden 1 Center on January 19, 2025 in Sacramento.

The Washington Wizards Are Going All The Way Down

<a href="https://twitter.com/johnwilmeswords">John Wilmes</a> is a writer and professor in Chicago. His work has appeared in The Ringer, GQ, Chicago Reader, and The New Republic, among other places. He is the author of the novella Jad&#8217;s Dad Milo.

John Wilmes

Andrew Benintendi gives a kind of grim looking thumbs-up in profile after completing a TV interview following his walk-off hit in the Chicago White Sox's win on September 24.

“We’re Trying To Focus On Losing”: A Night With The White Sox At The Edge Of History

Bocce is played near the ferry building, Wednesday, April 8, 2015, in San Francisco, Calif.

Life's Rich Pageant

A Bocce Loser’s Guide To Losing At Bocce

Movistar Team's US rider Matteo Jorgenson cycles in the ascent of the Puy de Dome in the final kilometers of the 9th stage of the 110th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 182,5 km between Saint-Leonard-de-Noblat and Puy de Dome, in the Massif Central volcanic mountains in central France, on July 9, 2023. (Photo by Vincent Kalut / POOL / AFP) (Photo by VINCENT KALUT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Cycling

The Pain Is The Point

ROUBAIX, FRANCE - APRIL 09: (L-R) Race winner Mathieu van der Poel of The Netherlands, Jasper Philipsen of Belgium and Team Alpecin-Deceuninck and John Degenkolb of Germany and Team DSM (injured after being involved in a crash) during the 120th Paris-Roubaix 2023, Men's Elite a 256.6km one day race from Compiègne to Roubaix on / #UCIWT / April 09, 2023 in Roubaix, France. (Photo by Frank Faugère - Pool/Getty Images)

John Degenkolb’s Day In Hell Was Worth It

Felix Kent

TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 09: Auston Matthews #34 and Mitchell Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs look on following their lose to the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0 in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Qualification Round prior to the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on August 09, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images)