Deep thoughts with Tony Cruz.

Unfortunately for Discovery Channel’s Tony Cruz, he moved in next door to Neil Browne, editorial director of ROAD Magazine. Browne has parleyed this random occurrence into an opportunity to annoy Cruz with questions at any time of the day. Due to a restraining order, Browne must keep on the other side of the Cruz’s fence and may only conduct interviews in that manner. Currently Cruz is at home recovering from a crash during the recent Tour of Flanders, which injured his knee. In an exclusive over the fence interview, Cruz disclosed what he was doing to combat global warming, when is the right time to return something when borrowed from a neighbor, how many Scions he can park in his backyard and when he is returning to racing in Europe. When back in Europe, Browne will continue to pester Cruz with random questions on a monthly basis, or until he changes his phone number.

ROAD: With rising temperatures and the polar ice caps melting, what are you doing to combat global warming and will this include installing a pool in the backyard?

Tony Cruz: I’ve started my own recycling process for water.

ROAD: Will this lead to an installation of a pool?

Cruz: Yes it will. It is through recycled bathwater. I’m trying to do my part.

ROAD: Jody [Cruz’s wife] what is the status of the pool? Can we expect a pool in the near future?

Jody Cruz: No!

ROAD: How about a hot tub?

Cruz: I almost stole one from my parent’s house, but I was caught. It was falling apart when I tried to move it. That’s probably the more likely choice [between a pool and hot tub].

ROAD: In the beginning of the season you were not able to train outdoors and borrowed my rollers. Can I expect to see them anytime soon?

Cruz: Hmm…the rollers, the rollers…where are those rollers? I actually just found them under a pile of bikes in the garage. They are resurfacing little by little. I thought about walking them over, but I was tired and took a nap instead.

ROAD: As an athlete you are always looking to conserve energy.

Cruz: Yeah. Those things are heavy. I don’t know how you lug them around. I have some pedals of yours by the way. But I broke one of the cleats.

ROAD: As you are well aware, there is a limited amount of parking available to me at the spacious living accommodations that ROAD Magazine provides their editorial staff. When you leave for Europe can I park the official ROAD Magazine Scion in your driveway or on the front yard?

Cruz: The cool thing is that I think it will fit through the side gate. You can drive it into the backyard. There is parking for 20 Scions here.

ROAD: You injured your knee in a crash at the Tour of Flanders. How is it healing?

Cruz: The knee is a lot better. I went to a physical therapy session today. I’ve been going to the L.A. Galaxy Stadium [the stadium has a physical therapy room there]. Colby Jones [L.A. Galaxy soccer player] was there today coming out of the workout room. The facility is awesome and the people are nice, but I want this over with. I’m not used to being injured, it’s too stressful.

ROAD: When can we expect you to return to competition?

Cruz: I got an email today asking if I was super motivated about going to the Tour of Catalonia on the 21^st. It’s one of the hardest races on the calendar and I’m coming right off of an injury.

ROAD: What are your impressions of the upcoming Giro d’ Italia?

Cruz: When they told me there was no Giro I didn’t look [at the stages]. When I know I am doing any of the Grand Tours I really don’t scope out any of the stages. I go day by day. I open up the race bible and think, ‘I can make the first group’ or ‘This is going to be a long day, I’d better pack some extra bottles.’

ROAD: When in Europe you live in Girona, Spain. How are the rest of the Americans there.

Cruz: I see Zabriskie walking around, Fred Rodriguez is there with his little baby, who has the same name as my son – Adian. I see Levi riding. A lot of the guys from Slipstream. Then you have the usual jokers.

ROAD: Speaking of jokers, how is JJ Haedo doing? He has won two races in Europe now.

Cruz: He’s the guy I mostly train with over there. I could see that he was getting a little homesick. He didn’t race for two or three weeks, so we rode together. I told Discovery that they need to buy this guy. He could be the next Mario Cipollini in my book. He is starting to prove that. It’s not easy to win two races in your first year. It’s hard to win one and it took me four years [laughs]. He’s adapting quick and doing great.

Next month’s interview will include: why raccoons almost attacked his wife and how to install a nitro boost into a VW Scirocco.

The official ROAD Magazine Scion before flames and the ROAD logo were applied on the hood

Cruz likes to ride around the neighborhood looking for racoons