Maple syrup King

Last year, when I started drawing portraits of cyclists in food, Tim Johnson kept telling me to draw Ted King.

“Draw him in Justin’s almond butter or something,” he said.

Yeah, yeah, I said, because I was already drowning in names and ideas. King dropped out of the Tour later that summer and that was that. Burnt out after the daily portraits during the Tour de France, I turned to music in the winter. With the Classics over, I’m finally coming back into the cycling thing.

The same age as King, and as a graduate of another small liberal arts school on the east coast, I assumed that King had a few more seasons in him. Mostly because I like to assume that there’s always another season of whatever in me. Instead, I started this portrait (finally) the day King announced he would retire after this season.

It’s all a bit bittersweet, but I’m sure he’s going to make it an exciting summer. Here’s to another season of pro cycling and all the fun stuff you get to do/smoke when you’re done with it.

Cyclist: Ted King

Materials used: crushed maple cream cookies (I totally cheated and browned the crumbs)