The norteamericanos have been dealing with a very sticky visa situation for, well, three months now. It's been a pitched battle against a kafkaesque bureaucracy and right up until yesterday it looked like we'd all have to fly back to our respective home countries to complete our applications. That would mean throwing a huge wrench into our training and missing the a good chunk of amazing racing. Well, after a few trips to Germany, an amazing 11th hour effort on the part of Raleigh UK, and a little bit of luck we finally got our hands on those sweet, sweet visas yesterday. It feels like I'd been wearing a compression jersey for the last few weeks and I finally took it off. Total paradigm shift.
A few days ago I was trying to work out how I'd swing a trip back to the states and organize a visa application while still managing to train, race and see my fam. Now, instead of tacking on hours and hours of transatlantic travel and logistical headaches I'm cleaning my bike and raedy the race kit for my first ever UCI race tomorrow: the Ster van Zwolle, a 1.2 in Holland. It's been a bit of trick to go from visa grind to full on race mode in just 2 days, but like it or not it's gametime. Lucky for me I like it. In fact, I'm pumped out of my gourd. I don't even know if Jimmy Cliff has songs upbeat enough to convey how stoked I am to have a home in the UK and a UCI sufferfest tomorrow! I'll have to see if DJ Sparls has anything appropriate.
On a totally different tangent, have you guys heard of Team Exergy? Well now you have. This is an Idaho based Continental team that is definitely going to be my second favorite team in pro cycling. Tad and Remi, the guys running the team, are two of the best guys in the biz. And that's not just because they actually know how to run a show. They're a cut above b
ecause on top of their professionalism they also have a great respect for riders and an amazing and supportive attitude. And not only is this team run by great management, it has a solid roster featuring some good friends of mine, like Erik Slack, one of the most pure-blooded Idahoans you'll ever meet in cycling, and Sam Johnson, whose prowess on the bike is outdone only by his skills with the blog. The icing on the cake? Their wheels sponsor is none other than Keith "K-money" Williams, or Big Willy as I like to call him. Yup, that's the same man who helped me chase the dream and is in large part responsible for me being where I am today... which is freezing my balls off in Holland. Thanks (?), Keith! Anyway, these guys clearly kick ass and they drove that point home by winning the first race they entered this season, taking down Stage 1 of the Calville Bay Classic. I'm totally pulling for these guys (until we're in the same race) and I think that win is the first of many, many more to come this season.
3 comments:
Have a great race tomorrow, wish we could be there to cheer you guys on (or see it online even). Oh well, just know we are rootin' for you, Phil and Team Raleigh.
Bye,
Becky, Alan and the Beanster
Thanks for the well-wishes. That race was like nothing else I've ever seen. School was definitely in session.
Been following your blog for a while now...
I forgot you were doing the Ster van Zwolle and I downloaded and watched it online... and saw you guys!!! Looked brutal.
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