My first real race was Valley of the Sun Stage Race in Phoenix. Although we have 21 members on our team, I was the only one racing this particular race. Kenny LabbE and I are competing primarily in the US with a trip or two to Europe for preparation races. The rest of the team was competing in Europe while I was flying solo in Phoenix. Racing alone becomes more difficult as the level of racing increases throughout the year.
Many people are unaware of the complexity of teamwork in professional cycling.
You will learn more about teamwork and rider roles throughout the year. The time trial was about 35 miles from where I was staying in Arizona, so I decided to ride to the start. I had no time to get upset. I took off my warm-ups, pinned my number on, took one last drink, and ditched my bottles. I headed for the start ramp with thirty seconds to spare.