My wife Jamie gets credit for coming up with the idea for the Bookwalter Binge and for getting the project off the ground. In 2013, Jamie had just finished her master’s degree and was about to start work on her Ph.D. In true fashion, she decided to tackle yet another project, one that might use up all 24 hours of the day.

My emotions were on a rollercoaster this season. For what may have been the first time, I was confronted by my age: 34 years … old? Teams began to view me as one of the “experienced” or “veteran” riders, which was a nice way of saying “he’s older.” There were benefits from this reputation: maturity, experience, and depth. But there were drawbacks too. For the first time, I had reservations regarding my age. Am I too old for pro cycling?

Racing with the national team isn’t about sponsorships, business, points or rankings. Racing for the USA has a special feeling because it is more than a traditional sports team; it’s my country and part of who I am. 

I’d just reached the top of Gibraltar, and a guy with a local podcast immediately shoved his recorder in my face as I crossed the line. It was clear he lacked professionalism and even a remote understanding of what I’d just gone through during the Tour of California stage. I asked him if he could give me a minute to collect myself, but he was relentless.

I hadn’t even come to a stop and this guy’s already trying to force an interview.

The Tour de France is cycling’s biggest stage, and it is our only event that really transcends the sport. It is an international phenomenon, a celebration of summer, culture, scenery and arguably one of the most demanding physical and mental competitions.

Enjoy the home time. If you are a pro cyclist and can't enjoy the morning routine, you are doing something wrong! 

A quick little attempt at debunking some of those cycling rumors I hear floating around. Why shave my legs? Sunglasses + helmet straps? Easy training rides? Can you out train a bad diet?

My first bike was a 20” BMX-style bike, a Schwinn Predator. I rode it with training wheels at first, and it was the bike I learned to ride without training wheels on. I remember learning how to ride in the yard around our house, at a park, or on a neighborhood street.

The Olympics kick off Friday in PyeongChang, and my life has been tied to the Olympics since the beginning, particularly the Winter Games. I was born during the 1984 Winter Olympics held in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. On the night I was born, Bill Johnson became the first American man to win an Olympic gold media in alpine skiing when he won the downhill. He was the first racer (male or female) from outside the Alps to win an Olympic downhill.

Since 2011, BMC Racing Team has stayed at the same hotel in Denia, Spain for camp. It’s nice having a go-to spot that welcomes us. We are outside of the city and a little off the coast. It’s quiet and they let us take over.