It's rare to have a multi-week block between races once the season starts yet I’ve somehow found myself with a multi-month block off from racing. On the one hand, it's a pleasant luxury to step away after an intense winter/spring build-up and early race season. On the other hand, it is challenging to bridge such a big gap and keep the fire lit for the races to come.

From the three Giro’s that I’ve started and finished in my career, I know that this race isn’t about the challenges that are obvious on paper.  There are always some hidden climbs, technical villages and sneaky small roads that seem to pop out of nowhere and throw some complications into the already demanding profiles and stage distances.  

The past three weeks have been all about building for the race season. Most of my teammates have raced at this point, but not me.

Arriving at my first 2019 Mitchelton-SCOTT training camp felt a bit like the first day of school or maybe even more like waking up in someone else’s house and trying to make breakfast in their kitchen.

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. 

The 2018 season marks the end of the BMC Racing Team, and I’m excited to announce that I will be racing at Mitchelton-SCOTT next season.

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.