Last race of the year

September is upon us and the racing year is coming to a close. I will admit, I am beginning to feel fatigued from all of the racing and travel. I was not super excited to wake up at 4:30am this morning for the drive to the airport. My son is quite the traveler and claps his hands when he sees an airport, so perhaps he should be the one doing all this traveling! Thankfully this is my last race of the season, so I am excited to give it one last go for the year.

This has been a fantastic year for our team and we owe all of our victories to the staff. These selfless people are the unsung heroes of the cycling world. We get all of the credit, but in reality they are doing most of the work. They work behind the scenes for hours on end.

I am still asleep while they are awake washing bikes and making bottles. They make our food and spend all day in the feed zone. As soon as the race is over they are giving us massages and cleaning bikes. Our laundry is done while we sleep and they stand in dark in dirty parking lots making sure every bike is working perfectly. I am so grateful for each and every person who is a part of our UHC family.

I will miss being on the road with the boys. A feeling of family is created after so many days together. You may know what the other person is thinking before they do. Your team can boost you up, or keep you where you need to be at that moment. We all have a mutual respect for each other and our team would not function without it. I have been very fortunate to be surrounded by great teammates this year.

So, what about next year? The transfer period has arrived and it seems to be crazier than ever. Rumors and speculations swirl around Twitter and Facebook. Some teams will cease to exist while others are expanding for the 2011 season. Guys are looking for jobs and teams are seeking the next big star. Sounds like a reality television show!

I am fortunate in the fact that I have a great team and a sponsor that is excited to move onward and upwards. I will be a part of the program in 2011 and there are lots of exciting things happening. We will have a larger program next year and while many of our guys will remain on the team, we will see some new faces as well. I don’t want to be the one spreading rumors, so you will have to wait for specific details!

Next up for me is Interbike in Las Vegas, Nevada. Oh, Las Vegas. I love to hate you. It is amazing how I can be there for several days and never really go outdoors.

I will be sure to include tales from Vegas in my next diary entry, as well as letting you all in on some of the new sponsors and riders joining the team in 2011.

Rory