Today was probably not the best day for the Columbia-HTC boys. A few of us took it easy in the time trial and a few of us went for it. In the end no one was really happy with how it went.

The course itself was about as plain and boring as it can get. Long straight drags and wide open roads. Traffic was also a big problem today, with several riders having to dodge cars and one unlucky rider unable to and was taken out.  I think that is about the worst thing a race can have happen and I’m not sure how cars could even be allowed near us.

After the race a few of us were cracked on the race food so we headed to a local Mexican restaurant for some burritos and nachos. Turns out we weren’t the only ones with this idea as the whole race seemed to be in there. The food was quite good and we were treated like celebraties. One table sent over a pitcher of margaritas, which none of us could stomach to drink, and another table picked up our check! It turned out to be a very nice night, and put us all in a better mood.

Its amazing how much of an effect one person can have on a race. Once the news broke that Cavendish would not be starting the fourth stage everyone’s race tactics changed.  The small break was formed just like the past few days, but instead of us riding the front by ourselves, four teams joined each other in setting the tempo for the day.  I guess I take that as a compliment to how strong our team is.

For the most part it was a nice recovery day for me, just sitting in the wheels. I was planning on taking the time trial tomorrow fairly easy, but now if I feel good I might go for it a little more.

The race so far has been pretty boring to be honest. I would like to see some harder stages and some bigger time gaps by this point in the race. There are almost 100 guys on the same time. Hopefully the race will be back again next year and maybe they could put in a TTT or a few days in the Ozarks to shake things up.

I know I must sound like a broken record, but for the third day in a row a break of three went up the road and Columbia-HTC controlled the race from start to finish.

The stage was suppose to be the hardest of the week, but everyone was a little nervous and the break began as a joke more than anything else.  Two Garmin riders first to attack and another rider later joined them.  The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, just counting down the kilometers and the hills. In the last few kilometers things fell apart for us and we were overtaken by a few other of the sprinters. We can’t win them all, but at least we are out there trying to.

It was nice to make it to Rolla this year on the bike. Last year I was taken out by my own teammate and arrived in Rolla in an ambulance.  We did return to Matt’s Steakhouse for dinner again for some of the best steak any of us have ever had. A nice reward for our hard work today.

Wow! Another win for Cavendish today. There is no question that he is the fastest man in the world. That makes doing all the work we do so much easier knowing the he will repay us with a win.  Today was very hot and humid. I lost count of how many bottles I went through. I felt bad having to constantly ask the guys on the team that were not pulling to go back for water, but we were all in need of bottles.   Three of us rode the front the whole day with the occasional rider from Saxo Bank coming up for a few pulls.  To be honest I’d rather just our team do all of the work. Its great to have help from other teams, but when they keep swaping out fresh guys they usually just mess up our tempo and cause more trouble than anything else.   Its not the easiest way to pass the day, riding the front, but time seems to go by fast when you are focused on a goal.  Having the open road ahead of you is something special as well.
Tomorrow could be a big day and decide the GC if we race hard over the numerous hills towards Rolla. With two stage wins already we are confident and we have the guys to win the GC as well. We just need to watch anyone who can do a good time trial on Friday and make sure they do not gain any time on us.

A very long day for us today in St. Louis. Me and my roommate for the week, George, were up early as we are still adjusting from the one hour time change.  We headed down to the Starbucks in our lobby and found a few other of the Columbia boys. After catching up over a cup of coffee it was off to the breakfast buffet and right onto the bikes for a morning spin. Bob Stapleton and Brendan Quirk also joined us for a lap around town. It was great to have them riding with us and I was impressed at how well Bob was riding.

Once back from the bike ride we headed right back to the lunch buffet. Yes, we do spend plenty of time eating at these races. I always seem to put on a little weight during a stage race, but when your pushing your body so hard everyday you really can’t count calories. Its always better to play it safe and eat a little more.

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I am still not sure how we pulled the win off, but we did.  George seemed very happy to have his 3rd jersey, and I was very happy to be part of this one.  After the race we headed to the Hincapie office for the annual after race party.  My wife, Courtney, had been planning the party, and a fashion show to coincide, for the past month.  It was a very stressful month to say the least, so I was excited to see her hard work pay off.  The party was a huge success, of course.  You could not have fit one more body in the building.

The fashion show was awesome as well.  George’s and Rich’s kids were to first to walk out and put a smile on everyone’s face, and the show was closed by Pat McCarty doing a karate kick at the end of the runway, something you had to experience to realize how funny it was.

Sometime during the party George said he wanted Courtney and I to go to New York with him the next day, an opportunity we just couldn’t pass up.  After heading downtown for one more drink, and to see Floyd Landis sing a few Kid Rock songs, we called it a night and headed home to pack up for the last minute trip.

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Everyone was very quiet at the breakfast table this morning. All you could hear was the rain pounding down on the rooftop. We all know the risks that are involved with racing in the rain and we all know that we must prepare for an epic day ahead. The winds are gusting over 100kph and the rain is steady, the only saving grace is that it feels much warmer than the past two days. We have a very long two hour transfer to the start this morning. We will be spending most of that time looking out the windows for a break in the clounds and hoping for dryer roads.

The race itself was full on and we never once eased up. The constant attacks along with the rain and wind wore down on everyone. By the time we hit the finishing circuits it only took one acceleration to shatter the field.  The circuit itself is as hard as it gets. Steep hills, up to 23% grade, and very small and twisty roads. It must be something to watch on TV, and I feel it is what we need more of in the sport. The fans were amazing as well. I couldn’t even hear myself think on St. Patrick’s Hill it was so loud.

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Another beautiful day here in Ireland today. Clear skies and warm weather by Irish standards. We rolled out of the neutral section and before I could even shift into the big chainring a break of two guys were up the road. That made for a boring first half of the race, but gave us a chance to take in some of the beautiful sights of Tipperary County.      

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We had an awesome start to the day today. An very nice breakfast, which we later figured out would have cost us €175 each had we have been a paying customer at the Ritz! The actual start to the race was right outside the lobby, it doesn’t get any better than that. Bernie, my roommate for the week, and I were joking about going to sign-in in our bathrobes and slippers.

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I first came here to Ireland back in 2000. I was a young teenager and was taking my first trip out of the US.  I had no idea of what to expect, but was very excited to see a different part of the world.  My father took me along with him on a business/golf trip and as soon as we arrived I instantly feel in love with Europe and traveling for that matter.  I was blown away by the history and how around every corner there was something more interesting than the last.  It was a trip that really helped me grow as a person and one I will always remember.

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