Season Nineteen

It seems like just yesterday when I joined Motorola in 1994 for my first season as a pro. I was 19 at the time and ready to take on the world. This past week I spent my time training with the new BMC-Hincapie Sportswear Development Cycling Team riders. It's their first season as pros. As I rode along with them and observed them during the week, it was fun to see them going through the same experiences and challenges that I had long ago.

Now as I begin my 19th season as a professional bike racer, I still have the same love for the sport as I did as a neo pro. Although I am now more experienced and have hundreds of thousands of kilometers in my legs, it’s a thrill to compete at the top level of the sport with what I believe is the best team in the world. I also still find enjoyment on the bike by being able to share my experience with our development team riders and up-and-coming teammates such as Tejay Van Garderen and Taylor Phinney. Their enthusiasm really keeps me going.

My season preparation is now almost complete. After two back-to-back training camps my fitness is as good as it's ever been in February and I feel on track to begin racing in March. My first races will be in Italy, starting with the Strade Bianchi one day race, followed by the Tirreno-Adriatico stage race and then the first classic of the season, Milano-San Remo. I can't wait to get started.

--George