I have been busy traveling around Italy as we previewed a few pieces of the Giro and made it to Livorno where Tirreno-Adriatico starts. I originally was not planned to do this race, but am really excited to be here.

Looks to be a brute of a week, especially considering that as I write this, snow is getting whipped up against my hotel room window. I suppose those long Michigan winter days that I logged growing up will come in handy, I hope!

Back to last weekend.... yes, Eroica was an amazing race. The races I do these days are intense and demanding to the point where I rarely find myself having a lot of "fun" while out there, but last weekend in Tuscany was an exception (at least at times). Yes, it was still a leg tweaking, mind testing affair but ripping along those dirt roads reminded me of all those days I spent riding similar roads in Michigan, as well as the cyclo-cross and mountain biking that I grew up racing and often miss.

The "Strade-Bianche" was very unique, not as bone jarring as the Belgian cobbles, but inconsistent enough to where you really had to stay on your toes and "hang it out there" a bit. I was fortunate enough to stay safe throughout the race and even have a decent set of legs for the day. I spent the early portion of the race trying to look after Cadel the best I could, as well as slipping into what appeared to be a promising breakaway combination; however, that was short lived and we were brought back before we could get up to full steam. From there, the battle for position and selection on the dirt sections really heated up. These sections were long (2 closely spaced sections added up to almost 20 km!), steep (I rode a 27 tooth cog in the rear), twisty, narrow and hilly and the pack really started to explode. I was managing to hold solid position and was making selections as the pack split.

Nearing the end of a sector I had a front flat. Cadel insisted I take his wheel as he wasn't feeling especially "on." I of course hesitated as this was coming from the guy wearing the world champion jersey (I should be the one giving him a wheel!), but he insisted, I pinched myself, took his wheel and was on my way chasing back to the group. After a bit of regrouping at the feed zone, it was once again game time and things really started to heat up.

Unfortunately my team mate Micheal (one of our protected riders for the day after his strong performance in Belgium last week) flatted. I was there to give him my wheel which got him going back to the lead group, but by the time I got a spare, my race was pretty much done. Another reminder of how much of a TEAM sport cycling really is. I rode in to the finish, wanting to see the final sectors of Strade and also gain a few extra training kms for the coming weeks. Of course a little disappointed personally, but it was great to be there for the team when it was really needed. I know there will be times when they are there for me in the same way. I'm looking forward to going back to Eroica in the future and going a few steps better.

Hello to everyone in Michigan! Sounds like you guys are getting a bit of a "heat wave" there. Send it my way!

Talk to you soon.

Brent

Editor note:
See news report from Cyclingnews on Strade Bianche HERE.
Follow Brent and BMC Race Team at Tirreno-Adriatico HERE.