Chapter 5

As everyone busied themselves ordering personal hydration/caffeination and snacks, riders moved about freely and chatted about all manner of things, like a normal day on the bike! It was such a normal feeling, that I couldn’t help but just sit back and smile. I’m also pretty sure most folks looking in from the outside didn’t really figure out that I was the only male rider in a virtual sea of female riders! Granted, I was the only one in US Team kit, but the sea of Starbucks, UW Husky Cycling, and generic triathlon skin suits tended to blur that distinction, rather than call attention to it. And, quite frankly, I couldn’t give a damn anyway!

I was among a group of friends that I knew, and quite frankly loved to be around ... All the noise and circus-like atmosphere of the Olympics, and the reality TV like nature of Lance admitting that he was a liar and a cheat, and that all the work I and other riders had put into eight Tours de France really hadn’t meant as much as I thought it had ... and that clenching of my fists didn’t subtly reveal to those who knew me well (and loved me anyway!) how truly pissed I still was about it all! Well, I think I was finally starting to gain control of those demons! Deep breath in ... and out!

So I was a very contented rider on a group ride with fantastic people who wanted nothing more than the chance to enjoy the open road on a bike! And, by God, I was going to enjoy the hell out of it! Once everyone had their snacks and such, we all drifted over to the park across the street and sat in the shade of a large oak tree that was currently serving dual duty as a bike rack. Once everyone had found a spot to ‘cop a squat’, in the grass, I stood and waited for the general chatter to run out of energy as all eyes seemed to be finally focused on me.

“I sure you are all wondering why I called you here?” The gentle chuckle that met that line didn’t last any longer than a good courtesy laugh should. “So, let’s talk about the elephant in the room. This whole European adventure that I’m going to propose to those of you that want to undertake it isn’t all that complicated, apart from it IS very complicated at the same time. Make sense?” And I smiled in my best charming conman smile...

“What I’ve proposed to the Starbucks folks, as well as a few other sponsors who have shown an interest, is the following: One, take a standard women’s road racing team of seven riders, plus four alternates, and a full support staff to compete in the only Grand Tour events that are on offer for the woman’s Pro Tour this coming summer. The Giro d’Italia Donne, for nine days of racing, and le Tour de France Femmes for eight days.” I gave that a moment to percolate through the assembled riders, and then pressed on... “We have been invited to join the so-called ‘continental teams’, meaning the B-Team ranks, so while the ‘true’ Pro-Teams are generally expected to contend for all the primes, and, of course, the various race leader jerseys as well, we are supposed to be thankful they let us into the game in the first place!” As expected, this got a bit of a growl from the women sitting in the shade at my feet.