My hands are blistered, my shoulders ache, and I can barely turn my neck…It’s awesome!

I set out today to ride some of the Paris-Roubaix route with JV, Matt White, and some friends from Chipotle, Garmin and Shimano. It’s a chance to share with our loyal sponsors some of what tomorrow holds for Magnus and the team.

After a brief roll through the farmlands of Northeast France, we hit pavé section 28. No amount of coaching could have prepared me for what followed.

I gripped my handlebars in fear. My skull shook like a bobble-head, blurring my vision. Whitey screamed for me to loosen my grip and the world came back into focus.

Eventually I got into a groove. Pushing a bigger gear was more stable than spinning. I moved from the center crest of stone to the sandy sides, picking out a smoother route.

Before I knew it, we were back to pavement. Our group of eight reassembled and we set off again. Over the next couple of hours, we conquered six more sections. Some with steep inclines, others with troubling descents.

Back in the van, now, I’m looking forward to a bath and good meal. Some people say having a bike team is like owning a yacht. Today it felt more like having an aluminum rowboat pulled by a tractor across the dried-up sea of Aral. - Doug