The Napa Valley Register kicks off the bi-monthly column by Napa native and professional cyclist Lucas Euser.

Lucas writes: “I’ve taken it upon myself to try and bridge that gap from the everyday Register reader to the everyday American cyclist living and racing in Europe, which to the best of my knowledge is a bridge that has never been built — for many reasons, most notably the one where you say, ‘What the heck do I care about professional cycling in Europe?’ “