First I want to thank everyone who took the time to scribe messages on the website. This is a unique team and it is very cool to have such a special and supportive fan base. We do read the messages, so keep them coming!

Now I am traveling to the national championships in Ireland. I have often heard that ‘you’re only as good as your last race’. So even if I don’t bring home a title this weekend, I somehow doubt that people will forget this last performance. I know I won’t forget the race for a long while.

There are of course a few standout moments for me.

On the Super Bagneres climb, it was a special feeling having Trent in front of me, feeling great and looking around to see an empty road with 5 km to go. I was confident before that point, but it still brings a smile to my face…Crossing the line on the final stage, arms in air surrounded by team mates, then nearly crashing into a group of hard-breaking Frenchmen remains vivid.

Dan Martin's backThen there are the other memories. Like watching Adrie, Lionel, Yvon, Kilian and Kevin R pick up and move an inconveniently parked Peugeot to allow the team bus free passage…Or walking out on to the podium, arms waving, expecting a roar from the gathered crowd, but instead being met by a handful of photographers and maybe even a tumbleweed rolling down the empty street…Or the extreme measures we took for temperature regulation, slashing gills in my jersey to allow my body to breathe in the 100 degree heat. That move resulted in the rather fetching “sun burns” in the photo. And yes it is still sore.

It’s the times like these that you remember. The moments of fun that make life with this team so enjoyable. At the end of the day, it’s just a bike race. But it is nice to win.