The picture below is from 2009 after I broke my collarbone. My mom drove me to the highest mountain in the area and I rode up the climb with one hand on the bar and one hand in the sling. She drove me down and I started climbing up again, over and over. I had a broken collarbone, but my legs weren’t broken. I still had high hopes.
In 2016 I broke my ankle before the first race of the season. I could ride before I could walk so I got on the trainer. The doctor said I could ride 30 minutes indoors, and I figured if I could do 30 minutes I could do 5 hours. So, for three weeks I lived on the trainer. I stayed focused on my goals, didn’t stress, and tried to make the most out of the situation. Three months later I won a stage of the Tour of California and had one of my best seasons ever. But, not before more trials.
A month after breaking my ankle, on my first long ride back in Europe I rode to Volterra in Tuscany. A huge storm was brewing behind me. I tried to outrun it. I didn’t realize my frame had cracked on the flight to Europe. I was sprinting up a little hill. The road curved and my chain stay snapped. The wheel went sideways, I straight-lined the curve, and went straight into a rock wall. I was sitting on the side of the road with no money and the storm caught me. I was filthy, dehydrated, hungry, wet and bleeding. Before finding shelter I called my dad who is always a voice of reason and told him how miserable I was. From a nearby hotel I called for help. Someone came to get me, but he got lost and took four hours to find me. Eventually I got home at 9pm, still filthy, wet, bleeding, starving, and cold. All I wanted was a hot shower and to go to bed. I turned the shower on but the hot water heater had broken. I ended up boiling water on the stove, had a splash shower and put the day behind me.
In cycling so much is out of your control and stressing over those things never helps. As a U23 rider when I would get discouraged my coach and mentor, Jim Miller, used to say, “Trust in the process.” That has become one of my mottos. Every year there are lows, injuries, illness, fatigue. If you stay focused they’re often followed by highs, record power numbers, results, and passion-filled rides. Nobody became a champion overnight. One of my favorite quotes is, “direction, not intention, determines destination” (Andy Stanley). How you respond to the lows determines how you end up.
My first two years as a continental level pro I was in college at Virginia Tech. It felt like trying to have four feet. Two feet in pro cycling and two in school. It was exhausting. After my first year on Axel Merckx’s team I asked him for a raise so I could commit to cycling and save some money for school in case it didn’t work out. He said, “Ok, but you need to get results.” That was a wakeup call. That year I was on the podium in 7 or 8 consecutive races and won three national titles – the U23 criterium and road race and the elite road race. I signed my first World Tour contract with Team RadioShack.
I remember in my first race with Radioshack. I’d been dropped at a one day race in Mallorca and I was in the group with Jens Voigt. I introduced myself as a fan and he was super nice and chatty. The next year we ended up being teammates and roomed together at most races because we had common interests off the bike – like fishing. His passion for life and making the most of every day rubbed off on me. It showed in his racing style. If he couldn’t go head to head with the top guys, he could put himself in situations where he had a chance to win. He always gave 100% and got himself into breakaways to increase his odds. If you don’t put yourself out there, you have zero chance.
Photo credit: Stiehl Photography
I tried to carry that into my career. Part of my racing style is putting myself into positions to have a chance. When I think back to some of the most memorable breakaways I’ve been in, I think of Tour of California 2016 when I won that stage. There’s also the national championships in 2010 when I won that with an extremely long solo breakaway. I was out front for the entire race and went solo at the halfway point. Criterium Internationale, in a two-man breakaway. Won that one. In the 2016 Vuelta, I was in a breakaway with 20 guys and some strong climbers. I was working for Pierre Rolland and still ended up getting third on a summit finish. I was proud of that one.
I started young and have been around for a while now, but have a lot left to give. I’m living my dream. I get stronger every year and am confident that I still have a lot more potential. That keeps me motivated. Riding for Ben O’Connor in the Giro was a great experience. He blasted through the ranks into the World Tour last year so it was cool using some of the experience from my career to support him. I knew when it was ok to relax, or when it was worth burning matches to move forward. I stuck with him every day until I got dropped. One moment that stands out is during the Gran Sasso stage. We’d made all the right moves and I was in front with 5km’s to go beside Sky and GreenEdge with Ben on my wheel. It felt great and he delivered the results. He impressed me a lot. Throughout the Giro I got to relive a sense of youthful enthusiasm and feeling of limitless possibilities through Ben’s perspective. I enjoyed it.
Remembering the high times allows you to push through the low times. Remembering the lows allows you to savour highs. Cycling is what I know and what I love. It’s easy to forget that if things aren’t going well. That’s why it’s been important for me to be driven by a higher purpose that has allowed me to keep giving my best to get the most out of myself during the highs and the lows. My faith is my foundation and getting to ride for the Qhubeka Charity through Team Dimension Data gives me extra purpose. It’s also my first season as a married man and now I’m racing for both of us. Qhubeka is a Nguni word meaning to move forward. Live in the moment but keep moving forward.
