This was it. The 2015 Amgen Tour of California.
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How did I get here you maybe asking?
Two stages to go and I was wearing the yellow jersey!
I can't believe it either. And no I'm not dreaming, this is real life.
Still don't believe me? Here is how I got to this point...
Stage 1: The team has me paired up with Sergio Henao for this tour.
It's my job to protect him at all costs.
The hilly 1st day ends in a 8-rider group sprint. Henao and I finish in that group.
A strong start, Henao buys me dinner after the stage for my hard work.
Stage 2: The race comes down to an uphill finish.
Henao is bribing me to protect him all the way up the climb.
"Steak is on me again tonight if you get me to the top!"
The yellow jersey of Daniel Moreno is watching us closely.
I'm in top form and riding the race of my life.
It doesn't hurt that Henao is encouraging me to go faster.
1 kilometer from the top and Sergio goes for glory.
It's a 1-2 for Santander! It's by far the best stage of my career!
Henao takes the win and I follow right behind to finish 2nd.
Stage 6: After 3 flat stages it's the San Jose - San Jose time trial.
I know this route like the back of my hand,
I raced the same route 2 years ago.
Plus, I'm feeling like a superhero after my 2nd place on stage 2.
I knew every turn. Where to speed up or slow down. I was in a groove.
For the 1st time in a long time I felt like I had ridden a good TT.
Just like when I was a kid trying to make it to school on time.
As I turned the corner to see the climb up to the finish
I could spot Daniel Martin, he started 2 minutes before me!
I had someone to lock onto and could pace myself.
Pedal over pedal I closed the gap
and then passed Martin before the finish!
Moreno had hopes of keeping yellow but...
That honor belongs to me! And I also won the stage!
The biggest victory of my career so far!
That brings us back to
Stage 7.
The favourites are attacking Henao and I up the final climb, Mt. Diablo.
I can't stress enough how much Henao is guiding me.
The two of us, working well together, pull everyone back
and soon it's just us and Daniel Martin out front.
Bye Martin! "Go Travis! We have broken free! Everything you got!
Don't let me down now, you have already come this far!"
I'm struggling for air. 1 kilometer to go!
Henao, looking fresh as ever, sprints for the finish leaving me in the dust.
Sergio takes the win and the yellow jersey away from me.
I can't believe Henao ditched me like that. He stole my home tour away from me!
I couldn't be that mad though because
there was no way I would have finished 2nd overall
if it wasn't for his encouragement throughout the entire tour.
He had pushed me to limits I had never reached before in my career.
So, 2nd Overall. That's a hell of an accomplishment.
Surely that will peak the interest of teams to offer me a contract for 2016.
