I didn't have much time to celebrate my victory yesterday after having to attend to team meeting to deal with the rising conflict between Craddock and I.

I still don't get why he is so upset. He thinks being team leader
makes him superior over everybody else. Sure, I didn't follow team orders
but I got the stage win. How can he still be mad at me?

--- *** --- *** --- *** ---



A nice flat stage with a minor incline at the finish.
Should be no problems keeping yellow today.



The last time I wore yellow was in the 2015 Amgen Tour of Califonia.
Of course, history says that never happened though.



As we reach the climb to the cat. 3 near the finish, Craddock attacks!
That wasn't in the team meeting! He is doing the same thing I did yesterday!



Our DS is in rage mode. But, tells us not to chase Cradddock back.



5kms to go and Lawson is last man standing.



Not today Craddock! That's karma for you.



The only thing that would make today's soap opera
even better was if I won the stage in a bunch sprint...



Yeah, that's not going to happen. Only in my dreams.



Matej Mohori� takes the win over Jakob Rathe and Sebastian Lander.

After the stage our DS grabbed Lawson and I by our jerseys (as we were
in the middle of another argument) and dragged us into the team bus.

#SaveTheFoxCyclingProgram

After literally throwing Craddock and I onto the team bus,
our DS only had to say one sentence and the message was clear.

"If you don't follow team orders from now on, your not getting your paycheck."

And with that, we continue on with the last 3 stage of the Tour of the Gila.

--- *** --- *** --- *** ---



The race against the clock. My goal is just to beat Craddock,
that would make me very happy. The prick is getting on my nerves.



Craddock is out to prove his worth as well so this isn't going to be easy.
He stops the clock at 34'37". Good for 2nd best so far.



At the first check I realize there is no way I'm beating Craddock.
So, I shift my focus on keeping 2nd place Deignan behind me.

Which I do and I keep yellow. Setting the 19th best time.
And a disappointing 51 seconds slower than Lawson.

A stage I remember well. Don't pull another Reda like back in 2014.



I stay out of trouble and the breakaway wins. Which is fine by me because
the sprinters don't get the bonus seconds at the finish to move up the GC.

This is the longest I have ever wore yellow, I'm starting to get use to it.

Everything comes down to this, the last stage. I have a 27" lead over Deignan.
And our DS warn us again before the stage. If we don't listen, we don't get paid.



We jump all the way to the last categorized climb. Deignan and a few other favourites have put in their attacks. Lawson is ordered to chase. He does.



And Craddock brings everyone back on the downhill.
I can hear sarcastic clapping over the team radio.



10kms to go, Craddock, without notice, accelerates. What is this!?!
No order whatsoever. He then yells, "Come on Trav, keep up. Prove yourself."



What an idiot. Craddock burns out 3 kilometers later and leaves me solo.
I keep pushing but the depleted peloton makes the catch with 1.2km to go.

All I have to do is not slip through the back of the field and I have won the tour.



Davide Malacarne gets the stage win over former teammate Sebastian Henao.
And if you look over to the left of the picture you can see...



Craddock and I coming to the line in the same group. You would be damn right that I gave him a piece of mind in the last kilometer (and after the race).



But, in the end. I got the last laugh! My first career tour win!
The 2017 Tour of the Gila in New Mexico, USA.

Max points all around. I think this is the first time this has ever happened!

The next race update will include the first 2 two stages of the Tour of California: