"Travis, I'm going to make this simple. I'm bring you to Santander with me.
There is no pressure on you to race anymore this season."

Sounded to good to be true,
but Alonso hasn't let me down before so I trusted him.

"Who is else going to be on this new PCT team? Anyone else from Desigual?"

"I have bought out the contacts for Silvestre, Henao, Fraile, and Herrero."

Great group of guys, I enjoy riding with them. Glad to be apart of that group.

"Well, you can't start a team with 5 guys. Who else you got committed?"

"Okay, but don't tell anybody, all the details have been fully disclosed yet.
Here is a list of a few riders I got coming in... hopefully:


"Alonso what are you doing to me?
I'm the only American and I'll probably be the worst guy on the team."

"Yeah sorry about that but, that's all on Santander.
I had nothing to do with that. Also, I should probably be up front with you
and say they aren't going to re-sign you at the end of next season."

Great I'm going to get stuck carrying water bottles all next season.
How I'm I going to attract teams into give me a contract by doing that?

But there is nothing I can do, I have this stupid buy-out clause in my contract.
I just need to train and get better if I want to get noticed next season.

"If that's the case then, signed me up for the Vuelta Ciclista a Leon.
My leg should be able to handle one more race this season."

With the news coming in that I'm going to race for Santander next year
I have to get better at all costs, no matter if my leg is still slightly injured.
August 2-5, 2014 : Vuelta Ciclista a Leon



Lobato, Rojas, Rowe, and Craddock are top favourites.



Pereyra is going to lead the team as I get a free role.

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



Two flat stages to start the tour, two hilly stages to finish it.



The stage comes down to a bunch sprint and I get caught out of the lead group.
I'm starting to have doubts that maybe I should just
thrown in the towel for the season.

Even worse is the fact Pereyra loses 20 minutes on the stage because of a split.
That technically makes me the team leader now.



José Joaquín Rojas gets the win, Silvestre finishes 13th.

Let's try not to get caught out in a major split again.



I just can't do it. I can feel the strain in my leg getting worse each day now.



In a close finish, Sondre Holst Enger over José Joaquín Rojas.

I iced my leg all night, let's see if I'm any better today.



I'm feeling so good I try to start the morning breakaway.
What a difference a day makes.



Wait, I take that back. I last just 25kms up front.



Which means the team has to rely on Pereyra for a good stage result.



That's not going to happen with this start list. André Steensen with the win.
Pereyra fights his way to finish 14th.



I come home 3'15" behind Steensen for 84th place.

The last stage. I'm really starting to think this was a bad idea.



No plans for me today, just ride at the front of the peloton
and see how long I can last for.



And I actually make it all the way to the finish, that's an improvement.



But, I wasn't going to have any effect on the outcome. Stage win to Luke Rowe.



I finish 46th, 78th overall. This might be the last picture in a Desigual jersey.

I'm going to rest for the next few days and make my decision.
Alonso has given me the option to race the Vuelta a Burgos or start my offseason training camps earlier in the hopes of being in top shape for 2015.

Not good enough. Is it time for me to cut my season short?