So, here I am again battling to get into the squad in the Vuelta. Dave said I have a great chance of getting in, but he also said that about the Tour, just when I hit the form of my life. I don't know whether to believe Dave anymore, after the Tour.
I took the first stage up to the summit of Sonntagberg, and held the jersey all the way to Vienna
So, I've kept it easy in the past weeks after Austria (in my opinion, the greatest win of my career), in my illustrious national jersey. I also wore my principality, the Isle of Man's jersey last week at the Commy Games up in Glasgow, which went well. I took silver in the Points Race, but I really believe I should have taken the gold after the cheating bastard, Tom Scully hit Mark (Christian that is ), and the commasaires just did fuck all! Anyway, I went on to do the Road Race on Sunday, which was a tough day, which I spent about 100k off the front, to only finish 8th. Well it was fucking amazing to wear that Manx kit in Glasgow, and to get IoM's only medal of the Games.
Me riding the Points Race at the Commy Games
So I now have to prove myself to Sky and to Dave B, and fight my way onto the Vuelta team, which would be my first GT of the year. It will be tough as other riders have shown interest:
Luke Rowe Phil Deignan Mikel Nieve Josh Edmonson Chris Knees Swifty Ian Stannard Xabier Zandio David Lopez
So, the first time all of the Vuelta applicants all flew out to Jerez to practice the first TT of the Vuelta. This would also have a fundamental impact on the Team Sky selection for the race. We would also go out onto the mountains tomorrow to show Dave what we can do on the steeper gradients. All of the applicants raced apart from Froomey who certainly has a place (as our leader), and Nieve (who faced diarrhea in the morning), so this was going to sort us out and Dave and Rod (Ellingworth) might send home some of the weaker guys.
We set out in Jerez all in pursuit of a place on the 9-man squad
Here I am taking my turn at the front, hammering it
Well, we bumped into AG2R in Jerez, with their men, Pozzivivo and Betancur.
Here I am finishing the loop after taking the final turn at the front
So, that was the training and selection session for today, it went very well, and Dave seemed to agree. That was what I wanted, to prove myself to Dave and Rod, after my being left out of the Tour. So, tomorrow will be a great day for me (hopefully) it's the first mountain session (stamina and endurance session), which may decide everything. However I will be wanting to smash it, especially with the form I am carrying.
So, the time came yesterday, Dave told me to fly back from Jerez from the training/selection camp in Spain, but I don't need to wait anymore I know who's in the team. It' good news for me and for my best mate Luke (Rowe) too; we were selected. We will all be out to support Froomey, but so will the other 6 people in our starting line-up:
Phil Deignan Dario Cataldo Mikel Nieve
Kosta Siutsou Vasil Kiriyenka Chris Knees
and of course Chris Froome & Luke Rowe
I am just so fucking relieved that Dave picked me. It has lifted a massive burden off my shoulders, and means that I can finally race a GT. But it's nearly time to go back to Jerez to start La Vuelta, but I'll keep you updated day by day, starting with introducing my team later today just before I get on my flight. So, yeah, that's all for now!
![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
Champion Forever
Phil Deignan 
Mikel Nieve 
Chris Knees 
Dario Cataldo 
Kosta Siutsou 
