October 20, 2006 — My season has officially ended and I have raced my last race in Discovery Channel colors. I am now at home in Colorado resting and preparing for next season.

My last race for the year was the Tour of Lombardy, the final Pro Tour event around Lake Como and in the surrounding mountains. Lombardy is a special race, a legendary Classic on some of the most beautiful roads in Europe in front of the fervent Italian Tifosi. I wasn’t on great form on the day, as I hadn’t been able to train as hard as I had wished due to a slight injury, but still I was glad I got to experience the race and give my teammates a hand before they hit the final of the race.

Immediately after the Lombardy race, I jumped in a car with my new T-Mobile teammate, Marco Pinotti, and headed to the team meeting in Lugano, Switzerland. The three-day meeting was a good opportunity for us to meet off the bike, without having to worry about training or racing, and to get all the logistics for the coming year sorted out.

The team was introduced, the objectives were outlined, the anti-doping program was explained, and team members got better acquainted while rock climbing on the side of a mountain. Everyone was relaxed and seemed excited about the new direction T-Mobile is taking in 2007 and beyond. The vibe was good and the team looks solid with a good mix of sprinters, all rounders and climbers.

In the coming weeks I will take some time off the bike, rest up, and begin focusing on the coming season.