Live Chat With Brent

Here's the photo taken right from the BMC Racing Team's Twitter feed.

Brent Bookwalter was first to give the BMC Racing Team's live chat a go. I've been wanting to use "Cover it Live" again since my days of Team Type 1 (from 2008 or 2009) and using it for live race coverage.

Brent did a fabulous job and the nearly 80 people who participated seemed to come away with a positive experience. We did it at 9 o'clock in the evening to try to get the U.S. audience at work.

An added bonus of "Cover it Live" is that you can replay the chat anytime afterwards. Take a look.

Americans On Labor Day

"Live Update Guy," who provides a running commentary on each stage of the Vuelta a España for the Red Kite Prayer website, included this photo as part of the play-by-play on today's stage.

So This Is Girona

Great room here at the Meliã hotel in Girona.

Girona, Spain – I've heard and read so much about Girona, Spain. It's been the hotbed of homes for many American cyclists over the years, including a seven-time Tour de France winner, George Hincapie and now BMC Racing Team's Brent Bookwalter. Team mechanic Kevin Grove also lives here, so it was nice to finally meet his family today.

It's 2:30 a.m., so this will be a short one. Basically, because the motorcoach was out of service, I went with the soigneurs and Dr. Scott Major to the feed zone, where I made a video. On the way back to the finish, I nearly threw up we tore around twisting, narrow mountain roads. Ugh.

Back at the hotel, I struggled with decreasing internet access as dozens of riders began logging on – just as I was trying to write the race report and participate in a conference call. Thank goodness for Tether!

I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

I'm not sure what the story is here. Serious wardrobe malfunction.

Proud Kevin and his two sons. (His daughter stayed home.)

Let's hope this isn't here very long.

I rode with Kevin (right) and Michael Sayers to the start.

Watching the race in the back of the caravelle at the finish.

Notice how I do my best to stay out of these shots?

Dining room of the hotel. American teams always eat before
the Brits, the Spanish, the French and the Russians.

One of the few times I've had a hot water pot in my room.