Rock Racing
2008
After working so hard to return to racing in 2007 only to have his ambitions dashed by unprofessional team management, Tyler finished the racing season fairly jaded about the sport of cycling. Having spent the majority of the year training with guys who would disappear on a regular basis to go compete at races where he thought he belonged, Tyler started to finally succumb to periods of depression. For the first time in his life he had lost his fighting spirit.
He started coming to terms with the idea of retiring. He told close friends at first, then family and then finally it started to become a reality by late November when he had no plans to compete in 2008. In his mind it was official. Over the Thanksgiving holiday he announced he was moving on once and for all -- over turkey with gravy and mashed potatoes. Food he hadn’t enjoyed in years.
Then Sunday rolled around and there was a message on the phone. Rock Racing was interested in giving Tyler another chance. They wanted to know how he felt about it. He was on the phone immediately with Michael Ball and spent an hour and a half talking about the past and the future. That afternoon he logged over six hours on the bike. Within a week a proposal was written and Tyler was focusing on racing again. Clearly he wasn’t really ready to stop. In his heart, he did not want to end his career on the “Tinkoff” note. That was no way to bid adieu to the sport he loves.
Some people are asking – why would Tyler want to come back “again”? What does he have to gain by riding in the US? Didn’t he prove himself in Europe way back when? Didn’t the collar bone say enough? The people who ask these questions forget why guys like Tyler ride. Because they love to. Because even with all the ups and downs he’s endured, Tyler still has a passion for cycling. So in the end, Tyler gets to practice what he preaches -- reminding us all to never under estimate the power of the bike.
For more information about the team visit: www.rockracing.com.