Brent Bookwalter is a one-team man. The American has ridden with BMC since going pro in 2008 and is beginning another season in the colours of his outfit in 2015. He hopes the team will give him more opportunities.
"I'm a little bit older now but I'm still getting better every year and I'm excited to show that to the team and give it all I've got," said Bookwalter. "I'd like to think I have ambitions to grow into a more prominent role within the team. I've done six Grand Tours, I've been through a lot with this team and I think they know that they can count on me."
Bookwalter has been a successful domestique, being part of the BMC team that won the 2011 Tour de France with Cadel Evans. He has consistently helped Evans, but once the Australian retires in February, he will need to either ride for himself or find someone else to ride for.
"In the past year this team has broken out of the mould to how we were racing in the past years. Starting to race in this new more aggressive style bodes well for us moving on from Cadel's departure," said Bookwalter.
"Guys like myself and Mickey Schär we got the first wins of our pro careers in the last two years due to this broadening of our mentality… When you've got a guy like him you can have full confidence that he can deliver so you can ride intensely and you know he will do it at the end. With him it opens it up but now we are racing this way and I think it will open up some new opportunities."
Evans signed for BMC in 2010, along with other stars as the team looked to make it into the World Tour. "That was the first year where we jumped into the next level of the sport and I was really lucky to be a part of that," Bookwalter said. "He gave the team a few incredible years and gave me amazing years, races and memories. I'll never forget those and I'll always be thankful to him for those. It was a huge honour to ride alongside him."
For his 2015, Bookwalter will want to continue racing aggressively and he wants a return to the Tour de France, where he has so many good memories.
"I'd really like to go back to the Tour again," said Bookwalter. "Last year I rode the Giro with Cadel but Tejay and I have a good relationship and I've shown before that I can be a good teammate in the Tour. I'd like to go back there but that said, the roster in this team is really stacked. I think they know that part of my value in this team is that I'm a guy that can be put into a lot of different places."
Tom DERNIES 34 years | today |
Elisa LUGLI 22 years | today |
Heinrich BERGER 39 years | today |
Andrew ROCHE 53 years | today |
Miriam ROMEI 29 years | today |
© CyclingQuotes.com