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Tyler Tunes: Onward and upward
It has been a busy couple of days for me personally, so I thought I would send out a quick update regarding some of the changes on the horizon for me and my family.
Many of you already know I have decided to join the Phonak Cycling Team in January of 2004. The decision became official September 1st, when I traveled to Zurich to sign my new contract. While some of you may be surprised to hear this, I must tell you this is a very big opportunity for me professionally.
I can look back on my two years with CSC with a lot of pride and satisfaction. We accomplished some terrific things together. I will always be grateful for the opportunity to prove myself and accomplish all that I did as a co-leader of the CSC team. That said, I wish all my friends affiliated with the team the very best in the future.
These situations are always a little tricky. In my mind, contract negotiations should be a private matter. But of course there is always speculation about how they transpire. I've read a few misquotes and heard some inaccurate rumors regarding my decision. Some of which are actually pretty funny. But that said, it seems like a good time set things straight in my own words and share a little with you about my decision.
Not an easy decision
First and foremost, change is never easy. And making a big change regarding your career is always a challenge. But I will tell you my choice to sign with Phonak was thought through very carefully.
I started speaking with them at the beginning of June and it has taken until now to finalize everything. Cycling careers don't last forever so you have to be very careful about the choices you make. Luckily, I can look back on the progression of my professional racing career so far and see separate phases of accomplishment.
When I raced domestically in the U.S. with Montgomery Bell and U.S. Postal, I thought I was riding at the height of my potential. But then the U.S. Postal Service team went to Europe and my role as a rider changed tremendously. I worked hard during those years, relearning everything I thought I already knew about bike racing. I did my best to support the various leaders on U.S. Postal for seven years. I literally grew up on that team.
A lot of people thought I was crazy to leave the glory of U.S. Postal behind to join CSC in 2002. But I was ready for a new challenge. And CSC offered me the opportunity to develop my skills as a co-leader of their team. It was a safe environment to do so with other big talents like Laurent Jalabert, Carlos Sastre and Jacob Piil on hand to help shoulder the burden of leading.
Another challenge, another opportunity
And now, some of you may be scratching your head asking why I would leave the comfort of CSC to go to Phonak. And the answer why, is almost the same as when I left the U.S. Postal Service. They have offered me the opportunity to challenge myself on a new level. Phonak is an up and coming team that has been growing little by little each year.
Next year, they are serious about wanting to compete in the Tour de France for the first time. They have restructured their entire team around this goal, and they have asked me to be their leader. It's every rider's dream to have this kind of support and this kind of opportunity. The Phonak roster is being overhauled with the Tour de France as the central focus.
You may not recognize all the names at first, but there are some strong guys coming on board who will lend big talent in the mountains and in events like the team time trial. And they are all signing on with a clear understanding and motivation toward the team's vision for next season.
One thing I've learned over and over throughout my career is that if you want to make the most of every opportunity, you can't be afraid to take a few risks, or afraid to face new challenges. My team choices and race history are a case history for what can happen if you are willing to tow the line. Changing teams can be difficult, but a move can also be very positive. It keeps you from getting too comfortable, teaches you new things and keeps you fresh.
Taking on the responsibility of leading the Phonak team and possibly helping them qualify for the Tour is going to put a lot of pressure on me. But I also find a lot of motivation in this kind of a scenario. Let's face it, I've never been a guy who looked for the easy way out.
So onward and upward. I'm grateful for everything I've experienced and accomplished so far through racing, and I'm looking forward to the next phase of what has thus far been one hell of a ride.
Thanks for reading.
