Jeremy “Judge” Whittle and David “Kaiser” Luxton, without whom there would be no book, you always believed in it; thank you for teaching me how to do it and doing it when I didn’t learn. Ian “Priest” Preece, who has been a wonderfully patient and skillful editor, thanks for putting up with my “naïveté” and allowing me to create the book I wanted.

The photographers: Graham Watson, to whom I will always be “The Junior”; you’ve seen more of me race than anyone else, and have seen my ups and downs far closer than anybody else, thanks for giving me the memories. Tim De Waele, for his generosity and gift of being in the right place at the right time, which has created some of my favorite photographs. Bruno Bade, from the 1997 Tour de l’Avenir prologue to the 2010 Chrono des Nations, thank you for scouring your archives. Timm Kölln, the Catalan German, kudos for creating the peloton book and thank you for the photographic epilogue to this book. Chris MacPherson, our man in L.A., thanks for capturing that Californian moment and for that drink in that random bar. Camille “The Chronicler” McMillan, legend.

Cycling allows me to meet some interesting people. Kadir Guirey is one of them, and through him I met Nadav Kander. Nadav, thank you for creating the cover portrait. I thought I had it in my head. Evidently, I didn’t; you did. Look forward to cycling together in the future, with the occasional stop for chicken soup and heartfelt chat.

To the esteemed members of Velo Club Rocacorba, thank you for putting up with your president’s folly, and offering your help and advice when it came to the book. There is no opinion I value higher than your 51.

My cycling team, Slipstream, more commonly now known as Team Garmin. In particular Doug Ellis, who believed in us and made it possible for us to achieve what nobody else thought possible.

My wife, Nicole Millar, who watched me turn into a Howard Hughes–like figure while writing this book. I may have spent the off-season at home, but I wasn’t really there; thank you for taking me out and “airing” me on occasion. And for not getting annoyed when I couldn’t remove my head from my hands at the end of the kitchen table, oblivious to anything beyond the screen in front of me. You are an angel.

A special mention must go to my U.S. publisher, Touchstone. The team that has taken my book under its wing in the States has been incredible, and has reminded me once again of how much I enjoy working with Americans. In particular, I’m pleased to have connected with my editor Stacy Creamer—somebody whom I wish I had met earlier in the writing process, but can only thank serendipity and Graham Dayman for having met at all. The serendipity being Graham’s passing on to Stacy of a certain British cycling magazine that contained an excerpt of my book. In what I now imagine to be a rare moment of pause, Stacy perused the magazine and chose to read the extract, setting into motion the chain of events that have led to this American publication.