Hi EnjoyWinter,

Greetings from Bodenmais, Germany! Wishing everyone a Happy New Year! After the final World Cup of 2020, held in Hochfilzen, Austria, team USA headed to Ramsau, Austria to spend our holidays in a small "team zone." Our head men's coach Vegard Bitnes lives in Ramsau, and with housing located right on the ski trails, our team was able to accomplish a lot during the two week break from racing. Together, we trained hard, shared a lot of laughs, and found a good balance between preparation for the upcoming block and some much needed rest.

This holiday season was difficult because I was without my wife and family. Typically, we spend Christmas in Lucca, Italy - a small town in Tuscany where I lived when I competed as a professional cyclist. This year, with COVID-19 and obvious restrictions, it was not possible to be together as a family. I missed being with them and sharing the holidays. Most importantly, they remained safe in the United States and we were able to be together virtually.

After the Christmas break we headed for Oberhof, Germany for the first World Cup races of 2021. Typically, this venue sees difficult weather conditions with high wind and rain common. This year the weather could not have been nicer with daily snow showers and even a touch of sunshine. WIth great conditions, the challenging course was in full swing and it was great to start the year off with such arduous terrain. I look forward to the upcoming races as we build towards the biggest goals of the season in the next weeks and months!