Jorge Alvarado and I

For this blog post, inspiration isn't hard to find...

It's been almost two weeks since the tragic and senseless death of my teammate Jorge Alvarado, and I feel it's time share my experience with Jorge at team camp in March.

Throughout camp we had been riding endless canyon roads traversing to and from the beach while staying in Agoura Hills, CA, which afforded us the opportunity to bond for hours on end. For a cycling team, camp is more than just riding bikes and shaking hands with sponsors and fans, it's about taking time to get to know those who will be closest with you while intensely suffering through bike races. Not to overplay the warrior analogy, but you truly want to know that a teammate has your back during the most trying times...during battle. For that reason, the hours spent on the bike and in hotel rooms are used to understand the history, motivations, drives, and obsessions of each teammate.

Up until the last day of camp, I thought Jorge was simply the happiest cyclist on the planet. He had a permanent smile. Humble and soft-spoken I had yet to dive into what defined Jorge. We hadn't had the conversation.

Literally, the last conversation I had on the bike with a teammate at camp was with Jorge after we climbed from the beach up Topanga Canyon Blvd and descended into Agoura Hills. Cruising at a conversational pace, Jorge and I began to chat. Being of Mexican-origin and me desiring to practice my Spanish, we began to chat in Jorge's native tongue. We talked about the excitement of the upcoming season, about what keeps us happy and busy off the bike, and about our new beautiful Cannondale SuperSix bikes. But what I remember most, was the topic of family. Jorge shared that he came from a large Catholic family, most of whom still resided in Mexico, but one that remained close through their strong cultural ties and religion convictions. He then asked about my family.

As I mentioned in a prior post, the JRM FDN sponsored heart assessments for the Bahati FDN Pro Cycling Team, and before the assessments I distributed packets to the riders and staff, which included a personal letter from me about the importance of the assessments, my comprehension of the emotions going through each rider, and about the life of Jordan. As I began to talk about my family with Jorge, it was clear that he did not understand the letter; the significances of the heart assessment or the tragic loss of Jordan from our lives.

After sharing my story, Jorge was visibly shaken. He instantly began contemplating his own relationships, and I believe our conversation reinforced to him the meaning and importance of his own family. He was clearly not only in love with life and his bike, but the deeper meaning and love for family is something he and I will share forever.

Be well, Jorge. -Phillip