In part one we discussed how Guiseppe became a mechanic, yesterday we chatted about what a team mechanic does during a race and now we focus on the major events, the Grand Tours.
G4: You take an amazing amount of material with you at all times. Is there some sort of master list?
GA: Obviously you have to take great care to ensure that during the Grand Tours when you’re away from the service course for 30 days or more that you take enough of everything with you.
We don’t have a master list as such, just ones for each area of responsibility. If we did one for everything in the lorry it would take a whole block of paper!
G4: It’s surprising how much stuff you need. For example, take the number of bidons?
GA: Very true. You have to take more than enough and we usually use more in the Tour and Vuelta than at the Giro because it’s generally warmer. We always make sure there’s a few extra boxes in the lorry. Before we used to have a six to seven metre lorry now we have one that’s twelve metres long, as well as a small support van. We carry things for all the staff, for example, the pasta.
G4: Very important!
GA: Like all the teams, we have a chef. He prepares pasta for the riders to eat immediately after the stage. This is particularly important if it’s a long transfer and we’re not going to get to the hotel until late. It’s important to have good things to eat as there’s not much to look forward to, just riding and sleeping. It’s the same for us. We often arrive late at the hotel thanks to timing of TV coverage so we often need to eat something straight after the race and or en route.
If the riders eat too late there’s always the risk that they’ll just eat what’s there in the hotel and it might not be good for them. It’s really important that the chef can prepare stuff that’s fresh and good for all of us.
The Tour’s the worst. It has gotten so big and, although it’s excellently organised, it often takes a while to get from the finish line to our next hotel. Of course it’s also a problem for the staff; the later we arrive at the hotel the later we finish our work.
Of course, we have to get up early the next day to drive to the next hotel before the roads are closed for that day’s stage. Sometimes, we’ll have to follow the hors course route and that’s often longer. So yes, there are long days of work for us too. We get up early to ensure everything is ready and then we finish off late at night to ensure everything is ready for the next day.
G4: Is it easier at the Giro and Vuelta?
GA: Okay, it’s less pressurised for everyone. But, at the Giro, because we’re seen as an Italian team there’s more pressure. But the Tour is the greatest bike race. It’s unique, it’s a machine.
G4: But, if you’re well organised everything is much easier. It’s always much easier when you’ve a team who’s worked together for a while?
GA: That’s true. There were only four mechanics at Carrera and there are ten of us now. There are so many races on at the same time and now it’s all over the world, so we need a bigger team. We’re like one big happy family which is what makes everything so enjoyable.
Well it’s also been very enjoyable talking to you too.
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