We've got 5 days of racing under the belt so things have been rolling along in a daily schedule that looks something like this...Up about 5am because I can't sleep much later anyways. I enjoy the quiet of the morning so I don't have to rush through the morning prep of gettting the bikes out of storage and airing up the tires. This usually involves several trips in and out or up and down a parking garage to the outside world. Once the tires are done, I go get the car and bring it to the front of the hotel. If you were to observe the happenings you would probably see all us mechanics and swanies doing the same thing. After loading the spare bikes on the car and arranging the backseat with spare wheels, I have to find the bus to load the rider bikes into its storage hold for the transfer to the start (sometimes they ride to the start if its close to the hotel). If everything goes smoothly I'm done in about an hour or maybe a touch longer. At this point I can go to breakfast and enjoy a little relaxing at the breakfast table chatting with riders or staff from the other teams.
At this particular race, all the teams go in mass to the start so that no one gets lost in the city streets and highways. At the start, I go get the bikes off the bus and bring them to the car where the riders are getting ready to race in about an hour. The guys are pretty relaxed and usually some good hearted banter is going back and forth. Maybe a seat adjustment or answer question about how much air is in the tires is the extent any bike issues. The bikes are ready to go.
As the riders are assembling on the start line I make sure I'm in the general area keeping an eye out just in case they need me. A start line puncture is pretty abnormal but it could happen. That's why I'm there. During this time the director has the car in the staging area and I've made sure I can see it so I can get in just before the race starts.
During the race, I'm in the back seat of the car ready for any bike mechanicals. I'm also helping the director monitor the race radio and be another set of eyes as we are both multitasking. Back seat management is crucial as we have a little car and no wheel holders on the roof. With the wheels, my tool bag, and other stuff in this car I have space just for my butt to fit. So far we have had one unfortunate flat at the worst possible moment. In order to get a rider back to the field, sometimes a director decides to bend the rules and except a penalty to aid the rider by letting him draft behind the car. Other little tricks are to hand out a "sticky bottle" or to "check the brakes". I can't really say much more but let's just say all teams do it and its acceptable up to a point.
If all went well during the race then really I shouldn't have been doing anything but sitting in the car. By the finish I'm ready to get out and go find a restroom. Then it's a whirlwind of getting the bikes loaded and the riders taken care of so that we are ready to go to the next hotel. Some of the transfers are a few hours and every team is following one lead car that knows the directions. At the hotel, my job really jumps into high gear to compete with the other 19 team mechanics who want to wash their bikes just like I do. Actually, it's not really that much of a competition. I'm impressed how amiable we all are in having to share one hose. In it's own way it's a choreographed session of soapy bikes, diesel gas, and thank you very much spoken in many languages and accentuated with head knods and hand gestures sprinkled with polite smiles at inside mechanic jokes. With sparkly bikes drying, all that is left is to check them over for daily wear and tear and lube them up for the next day. Sometimes tires need to be re-glued or a rider has indicated that something needed checking.
After working on the bikes and packing up the work stuff I have time for a shower and maybe check e-mail before dinner. After dinner I may check e-mail if I haven't already or attend a team meeting. A little socializing perhaps? Before you know it though I'm yawning non stop and by 9pm that rock hard bed we've been getting in Taiwanese hotels is looking really good.
Repeat the next day.
It's long hours but when when things go right like today and we win the stage it is like clock work. Precise and on time.
alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5177211793986796002" />This Skil-Shimano rider had some impressive trials skills ... on a road bike.
It's hard to capture the cities here in one photo. My impression to take home is dirty, sulphur smell from burning diesel fuel, very polluted to the extent that you can't see blue sky or the stars. Millions of people of scooters everywhere abiding by some sort of traffic law that boggles my mind. I can sit and watch the skooters for 10 minutes at a time convinced there will be an accident at any moment but there never is. This pic was taken from the team car as we went through some city. By the way we are not car 13 we were just out of position at the time.
One of the starts was at a nice spot. Seemed to be a temple of sorts and a park attached.
One of the few trees any where near a city I've seen. The city buildings stretched out all around us. The smog is really bad but this was actually a relatively clear day.
1 comment:
Send my regards to the Green guy, Hope he is OK.......al his worldwide fans are hoping its not to serious....he does have a couple of weddings booked this summer.
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