From rider to helper... ToB!
esafosfina
Posts: 131
Was fortunate enough to be asked to help out on the ToB with Team Raleigh last week... having raced the Kellogg's Tour years ago (and other Tours of note) it was always going to be an eye opener to be on 'the other side'. I can now, categorically state that I would rather be a rider than a helper!!! 
Jesus! I never realised how hard the background staff have/had it! To my soigneurs, mechanics, DSs an open apology! Never will I criticise so quickly!
Typical staff day: up 6am, sort rider breakfasts, clean team-cars, prep pre-race and race food, prep bidons and drinks, prep post-race food and drink, check riders are happy and content (fat chance!), load vans with luggage, depart for start, set up camp, sort race bidons and food, rub legs & backs etc, decamp, jump in van, speed like mad to either feed or hotel, feed riders, speed to finish, look after riders, transfer miles to hotels (sorry ToB organisation: too long transfers make for grumpy riders and staff alike!), set up for mechanics (water/power etc), make sure riders are ok, send them for massage, do laundry, prep bidons... ad infinitum... team meeting, snappy pint, bed approx. 11pm. Repeat next day!
Typical rider day: wake, breakfast, transfer to start, drink copious amounts of coffee, race, transfer, shower, massage, eat, team meeting, sleep. (I make it sound easy... it isn't!)
Great to catch up with old friends and rivals... long natter with Hendrik Redant (UHC DS) whom I raced against in 89-91 (fancied his sister... she's still hot!)... caught up with Wiggins, Jez Hunt. Haven't seen either since my last season in 2000. Servais Knaven; last time I saw him was when he was riding for Domo Farm Frites. Brian Smith, Matty Stephens, Chris Lilliwhite... so many old faces now involved behind the scenes.
Would I do it again? Yep! Hard yakka, but really great fun! If you ever get the chance to help out, or get involved, do so... it's so rewarding!
Right... back to my Tyrrell's Vat 9 Shiraz... 2003, of course!
Jesus! I never realised how hard the background staff have/had it! To my soigneurs, mechanics, DSs an open apology! Never will I criticise so quickly!Typical staff day: up 6am, sort rider breakfasts, clean team-cars, prep pre-race and race food, prep bidons and drinks, prep post-race food and drink, check riders are happy and content (fat chance!), load vans with luggage, depart for start, set up camp, sort race bidons and food, rub legs & backs etc, decamp, jump in van, speed like mad to either feed or hotel, feed riders, speed to finish, look after riders, transfer miles to hotels (sorry ToB organisation: too long transfers make for grumpy riders and staff alike!), set up for mechanics (water/power etc), make sure riders are ok, send them for massage, do laundry, prep bidons... ad infinitum... team meeting, snappy pint, bed approx. 11pm. Repeat next day!
Typical rider day: wake, breakfast, transfer to start, drink copious amounts of coffee, race, transfer, shower, massage, eat, team meeting, sleep. (I make it sound easy... it isn't!)
Great to catch up with old friends and rivals... long natter with Hendrik Redant (UHC DS) whom I raced against in 89-91 (fancied his sister... she's still hot!)... caught up with Wiggins, Jez Hunt. Haven't seen either since my last season in 2000. Servais Knaven; last time I saw him was when he was riding for Domo Farm Frites. Brian Smith, Matty Stephens, Chris Lilliwhite... so many old faces now involved behind the scenes.
Would I do it again? Yep! Hard yakka, but really great fun! If you ever get the chance to help out, or get involved, do so... it's so rewarding!
Right... back to my Tyrrell's Vat 9 Shiraz... 2003, of course!
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Posts
He spends a fair bit of time doing stuff for Dutch TV and seems a good bloke.
He's about the only rider I see who behaves the way I would if I won Roubaix. Go on about it ALL the time.
"so, when I won Roubaix..."
Yeah Servais is cool... came out of his way to find me and chatted for ages. He and Leon Van Bon were on the Dutch track squad circa 90/91 and both really nice guys. I agree, I think if I'd won Roubaix I reckon I'd be dropping it left, right and centre!
Yep... was and still is!
At the Tour this year I was by the Sky bus before the start of Stage 2 and got talking with a big group either side of me. Turned out they were good friends with Servais Knaven and his parents, had known him since he was knee-high to a grasshopper and so on. Told me some great stories about him!
Yeah! It was bloody freezing at the feed! I had to squeeze my girth into a-too-small Raleigh jersey and believe me, I was stuffing newspaper up it to keep warm!
Little censored didn't share it!
Pictures please!
Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition