mavic support cars in the TDF - Whats the point

r3 guy
r3 guy Posts: 229
edited July 2009 in Pro race
I rode the dragon this year and there were mavic support cars in attendance - i got it then...

What i dont get is why are they at the tour, i never see them "supporting" and furthermore why do they have the yellow bikes on the roof of the car?The team vehicles have spare wheels and bikes?

Please explain

Cheers

Comments

  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Sometimes the team car is not around.

    Good example in the 07 Tour, Contador was left without support and got a wheel from the Mavic car.

    It does happen, but it's just not obvious.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,104
    The team car is only allowed up to a break once it is well established. The Mavic team car is allowed in the gap between a break and the peleton once the gap is at 30 seconds. They can then provide service to any team and, should the need arise, do a bike change too.
  • disquieting_museeuws
    disquieting_museeuws Posts: 601
    The Mavic cars are also important in the mountains where there are groups all over the place that the team cars couldn't possibly cover. They carry spare food & clothes as well as the bike parts.

    One of the Mavic mechanics said a couple of years ago that the Tour is actually one of their quieter races, incidentally.
  • Brian B
    Brian B Posts: 2,071
    The point is that MAVIC get seen. Its the oldest trick in the game - subliminal advertising. They know its works.

    NOW GET OUT AND BUY SOME MAVIC WHEELS
    Brian B.
  • Eurostar
    Eurostar Posts: 1,806
    Don't forget the Mavic scooter which sticks with riders who are attacking on narrow mountain roads when the crowd are blocking the route and the field is strung out for miles If you puncture then you might have to wait 5 or 10 mins for your team car.
    <hr>
    <h6>What\'s the point of going out? We\'re just going to end up back here anyway</h6>
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    But when I visited them at the Marmotte last year and they didn't have a torque wrench... That must be the assignment they send the lame mechanics on.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • geoff_ss
    geoff_ss Posts: 1,201
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    But when I visited them at the Marmotte last year and they didn't have a torque wrench... That must be the assignment they send the lame mechanics on.

    Ah, but a good mechanic doesn't need a torque wrench. He knows how to get a component tight enough by experience and feel. It's the lame mechanics who need a torque wrench.

    Geoff
    Old cyclists never die; they just fit smaller chainrings ... and pedal faster
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,851
    ...like how he was telling everyone on the Marmotte to pump their tyres up to "seven"...they just KNOW!
    Half man, Half bike

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