Many consider the ’09 Giro was saved by Menchov’s team mechanic as seen in this video. Quoting VeloNews, “…every once in a while a team mechanic has an opportunity to shine on a large stage, and never has that been more apparent than during the final stage of last month’s Giro d’Italia.”
VeloNews recently posted an interview with Vincent Hendricks, the team mechanic for Rabobank who quickly jumped from the car and presented Menchov with a new bike allowing him to reduce the potential time loss and retain his overall lead in the Giro.

.Today was the last stage of the ’09 Giro and Menchov held a slight lead over Di Luca coming into the final time trial. Menchov is the last rider out on the course, a course with cobbles that are wet from periodic rain. With 1km to go, Menchov hits the deck. Knowing how important every second is to his rider, the team mechanic is out the door and pulling the spare bike off the roof before the car has stopped. Menchov barely has time to pick up his bike before the new bike arrives. He jumps on, the mechanic provides a great push and Menchov is able to save his race.
Though we don’t condone jumping out of the car, this was very smooth. He was even able to get the door closed during the process.
Check out the whole …

Day late and much sleep (at least a dollars worth) short

We left Northern Milan Monday morning. Vincent M. and I were to take the camper back to Brakel and, on the way, take one rider to the airport. Our camper started to shake and we knew something was wrong. We stopped 400 m shy of the airport exit. Felt like a flat tire. We checked and it was indeed a flat tire. But there was worse news. FOUR of the 6 lug nuts had broken off. Sheared! The two lug nuts remaining were less than finger tight.

Lucky for our rider an elderly couple stopped and asked if we needed help. We asked them if they could take our rider to the airport to make his flight. They actually happened to be going to the airport also so they obliged. What …

Cluster F%$k and the real hunting day

What a finish. The Giro is over and I am in Milan. How cool is that. But It is not vacation time as the race just ended and it is total chaos. We take the deviation and park by the bus. Riders finish and get showered on the bus and get a bite to eat. Nick is at the hotel with the truck waiting for us and I see Craig and Sean pull by us. No need for them to stop here, so we send them to the hotel ASAP. So, it is up to me to load the bikes and get the timing chips off the bike and to Lorenzo to take back to the organizer. But Lorenzo hands them to me and asks if I can take them. I have no clue …