The bus is leaving

Giro Stage # 3
Up at 6:45
Breakfast: 7:15
Suitcases out: 9:45
Depart for race:10:30 (10k transfer)
Today the place where we park and unload the bikes is in a school parking lot. It’s pretty hot this morning and it is only about 11:00 or so. Since the race course is the main roads for quite a while we had to get everything ready so the bus could leave. Things like getting race bikes off the cars and ready for the riders. The directors have the morning tactical meeting (they only do this at the start when the bus is not moving). The soigneurs getting bottles on the bikes. The riders getting food for the first part of the stage. Carrying enough till the feed zone or when they can come back to the car for more food. Soigneurs getting the rider radios set up and checked.
All this usually needs to be done in the hour that precedes the start. But today with the course being the main road out of here, all busses planned on leaving before the start so they could make way to the finish without interruptions. So it was a bit of a hurry up to get all those things done. Normally it is pretty darn relaxed before the start for us (and all teams for that matter).
Unfortunately last night the Liberty truck got broken into. The thieves stole all the riders rain bags and a plain (undecaled) team car. Rain bags are bags each rider prepares to be put in the caravan car. Each rider has different preferences but usually put things like a rain jacket, vest, gloves, spare shoes or what ever they think they need. That oddly enough is more important than the car. They can figure out how to deal without the car but without certain spare cycling gear it could be stressful. Fortunately the forecast is sunny and warm for a few more days at least.
A media person also had some items stolen from her car. Her bike was taken and most if not all of her camera gear. That sucks!!!
Other teams at our hotel tonight: Liberty Siguros, Quickstep