Mechanics in the News
Its not often the race mechanics are in the lime-light. This month we found two print stories about race mechanics.
Velo, Oct 2011, page 94
A Day in Yellow
Caley Fretz spends some time with Mavic’s Neutral Support Program at the Tour including a day in the car with Freddy. Key points:
- talks about mechanics having two roles – providing mechanical support and the publicity caravan putting Mavic name and trademark yellow in front of millions on the roadside and on television.
- describes their equipment as older aluminum Cannondales with clip and strap pedals.
- describes what he calls pandemonium in the car with race radios, bottle handouts, cars and motos moving around, having to guess Shimano vs Campy and carbon versus alloy
- Talks about gapping wheels, though he calls it pre-setting
Paved, volume 2, number 2
Road Scholar
Bruce Hildebrand profiles BMC’s Ian Sherburne. Includes his racing background and how how he got into wrenching including the the mechanics clinic. Key quote: “what is most rewarding aspect of his job – having a good replationship with the riders”.
