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Wrenchin' in the USA: The Chris Davidson diary 2005
Chris Davidson is a mechanic for Shimano Multi-Service doing neutral tech support at road and mountain bike races..
Chris' diary entries show us what life is like inside the pits and give an insight into the mind of a mechanic.
Wachovia Liberty Classic, June 5, 2005
June 5 - Sunny Sunday
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Right now I am on a plane heading home to Salt Lake City. The past ten days have been a firestorm of travelling, racing and interacting with new people. Here are some random thoughts from the previous 24 hours.
The Night Before: The prep for Sunday morning went well; as I was going to sleep Saturday night it was an odd feeling to have all the team bikes at the foot of my bed, kinda like I was not done with working on them. The last couple of days have been long and combined with the 5:45 wake-up call; I had no problem falling asleep.
The Race: Sunday morning I was packing the car at the race hotel and I ran into an old friend, Butch Balzano. Butch has run a neutral technical support programme for longer than I have been wrenching. I worked for him a long time ago when his programme was under the 'Pedro's' banner, now it is under the 'Campagnolo' name. Butch is a truly great guy that loves what he is doing; he always has the positive word when you see him at the races. It was good to see him again.
The field was really large for the women's race, and that worried us a little bit. However, Petra's experience at this race, and the girls' current horsepower were the keys for us. The race started with a big crash on the first lap on the way out to Manyunck. We were fortunate that none of our riders were involved; however, this stretched out the caravan before the Wall, and once on the Wall, the field stretched even further. A dangerous break formed over the top and it only contained one of us, Oenone Wood. It was driven by T-Mobile and Webcor and quickly built a one minute gap. We needed to react right away. When the field reorganised on the descent, Petra decided to play two of our cards in order to bring back the break. Madeline Lindberg and Anke Wichmann went to the front for the entire next lap and brought the gap down to less than 20 seconds by the next time up the Wall. This was enough for Judith and Regina to get across on the climb and reform the break at the front.
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We now had our hopes pinned on Regina, Oenone and Judith in the front group. The rest of the race was cautious as this front group held a one minute gap on the chasers - in the end Judith tried to get away solo in the last 5km. T-Mobile brought her back twice. It was looking like a field sprint. One lap earlier Petra had forecasted that Ina would win, and instructed Regina and Oenone to key off her. In the end her prediction was right on and our girls were very close at the line. Regina may have won the race if it had been 10 metres further. We have no complaints; we put three riders in the final group of 15 and ended up with second, fourth and seventh in the final placings. But Nurnberger always comes to win.
A number of people have asked me what takes place in the team vehicle during the race - what specifically do I do. On a good day I do no mechanical stuff. On a bad day I have to get out of the car and swap bikes or wheels for riders that have had a mishap. This trip there was only one bad crash day for us. I did a quick bike change and that was it. Sunday in Philly there was one puncture for our riders, but at the time our car was so far back behind dropped riders that Mavic did the change. Most of what I do in the car is secretarial work. For this trip, Petra would run the radios that our riders have and I would run the race organisation radio [referred to as Radio Tour]. The races [Montreal and Philly] were supposed to be communicated in English and French, but a lot of the time in Canada info only came in French. Petra speaks German, English and Italian, and I speak English and French. So Petra would talk to our riders in German and English, and I would translate the race radio from French. I record riders' numbers in a break and keep up with the time splits, so Petra can relay this info to our riders. After the stage I usually have a marked up start list and a couple of other sheets of paper covered with notes. I also keep tabs on a small number of extra waterbottles, Cokes and bars/gels that we keep in the car for feeding riders. Usually the soigneur prepares a small bag of snacks for the director and me, to keep us happy for the duration of the stage. You have to watch the fluid consumption while in the race car; I usually try to drink very little the morning before a long stage, for obvious reasons.
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Post Race: Sunday night we were invited to a party at the home of the president of Fuji bikes in the US. Fuji are very excited to have the team racing here in Philly, and went out of their way to take care of us while we were in town. As a team staff member, it is always comforting to have some backup when you are travelling to a foreign place.
After the party it was time to head back to the hotel and pack the bikes for the flights home and abroad. The riders are leaving for a variety of places: Sweden, Germany, Spain, and Australia. The girls were generous and all signed a green points jersey from the stage race in Montreal for me. I had a little time to slip over to the Velonews party for a beer before heading back to the hotel to pack my clothes and tools for the trip home. Another late night and early morning.
Post Script: I have been very fortunate for the last 10 days. I have benefited from a wonderful opportunity to work with a very talented group of world's best women athletes. I have worked for an incredibly knowledgeable director. I have worked beside a very capable soigneur. Together we have achieved more than the sum of the individual parts, we have melted together the elements that make a team. A powerful thing to be a part of; I am grateful to Equipe Nurnberger.
Next up for me the racing visits my part of the country as NORBA, and then US Nationals are in Park City.
Go fast,
Chris Davidson
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Chris Davidson
- The Nurnberger race car ready to go on Sunday morning
- The bike of Fumyuki Beppu (Discovery Channel) waits for him on the morning of the USPRO race
- A Bontrager saddle with copper rivots? Hmmm...old school
- Lief Hoste's Discovery rig lays in waiting to be punished in Philly
- Philly sparkles before the start of the women's race
