When you wish to ride with a Racer or Team of Racers it is important to find the “Main Man” and ask their permission. Of course they could say no ! That, is their prerogative, they are out for training and really need to relax and enjoy their colleagues company also you are an unknown and perhaps a danger. They do not know how you will react in an emergency. Being hit from the rear can disrupt their day, even worse you go down and take others with you!
Case in point was a rest day in Bordeaux with the tour. In the morning I was riding with US Postal. I got to rag Salvodelli about the Italian Diving Team playing the Aussie soccer team in the World Cup Going down the road I spotted the Lampre Team so I did a quick U turn and rode with them for a while of course I was well known so they were up for the banter. Further down the road i then joined another team, Team Telecom and returned with them to the hotel area. After lunch I spotted Stuey on his way out so I galloped up alongside. He was on the mp3, when I caught his attention I asked and he said he would rather listen to the music so I left him to enjoy the ride in peace.
Mentioned before that I rode training with “Jaffa”, Freire and Garate at Monaco. I asked the guys to go easy on me as they were “fooling around” in the city area, sprinting then slowing down looking around then going full bore up the slopes. Well I don’t get up the hill as quickly as they when the muscles are cool and that day was overcast and chilly . After about ½ hr I was happy for them to get on at their training pace as they were going around the Time Trial route which I had done several times by then and was aware that I would get smoked.
When Kelme was riding the Vuelta one year I was at Jaen for the rest day. I had checked in and was welcomed. Along the route we were joined by some good local riders they continually separated me from the team and as I didn’t know the dynamics I put up with having to chase back to the back of the team. After a while the leader dropped back to the “locals” said some things and then told me to go to the front to ride tempo for a while. As the ride progressed the locals dropped out and we pulled up at a service station café for drinks . We then carried on ,caught and passed the locals then there was another café stop. On the way back I started out in the middle of the pack but soon found myself struggling to maintain the pace. After a while a team car draughted me back into the pack at the top of a climb. I arrived back in Jaen with a lot of ribaldry from the guys.
The Thursday starting at Strasbourg I was riding in towards the Start/Permanence area when Euskatel was riding out for training, they called out to me so I turned and caught up with them. The ride took us west into a variety of climbs. There was another Aussie there and he was able to draught most of the climbs but I was struggling on the last so the team car gave me an assist for the last part of the climb. When we reached the top there was a racer waiting to pull me back to the group. The descents were easier as I am heavier and it was only when we got closer to Strasbourg they decided to practice Team Time Trial on the final part of the route into their hotel.
Liege one year the start of the ride was with the Lotto team but as the pace quickened and then started up a strong climb I gave up the chase as I saw another team heading back into town. Enjoyed chatting to Ciaran Power for a while as the other AG2R racers were mostly French and whilst I can muddle through it is harder when you are struggling for breathe. Later as the weather changed I found myself riding to the “Permanence” in heavy rain with the Euskadi team. We were crossing tram tracks at a quick tempo and on a tangent so I was glad to be at the back as I was expecting trouble at any moment. It was almost impossible to see the racer in front let alone the road surface because the sunnies were fogged up and the rain and water off the tyres were splattering into the eyes.
Another year we had a rest day in Pau, I went out with Team Telecom towards the west and after an hour the weather started to look iffy. When the first drops arrived the guys decided that the hotel was a good idea and so the main group with me in tow started back. The tempo got to be pretty quick and hanging in was getting difficult. As I was losing touch the team car came past with Jan and others in tow. Well I tried to get on but just as I was feeling the draught a local who was on pulled across with chain problems and left us both floundering, I got back to the hotel well behind the others but luckily the rain storm did not arrive.
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For many years I have tried to ride the Rest days with the team wearing the Principle Jersey, so at Limoges I rode out to Raymond Poulidor’s village with Tomo Voekler. With Cunego and Simoni in the Giro d’italia and Carlos Sastre and Roberto Heras in the Vuelta. Many times there are media there so it is necessary to try to stay out of the picture, even riding behind the team car on occasions. When they get too far behind ,playing catch up can be a long tiring ride. On rest days for the teams I sometimes find I am riding more kilometres than on a race etappe. Gets to be a long day when you go from the day before’s finish through the night to be there in time to join the ride . Even worse when the weather is adverse as happened in Montpelier one time when I hooked up with CSC. Getting there was during a rain storm but it blew through before the team started down the road. Many times I ride the etappe in the rain and watch the race on Tv and see the racers in sunshine, timing is everything.
Many more memories at a later date. I feel like the “Professor” in his study with you acting as “Harry Potter” ,pouring memories into a bowl for us all to relive.
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