Saturday, Oct. 11, 2003
A View of the Team Boxes
By Paul Gains, Hamilton 2003
An hour before the start of the junior road race officials are busy moving equipment and vehicles into place. Four vans bearing the decals of the 2003 World Road Cycling Championships, lie in wait. They will transport accredited photographers around the course, dropping them in locations where the lines of sight are most interesting and then bringing them back in time to shoot the finish.
Specially equipped motorcycles are prepped to carry two designated and highly experienced photographers: Graham Watson of England and Rob Jones, from Paris, Ontario who, when he is not courting danger, runs a website dedicated to cycling called canadiancycling.com
The riders themselves prepare. Some are riding up and down the hill in front of the start area while others sit in their team boxes which are vinyl covered tents lining Main Street for a full city block. Curious and enthusiastic spectators are lined up across the street watching their favourite riders and taking pictures.
Each national team has a tent on the road and they are marked by overhead signs designating their territory. Inside riders warm-up on rollers or receive a quick massage with various oils which protect the legs from cold weather. The Canadian team, for instance, has a sponsorship arrangement with 'SPORTSBALM' which manufactures oils for a variety of weather conditions.
Mechanics work on bikes at the same time and when they are done, hang them by their handle bars above the entrance to the tent. There are spare tires, rims and tool boxes. A few of the tents have electrical power and the mechanics have televisions providing a live feed from CBC, the host broadcaster.
The Italian team tent is actually three times the size of most others but then again they have possibly the largest contingent of riders, mechanics, soigneurs, attendants who cater to the individual riders doing such chores as applying massage oil, liniments and cream. After the race they will wash the oils off the riders' legs. The Italians, like many of the rich teams, even have their own chef who prepared breakfast for them two hours before their arrival on site. Behind the tents some of the teams have their own motorhomes where the riders can relax
The atmosphere, despite what has proven to be a very competitive world road cycling championship, is decidedly friendly with members of different national entourages laughing and joking with each other.
"It is very friendly. The juniors don_t know each other so well and haven't ridden together. But you will see tomorrow in the elite men's race, many of these riders are together all season in Europe. There is a lot of cooperation," says Tony , a coach of the South African team.
