Greig Leach

The mechanics that ride in the team cars are called upon to perform all sorts of repairs in all sorts of circumstances, most involve leaning way out of a moving car's window to fiddle with parts on a moving bicycle. How they don't lose fingers in the bladed aerodynamic spokes I'll never know. Sebastien Langeveld's (Garmin Sharp) mechanic leaned out to pin the racing bib back on more tightly. The racers can obsess about all kinds of things and a flapping racing bib would even be on my list of annoyances. There are times when a rider simply needs a brief respite and will hold onto the car while the mechanic fiddles for the eyes of the cameras and the referees alike. All is fair in love, war and bike racing. Although the ASO has quite a long list of do's and don'ts, a case in point that Andrew Talansky was penalized ten seconds for drafting off of his team car. No big deal since he finished twenty eights minutes behind the stage winner Tony Gallopin (Lotto-Belisol).