A soignees live
We just went thru the first four stages of the An Post Ras. That means we’re half way.
I have to admit that I had a great job compared to what the riders got to do. Fighting against a 90km per hour headwind along the Atlantic Ocean coast line is an enormous task. A battle in rain and wind against the nature. I don’t think a pro soccer player would survive this. My opinion? Cycling is sport, soccer is a game. You do not agree? Try it out! Some of these climbs in a hectic storm weather look like a mixture of the Belgian spring classics (rain coming down buckets full and wind blowing that hard that you cannot wear a cap, I’ve lost mine by the way. Probably a fish is swimming around with it in the ocean) and the Tour de France (seen some nice walls to climb).
What this got to do with soignees you think. Well for example the young woman (in her 20s) wakes up around 6.30.She goes for a daily run of about one hour and comes back for a shower and a quick breacky. That is about all she does for herself that day! Next job is jumping in a car and go shopping, dead easy of course if you do so in your home town, but more difficult is you are in Castletownbere in the County of Cork somewhere in Ireland. Looking for ham, cheese, fruit, sweets or Vegemite is not easy at all; you can lose a lot of time if you don’t know where to go. Also important are bread rolls. In Ireland it is very normal to walk in a shop or supermarket at 8am and they still have to bake the rolls. Anyway, after getting this, race back to the hotel and prepare the rolls for the staff, and the riders (they need them after the race). I can say they are delicious. Ham, cheese, rucola salad and pesto, is a great combination. She scored high points in the rider’s room with the Vegemite jar! A big yeaaah from the boys. (most of them are Aussies, and I like the stuff too). I was happy to get some orders from Sarah! I had to make the drinks (a job that saved her a bit of time), but remember usually she does that as well. I only jump in at the European Tour. At the moment we have only rainy days which means we only prepare 40 up to 50 bottles per stage. This is enough for 5 riders. Next is loading the cars. Eski’s (Sarah is a Kiwi) and food bags all at their place. Ok we’re off to the start line. Putting all the bottles in the right bikes. One rider likes it sweet, another wants it a bit salty others plain water etc…Don’t get wrong, the boys don’t like it! Extra food is prepared for the riders.
As soon as the race is on, you would think, stress is over. No way, we jump in the car. GPS set for the feed zone. We race to stay before the bunch. It would be great to find the feed zone right in front of a coffee shop. Today in the fourth stage we are lucky. On top of a mountain, a stormy wind, raining and no shelter! Freezing cold to! Isn’t this the end of May? Not to believe, some smart Irish lad builds a coffee shop on top of Moll’s Gap. Wonderful. Handing out feedbags and bottles and back in the van driving like hell down the hill, taking a shortcut to get to our hotel before the riders. We hoped to bring all the suitcases in the rooms so the riders could find all their gear without too much delay. Nah, police always thinks different. Our B&B was 1km behind the finish line and they wouldn’t let us go thru. Sarah and later, myself argued but a no was the “Garda’s” answer.
Sarah then waits for the riders to come in with rain jackets and drinks at the finish line, at the same time giving directions towards the hotel or B&B. As soon as we arrive at the accommodation she starts giving the boys a well deserved massage, that takes about 30 minutes per rider. By the time she finished this job it is time for dinner. A shower and sometimes a quick drink in the bar and her day is over. In the mean time I have washed and cleaned the bottles and the protein shakers for her and refilled them with water for the next day. If I am not there that is also her job!
You call this an easy job? No way. There is no such a job in a professional cycling team that is easy. Being in a tour looks fun, don’t misunderstand it is fun but hard work too. But the fun is made by the people in the team. With a great bunch of good riders, a top mechanic and a DS who knows to run the show and If you’re on the road like a family, like the Drapac team, it is great.
O and didn’t I forget the soignée?? She deserves the flowers after the race!
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