The Unsung Heroes of Pro Cycling - Meet the Mechanics

CASTELLI Cycling Podcast

In the world of professional cycling, where the spotlight often shines on the riders conquering the grueling races, there exists a group of individuals working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure every pedal stroke is supported by a perfectly tuned machine. These unsung heroes are the mechanics, the wizards of the workshop who transform bikes into race-ready steeds capable of enduring the harshest conditions and most demanding terrains.

We chatted with Nicolas Coosemans, technical and development manager of Soudal Quick-Step to find out more about the life of a World Tour mechanic, his wildest fixes of all time, the evolution of bike equipment over the last decade, which riders are interested in bike maintenance, how quickly their mechanics can set up a bike, and more.

(Recorded in Calpe, Spain, December 14, 2023)

TOPICS DISCUSSED

00:00 Introduction

01:50 Nico’s Journey

07:19 What makes a good mechanic?

10:01 A Day In The Life Of A Pro-Mechanic

20:02 Tubes, Tubular or Tubeless?

21:16 Tire inserts and Extra Sealant for RBX

24:55 Grand Tour Custom Paint Job and Bar Wrap

26:48 Transition To Disc Brakes

28:58 Maintenance and Evolution of Bike Tech

38:32 Crashes, Broken Parts

39:48 UCI Safety Rules

43:18 Ending

– LINKS –

⁠Nicolas Coosemans⁠

Host: ⁠Soren Jensen⁠

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