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Wrenchin' in the USA: The Chris Davidson diary 2005

Chris Davidson is a mechanic for Shimano Multi-Service doing neutral tech support at road and mountain bike races..

Chris' diary entries show us what life is like inside the pits and give an insight into the mind of a mechanic.

Index to all entries

World Championships - Spain, September 27, 2005

Final day at World's and the post race travel

Greetings Cyclingnews readers, I join you from the USACycling U23 house in Izegem, Belgium on part of my trip home. It's been a long 48 hours, so here goes:

The men’s bikes wait
Photo ©: Chris Davidson
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Woke up for the men's race on Sunday and was assigned to the pit box at the start/finish. A rather low stress day for me, as Ken Whelpdale and Geoff Brown would have duty in the caravan car. Nice weather as we left the hotel before the sun was up. The story of the race for us was Saul Raisin [Credit Agricole]. He made his way across to the leader early in the race and stayed away until two laps to go. An amazing ride.

Late in the day when the action was heating up, all the video monitors in the team tents went black, save the German tent. Quickly the line to watch the race from the German tent was huge. Germany was next to us in the tent village, so quickly our riders were peaking around the dividers to see the action. The race organisation got the monitors fixed for the last half lap, so we could see the finish of the race coming at us.

Fast Freddie gets ready
Photo ©: Chris Davidson
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The finish was exciting; the Belgium tent was just two tents away and erupted with the result. Well deserved. As soon as the race was done and our riders were taken care of, I jumped into the truck for a 20 hour drive to Izegem and the US U23 house. We really did not sleep on the way, just kept the hammer down and got here at 3pm local time. Then we unpacked the truck from the Italy/Spain trip and I got to go for an hour road ride. I stayed on the bike paths and rode from Izegem through a couple of towns to Kuurne and back. Grey and overcast the whole way, must be summer in Belgium - I'd hate to think of February.

The only other person in the house with me is Tyler Farrar. He leaves for the US tomorrow on the same flight with me. He got a new bike from Codifis today to take home for training; I got a shot of it. I need some sleep, I start the 14 hours of flying early tomorrow morning - home and then Las Vegas.

I hope that the photos I took make up for the lack of text. Rest up,

Chris Davidson

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Chris Davidson