Working on bikes at the Tour Down Under can get a little cramped (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
One very cool pre-set torque wrench (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
The test of a professional - In the afternoons, mechanics work in booths while the public is there to watch (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Many mechanics leave their bigger tool boxes at home and travel with lighter tool bags (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Every mechanic would clean the wheels and tyres with a sponge - once dry, the tyres are thoroughly checked for cuts and wear (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
A clean bike is a fast bike (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Adjusting the brake on a Trek Madone. Most Trek Factory Racing riders were actually on the Domane (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Three WorldTour teams are on Specialized for 2015 (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Dressed just like Tinkoff-Saxo, some of the police help control the race courses while on bicycles (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
These roof ornaments are an iconic sight at the Tour Down Under (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
A tiny piece of electrical tape with a hole in it is used to stop a valve rattling within the rim (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Chain lube is forced through the rollers with a bit of help. This also helps the mechanic feel for imperfections in the chain, such as a bent link (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Team Sky car #1 ready to roll out (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Marcel Kittel meets some fans before a stage start (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
The Australian fans were out in force to see Cadel Evans racing one last stage race (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Knowing the key points of the race is crucial. It's common for riders to have this written on their stems - especially if a stage win is the plan (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Race radios are a crucial part of modern racing (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Cannondale-Garmin talk race strategy before stage two (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Often the spare bikes don't have power meters - as shown on this Ettix-Quickstep spare (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Rupert Guinness interviews Adam Hansen (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Cannondale-Garmin's Moreno Moser looking very ready to race (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
That Garmin isn't going anywhere… (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Andy Riis, the owner of BMC Bicycles is a common sight at the big races. He was likely in Australia to see Cadel Evans compete in his last stage race (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Team car boots are packed with spares for riders - Team Sky's was very well organised (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Going off the bottom bracket gives a very accurate dimension to ensure such things as saddle setback and saddle height are correct (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
A bike fitting tool for the professionals. Most teams have some form of these precision tools, although not all bring them to Tour Down Under (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Floor pumps get a real workout every day - this Lezyne has had it's head chopped of (and replaced) (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
The sweaty weather of the Tour Down Under means even helmets get a good wash (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
A standard Garmin mount being put to good use on this Canyon one-piece handlebar/stem (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Jesse from Drapac has made this very early prototype (ie, it's the only one) used specially for adjusting brake levers to exact positions (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Craig from Orica-GreenEdge showed us the team's 'Aussie travel spares box'. "Just about everything except a frame is in here as spares," he said (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
A tool box from a Movistar mechanic shows some serious Euro quality - including Beta and Knipex (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Things like chains are replaced at this point if needed (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Once bikes are washed, they are then handed to the other mechanic for drying, checking, adjusting and prep for the next day (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Neutral Service is provided by Shimano (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
The morning coffee queue (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
The Tour Down Under is unique in that it places all teams together in one giant marquee. Normally the teams have their own team buses and plenty more space to work (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
This strap tells a Campagnolo EPS battery to switch off (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
The Park Tools of Team Sky (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Bikes are cleaned and drivetrains lightly degreased every day (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
The tool bag of Jeff Crombie from Drapac. We spent a full day with Jeff while at the Tour Down Under - look out for a full feature soon (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Neutral Service is there to get riders going when team cars are not nearby (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Most teams have their own ways of mounting race numbers to bikes. A bolt-on mount is probably the most common (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
For minor cuts, super glue in the hole works just fine - WorldTour proven! (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Sometimes a tyre has a flat spot (from riders locking wheels) or severe puncture and the tyre must be chucked. In this case, it was quickest to cut the tyre from the rim (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Don't have a truing stand? Just pop the wheel on the outside of the dropout and use something like a ziptie as a gauge. This FDJ mechanic was cleaning the old glue from the rim (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Other teams manage to bring (or borrow) full-blown pro stuff (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
Most teams bring some form of basic truing stand with them - such as this Park Tool Home Mechanic model (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
We go behind the scenes at the Tour Down Under - the WorldTour's first race of the season (Image credit: David Rome / Immediate Media)
The Tour Down Under in Adelaide, Australia, is a unique event on the WorldTour calendar. It's the first event of the season, and the time when the public get to see what’s new, and when riders and staff catch up on who’s been doing what over the ‘break’.
It's also special because it throws all teams into one giant marquee tent, where they work side-by-side, in front of the public, without their trusted team trucks. Because of this, teams are forced to travel light, be resourceful and get the rare chance to talk shop with their industry friends from opposing teams while they work.
Scroll through our gallery above to walk through the pits and start lines, and to see the tools and tricks of the trade. For a complete look at all the bikes, see our recent WorldTour team bike gallery. And head to the main Tour Down Under page to see all our coverage in one place.
