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Pssst! The latest insider news: The team behind Team MILRAM – 15 hours a day for the wheels to run.
05/03/2025
Without the team behind the team the stars wouldn’t be that successful. It is the mechanics and physios who make the wheels run and the muscles relax. The mechanics and physios are the first to get up in the morning and the last to go to sleep in the evening. „Usually we get up at seven,“ Sven Grundmann, Team MILRAM mechanic, says. „First we have breakfast, then we go to the material lorry.“ There we prepare the bikes for the race, do little reparations and equip the material cars that accompany the race. At the same time the physios prepare the food for the pros, fill numerous bottles and cool bags with drinks and finally load the baggage.
The calmest part of the day is actually the way from the hotel to the start. „The departure depends on the time of the start, usually between ten and eleven a.m.,“ Grundmann says. While a part of our team drives directly to the finish in order to move into the new hotel and to prepare everything for the riders’ arrival, everybody else drives to the start. „There, only little things are to be done at the most,“ Grundmann continues.
All the more stressful is the ride during the race. There, the mechanic is the man for all events and the sport director’s right hand. „We note the numbers for the sport director that come via the wireless, we hand the food and drink to the riders and of coures we’re always ready to repair defects – if possible during the ride – and to change wheels as soon as possible,“ Grundmann tells.
When the riders are having their showers and massages at the end of the stage, the most stressful part of the day begins for the mechanics. Grundmann: „Then, all the bikes are cleaned, checked and repaired, so that everything is well prepared for the next stage or race. The efforts’ wages: the team’s success also pays off for the mechanics. At Team MILRAM, the team behind the team receives a part of the bonus. „The rate differs from team to team,“ Grundmann says.
The wages also depend from the team and the mechanic. „That’s a matter of negotiation,“ Grundmann says. Most machanics have an annual contract. The largest part of the year they spend en route. „I have up to 200 travelling days,“ Grundmann tells. This comes up to 130 racing days, the rest is spent for travelling and necessary preparations on location. If you spend so much time with the team, the atmosphere is of central importance of course. „But there is no problem in our team,“ Grundmann says. „It’s very familial there.“ Of course there is the one or other discussion. „But this is pretty normal and part of everything.“ What counts is the result. And this the pros know to appreciate. For without the team behind the team it would be difficult to win for Erik Zabel and co.
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