AFRICA’S TEAM
TEAM
LOGISTICS
The other numbers game
ith a squad of 27 riders
and a complement of 45
permanent staff members,
it is fair to say that keeping
Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka’s
racing and training programmes going
requires military-like precision. And
according to the team’s Partnership
and Netherlands Country Manager,
planning and preparation only increase
when it comes to a race like the Tour.
“There is a lot of work that goes
on behind the scenes,” says Patrick
Baransky almost understatedly. “While
a Grand Tour forms part of our regular
calendar, it does require extra staff
and vehicles. Add in the fact that we
run dual programmes (Le Tour runs
concurrently with the seven-day Tour
of Austria) and it is fair to say our
resources do get stretched. So clear
planning and communication is key.”
Like any professional cycling team,
the service course (cycling parlance
for warehouse) is effectively the central
hub. And Africa’s Team is no different.
Its storage headquarters is located in
the southern Netherlands.
“Our service course is ideally placed
when it comes to location,” explains
Baransky. “Apart from bicycles and
equipment, our entire vehicular fleet
is also based out of there. With all the
racing going on plus Le Tour coming
up, it’s a hive activity.”
While numbers in cycling are mostly
W
Africa’s Team are now riding BMC bicycles.
associated with power outputs and
average speeds, they also play a role
when it comes to keeping the show
on the road. What then are some key
metrics when it comes to Tour de
France logistical metrics?
“A Tour team of eight riders
requires up to 21 staff members,”
says Baransky. “This equates to
an approximate ratio of three staff
per rider across the spectrum of
mechanical, medical and other support
functions. There is also a larger
human interest to manage, what with
sponsors, partners and dignitaries
all in attendance. Then there are the
vehicles required, around nine in total.
This includes the team bus, one lorry,
six team cars, a Mercedes Sprinter van,
as well as a kitchen truck for our team
chef. Each of our vehicles will rack
up over 10 000km during Le Tour, a
combined mileage of 100 000km being
a conservative estimate.”
As Baransky goes on to explain, the
added facility of a Sprinter van really
comes into its own when replenishing
key supplies. “The smaller van is critical
for equipment drop-offs. For example,
while drinking bidons are lightweight,
they also take up a lot of room. So we’ll
assign an initial batch of 2 000 bidons
to the Tour, then bring in another 1 000
midway through.”
“Then there are the bikes and
equipment. We generally work to a figure
of five bikes per rider, with an extra time
trial machine for a time trial specialist or
overall contender. We also bring along 80
wheelsets in total. Needless to say that
our lorry is licensed to carry 14 tons and
is at maximum load throughout Le Tour.”
And what about moving between
stages? What do transfer times look like?
“Travel at a Grand Tour is a major factor
to take into account,” says Baransky.
“So we are always working ahead. Riders
can expect transfer times of between
1-2 hours pre- and post-race,
sometimes longer. But that all depends
on the location of the race hotels. And
if one considers the penultimate stage
of the 2019 Tour that finishes in Lyon,
the entire team operation needs to be
moved over 500km by road to Paris that
very evening.” ●
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