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Team truck tour: Cannondale at the Giro

On the Giro's second rest day, we take a close look at the workshop that keeps the Cannondale team rolling throughout a grand tour.

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Rest — Cannondale mechanics washed, checked over, and made minor changes to the team’s arsenal of SuperSix Evos. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — Andrew Meo of Rocket Espresso Milano set up his mobile coffee stand outside one of the team hotels to ensure the riders were fully caffeinated before heading out on recovery rides. Meo, who owns Rocket Espresso, is a former World Cup mountain biker and supports an assortment of pro and development riders through Rocket Espresso. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — Shade is a key component for the mechanics hard at work. The bus awning and rear door open up to keep them cool for a long day of work. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — Bikes are mounted to the truck’s wall rack for safe travels across Italy. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — Cannondale mechanics said they’ve glued and over 100 tubular tires in preparation for the Giro. Many of these have already been mounted to the spare wheels hanging from the truck walls but others dangle in the back, waiting for action. Luckily, there are still plenty of tires still hanging, meaning Cannondale riders haven’t had many punctures. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — Cannondale rides Mavic’s skinny, 22-millimeter SSC Yksion Griplink tubular tires. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — Wheels, and wheels, and more wheels hang from the truck’s walls. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — Spare bikes are kept safe inside the Cannondale truck and then transferred to the follow car roof racks before the start each morning. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — Charging systems are a relatively new addition to the mechanics’ trucks but are necessary now that electronic drivetrains are a mainstay in the peloton. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — An assortment of chainrings hang from the wall for quick changes in case a rider asks for something different to tackle the upcoming stage. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — Extra cassettes for any type of terrain the riders might face. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — Mechanics’ toolboxs are personalized workspaces that evolve over years of working on the road. Staying organized is key when working on all of these bikes, wheels, and components throughout the three-week tour. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — After riders returned from an easy morning spin, Cannondale’s army of SuperSix Evo bikes were washed, checked over, and then tucked away for the rest of the day. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — Always on hand, the bike scale hangs from the ceiling so mechanics can check that each bike remains UCI-legal (6.8 kilograms) after any changes are made. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — The bus’s hidden compartments store necessary equipment like a power washer, air compressor, and all the degreasers and detergents needed to keep the team’s bikes squeaky clean. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — The bikes weren’t the only equipment getting some extra attention on the rest day. Team cars were washed and cleaned out for another frantic week of following in the race caravan. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — Grand tours mean long days and longer weeks for the team staff. Keeping everyone fed is important for a successful tour. Rest days are the perfect time for grocery runs to keep the mechanic’s truck stocked with snacks. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — Italy is full of tasty snacks and treats. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — Fresh fruits and healthy snacks are also important. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — The team truck not only houses the bike and equipment, but it also has a kitchen equipped with sink, microwave, fridge, cupboards, and a washer and dryer. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — A cupboard full of musettes. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — On to the team bus, where riders are transported to and from the race, Cannondale’s bus driver was making lunch for some of the staff thanks to the full sized fridge located on the team bus. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — Coffee makers are on board the team bus for those last-minute caffeine kicks before kitting up for the race. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — Cannondale’s helmets were clean and ready to be put away after Stage 8’s Chianti time trial. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — Helmets are tucked away in all sorts of places. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — The rider’s seats are up front, and the back of the bus is more for organization. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — Each rider gets his own seat and storage compartment on the bus. Some are neater than others. This is Uran’s spot. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — The bus driver adds a little country flair to his daunting driving duties. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

Rest — Orica – GreenEdge was sharing the same hotel as Cannondale and the team’s staff were busy working on bikes, doing laundry, and restocking the cooler. Photo: Kristen Legan | VeloNews.com

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