The Lotto Soudal service course Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Team car aside, there's little to give away the location Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Most of one wall is given over to bikes, with Ridley Dean TT machines on top and Helium SLs on the bottom, along with the odd Noah SL Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
The bikes are staggered for space efficiency Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
As we saw at Paris-Roubaix, the odd rider prefers non-sponsor equipment, like this de-logoed Specialized Power saddle Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
A weighing scale hangs from the high ceiling by an old bike chain – essential equipment to make sure the bikes are UCI compliant Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Along from the bikes, this rack is a cornucopia of carbon Campagnolo delights… Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
...while another rack holds the TT disc wheels Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
With all these wheels come wheel bags, which aren't really needed in the course of normal team activities Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
There's a glut of quick release skewers too Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
This Ridley Dean TT bike needs its rear brake setting up Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
The mechanics are cyclists too, as evidenced by their well-used looking bikes leaning against a wall Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Some of the mechanics' tools are straight off the shelf, some look more home-grown Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
High-end T-handle wrenches are a feature of many a pro mechanic's toolkit Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
There are few problems that can't be solved with lube, superglue, gaffer tape or bungee cords… Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
...and if all else fails, there's always the "service spray" Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
There are roughly three and a half truing stands on this table, and a vice Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
A pile of fresh tubs in the corner, along with some random rims Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Notable items in the rubbish include: chains, cables, tins of tubular glue, and broken Mavic Reflex tubular rims Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
A heap of worn and part-worn tyres. Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Some more random wheels... Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
...including some seriously old Mavics. We speculate that the tape is to preserve the layer of glue. Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
The all-important bike setup jig - there's another one in the truck that goes to races Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Every rider's vital statistics is included in this handy chart for bike setup purposes Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
One of the bikes being worked on carries a very familiar name Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Another nook houses riders' kit, with regular helmets and clothing on the left and TT helmets on the right Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Pro teams consume immense quantities of soft drinks and bottled water – this is only about half of the total amount stored Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Another area is set aside for the goody bags destined for VIPs Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Although the second title sponsor has changed, Lotto Belisol memorabilia isn't hard to find. Note the washing machines, essential for kit cleaning Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Lotto Soudal - live your dream Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
As riders and mechanics come and go, the one constant is administrator and organiser Sara, who is only occasionally allowed out of the service course Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
In a dingy warehouse somewhere in Belgium, two mechanics are working away quietly. Bikes and wheels line one wall, with more racked up in the middle of the space. Welcome to the Lotto Soudal service course, the equipment hub of a WorldTour team that’s more Belgian than crosswinds and cobbles.
The two men go about their business in an oasis of light at the back of the building, surrounded by tables of tools and piles of new and used bike components. BikeRadar took a wander round and had a delve through their rubbish – click on the gallery above to get a taste of what keeps a pro team ticking over.
Matthew Loveridge (formerly Allen) is BikeRadar's former senior writer, an experienced mechanic, and an expert on bike tech who appreciates practical, beautifully-engineered things. Originally a roadie, he likes bikes and kit of every type, including gravel bikes and mountain bikes, and he's tested a huge variety of all three over the years for BikeRadar, Cycling Plus, Cyclist.co.uk and others. Alongside his writing, he runs a cycling-friendly holiday cottage in the Forest of Dean. He looks like he should be better at cycling than he actually is, and he's ok with that.
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