A Caja Rural-Seguros RGA mechanic at work. Cool as ice Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
The Caja Rural-Seguros RGA mechanics' bus Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Quick adjustments before a final pre-race training ride Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Caja-Rural doesn't have an offical shoe sponsor so the riders wear a variety of shoes. Omar Fraile seems to have a friend at Giro Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
There's no sense of panic as one of Basque rider Amets Txurruka's bikes gets some attention Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
This mechanic seems to have a lot of faith in the strength of Rotor's chainring teeth Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Another stand, another bike, with fresh tape half-applied Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
According to Portuguese rider Ricardo Vilela's Garmin, it's 31.6 degrees C. At 10am! Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Here, another bike gets a fresh gear cable Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
We know you love tools – here are some tools! Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
"Handwaschpaste" seems fairly self-explanatory Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
More tasty tools from our favourite blue tool company Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
This steerer cutting guide suggests someone's been building fresh framesets up Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
More tools, and a discarded chain to boot Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Part of looking pro is always riding a clean bike – must be nice? Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
While we were loitering, the mechanics rigged up a scale in this doorway to check bike weights. The new SL is so light it's been causing some head scratching? Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
These weights were being considered to bring bikes up to the 6.8kg mininum. It was noticeable that many were already fitted with relatively heavy alloy finishing kit Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Inside the bus, one side is devoted to Fuji Norcom TT bikes Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
The other side is Transonics, Altamiras, and the new SL Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
This Ultegra training clincher looked a little lonely Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Fresh tubulars are stuffed in this shelf space Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
A wall rack holds every Rotor ring permutation a pro needs Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
No big deal, just a holdall full of Dura-Ace cassettes Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Fuji's wheel brand Oval uses Reynolds rims, and when the supply doesn't come through, sometimes they simply re-sticker Reynolds own wheels Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
If something doesn't fit right, you can always grind it Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
A selection of wheels fills one end of the bus, some with tyres glued, some without Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Turbo trainers for warming up line the wall Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
In a separate compartment, one of the team staff is making rice cakes for the riders… Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
…perfect for starving cyclists Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
An essential appliance for all that filthy Lycra Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
The bus's cargo space is mostly filled with drinks Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Next to the bus, the bike setup jig is ready Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
We switch bikes constantly at BikeRadar – one of these would be so useful Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
In the riders' own bus, the team green is everywhere. Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
This aero helmet cover wouldn't be our choice for Spain's sweltering heat Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Even the towels are green! Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
Like many teams, Caja Rural is sponsored by Skoda Matthew Allen / Immediate Media
The final Grand Tour of 2015 is about to get under way and it's got the makings of a good one, with some heavy hitters out to prove themselves. It's the last chance at glory for those who've had a disappointing season so far, and it's also a hugely important opportunity for the five wildcard entries that will race alongside the 17 World Tour teams over the next three weeks.
Spanish Pro Continental team Caja Rural-Seguros RGA is one of those five, and we had a nose round the outfit's vehicles as the team was preparing to roll out for one last training ride the morning before the Vuelta begins. Faced with the immense logistical challenge that supporting nine pros over 3357km of racing presents, there was no particular sense of tension or anxiety – despite our best efforts to get in the way.
Take a look at the huge gallery above for an insight into what keeps a pro team on the road.
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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