Team Sky's service course

A few weeks back I had the opportunity to have a look around the Team Sky service course in Belgium. This is where all the bikes and equipment that Sky riders use is stored and prepared. It is, unsurprisingly, a substantial operation. With Sky riding high in the Tour de France, here's a rest day special...

28 riders, five bikes each, that's, er, 140? Yes. Lots.

Numbers

Lots of wheels, stored on wheeled racks that can be rolled straight onto the truck. These are the "all-rounder" wheels -- Sky use more traditional wheels for the cobbled Classics.

Each mechanic has his own tools and toolbox.

2013 Dura-Ace, meet Pinarello Dogma.

Chainrings aplenty.

Not even Sky's mechanics are sure how much tub cement they get through in a year. Lots and lots, though.

Sky's truck is the envy of the peloton. Built by the people who do Formula 1 transporters, the truck has slide-out sections both sides and acts as the mobile base for both mechanics and soigneurs.

Worra lotta bottles. 25,000 a season, apparently.

Cupboard of plenty.

Rocket sprockets.

Torque is cheap.

Team Sky's mission statement thing, as found on the top tube of the team bikes. Probably best not to read it while actually racing.

 Commercial Break

Visit the Team Sky shop at Wiggle.