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SPORTS Tuesday 17 July 2018
Cycling's 'servants' do the dirty work at Tour de France

By JOSEPH WILSON end of Stage 2 and Scully
Associated Press quickly led him back.
ROUBAIX, France (AP) — Spanish rider Imanol Erviti
Mouth gaping, his huge has more work than most
body bent over the bike, of his brethren.
Tim Declercq is doing the While the Tour's eight-rider
dirtiest job at the world's teams normally designate
most prestigious cycling one man as their leader,
race. Movistar says that Nairo
The 29-year-old Belgian Quintana, Alejandro Val-
cyclist is riding at the front verde and Mikel Landa all
of the pack, his 1.90-meter have free reign to go for
(6.2-feet) frame taking the the overall lead.
full brunt of headwinds, Erviti's hustle was key in
mile after long mile, day helping Landa recover lost
after day at the Tour de time after a fall on the cob-
France. blestones of Stage 9.
And he is loving every mo- "It changes things. You do
ment. the same job to help and
Declercq is what in cycling protect, but you have
is called a "domestique," three guys to keep an eye
French for "servant," which on," Erviti said. "It gives more
means a support rider who options for the team (.). But
knows he isn't fast enough In this Friday, July 13, 2018, image, Italy's Marco Marcato carries water bottles for his teammates it is a bit more stress for us."
to reach the finish line first. during the seventh stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 231 kilometers (143.5 miles) Beyond their work ethic,
Instead, he and his kind are with start in Fougeres and finish in Chartres, France, France. many domestiques share
tasked with humbly helping Associated Press the common story of young
their more talented team- riders who had to set aside
mates win the day's stage Declercq's job is to make "You don't build a team rest of the team. dreams of becoming stars
and compete for the glory sure that the daily bunch of with all good riders, you If a team leader has a me- and accept that laboring
of the Tour title. breakaway riders doesn't build a team with riders with chanical problem like a in the shadows was their
"It's what I was made for," get too far ahead. By set- different qualities," Steels punctured tire, the domes- way to be a professional
Declercq told The Associat- ting the pace, his Quick- told the AP. "You always tique must be ready to give cyclist. The payoff comes
ed Press this week. "I know Step team can also test have to have somebody him his own bike. when a teammate climbs
I am not explosive enough the fitness of rivals and try to do the dirty job." That "For the worker you got to onto the podium.
to be a team leader. But I to wear them down before job sometimes includes do your job all the time and Declercq has twice been
don't think that is a shame. I unleashing their top riders joining a breakaway so there is not much glory in able to enjoy stage wins by
have found what I am best at the end of the stage. the team has a rider in the it," said Tom Scully, a New sprinter Fernando Gaviria
at. I still do what I love to "When you start at kilome- front bunch, or using one's Zealand rider for EF Educa- at this Tour after spend-
do." ter zero almost knowing you body— like Declercq's— to tion First said. "You have to ing many a mile keeping
During the Tour's first week, are going to go 150 kilome- shield the team's top riders know where your leader is Quick-Step in charge of the
Declercq could regularly ters, and if you are going from winds that make them at all the time. If he stops, race.
be seen the head of more to do it alone, it's mentally spend valuable energy. you stop." "That makes the victory
than 160 riders as they hard to keep pushing, keep Then there are the inglo- Scully had to jump into even sweeter," Declercq
rolled through the green pushing," Declercq said. rious chores of dropping action to make sure that said. "I really killed myself
hills and wheat fields of For Quick-Step sports direc- back to the team car to Rigoberto Uran, the 2017 two or three times, and if
northern France. tor Tom Steels, having a rid- load up on water bottles, Tour runner-up behind Chris then you can bring home
Slow in sprints, but good er like Declercq is key to a food and, in rain or cold, Froome, didn't lose time the bacon, then that's a re-
at the steady, long haul, balanced team. jackets to distribute to the when he crashed near the ally, really nice."q

Froome happy as Tour de France heads for the mountains

By CIARAN FAHEY Greg Van Avermaet be- incline of 11.2 percent.
Associated Press fore the first Alpine stage “It’s a tough stage. It will
ANNECY, France (AP) — on Tuesday. Van Aver- definitely start shaping the
Chris Froome believes the maet is not expected to GC,” Froome said of the
mountains will reveal the be a threat in the moun- general classification. Sky
true Tour de France con- tains, and Froome sug- teammate Geraint Thom-
tenders as he looks for- gested the Belgian “will as is second overall, 0:43
ward to the first of three find it difficult to hang on behind Van Avermaet,
grueling stages in the Alps. tomorrow. It’s a proper meaning the team has
“I’m feeling good and op- climbers stage.” After an two viable options to claim
timistic about the upcom- opening week of relatively the yellow jersey over the
ing stages,” the four-time flat routes, the first signifi- second week of the three-
champion said on Mon- cant ascents begin with week Tour. “The team
day, the Tour’s first rest four categorized climbs around us is such a ca-
day. Froome, who is eighth as well as the punishing pable group of guys, and Britain’s Chris Froome, rides in the pack during the eight
overall after nine stages, is Montee du plateau des we’re really going to be stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 181 kilometers
(112.5 miles) with start in Dreux and finish in Amiens, France,
1 minute, 42 seconds be- Gileres, which features a coming into our element Saturday, July 14, 2018.
hind yellow-jersey holder six-kilometer climb at an now in the mountains.”q Associated Press