Saunier Duval - Prodir Training Camp & Team Launch Diary
17th - 20th January, 2007
by Ed Hood

Day 1 ; Day 2 : Day 3 : Day 4 : Postscript

Day 1 - Wednesday 17th January, 2007

The alarm goes at 03.45, and it’s almost painful. Davie arrives bang-on 04.45 and we’re off to Glasgow in the Peugeot, the roads are a bit slippery and Dave makes things more interesting by driving with dipped head lights all the time; even when there’s nothing coming in the opposite direction. "My eyes are so good that if it wasn’t for the fact other cars need to see us, I’d drive with no lights.” For sure, Dave – it’s always a relief to jump out of the 405 and still be alive.

Easyjet, why isn’t old Stelios in the Guinness Book of Records for the most folk you can get on an aeroplane? Malaga, my first time in southern Spain, I’ve driven the whole of the northern coast and been to Madrid, Barcelona and Saragossa many times, but never the Costa del Sol.

The Saunier Duval team chose Estepona for their launch and short camp, partly because very hard hills are only 30 minutes away!

Now I know what people mean when they say that Spain will be fine when it’s finished; there are building sites everywhere. The road to Estepona is a tad wild; every car in Spain seems to have at least one panel caved-in. This is ex-pat country, every other shop has the word ‘English’ on the sign, and either that or it’s an ‘Irish pub’ – why doesn’t everyone just stay at home?

Yeah, I know, it’s the weather, which really is great – you can drive with the car windows open without any problem. I spot a Saunier guy out on his Scott, he’s not frightened on this road, but spying him makes me comfortable that I’m near my destination so some lunch is in order, just as I’m about to jump out of my stationary Yaris – (great name) an ex-pat in a Jeep drives into me; ‘it was that damn scooter, sorry mate.’ Let’s hope that they have T-cut in Spain.

Lunch was braw though and I tried to put the fact that I hadn’t signed-up for the collision damage waiver to the back of my mind.

The Crowne Plaza is a beautiful place, and I got an up-grade to a suite - I’ll need to mention this to Graeme Snowdon for Girvan. Before I had taken my bags out of the car I was skeking the bikes (or ‘girds’ as we call them in Fife).

The new Scott Addict is smart, black carbon with the only alloy on the frame at the bracket to take the cups; the drop-outs, cable stops and the front mech hanger are all in carbon – a seriously light piece of kit. Saunier are the first Pro Tour team to run the new SRAM groupset, which is
very nice.

I interviewed the SRAM guys and took loads of pics of the kit; that will go up on www.PezCyclingNews.com shortly. I’m a Campag man myself but the shift lever is better than Campag and Shimano.

Iban Mayo was cutting about; you have to respect a man who has never wavered in his loyalty to the mullet. When the light started to go retired to my suite (is that pompous?) and got wired-in to my first two pieces for Pez; the wi-fi isn’t the best here, but you get used to that. Talk to you tomorrow.

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Day 2 - Thursday 18th January, 2007

I got my SRAM piece away to Pez first thing this morning then ambled down for breakfast and to see if I could find Virginie, she's the Saunier PR girl - I met her at the Tour - she's a nice lass. I asked about interviews; "maybe tonight, but certainly tomorrow."

So I said; "how about getting in a team car?" and she said; "can you go right now?". Ten minutes later and I'm in the Honda behind Matxin the Director Sportif and beside Robert the mechanic, and we're off on a five hour haul round Andalucia with the riders. It's on Pez now, and you can read about it here.

It's bizarre here, the coast is just a huge construction site and every second business has the word "English" above the door, but drive inland for half-an-hour and the roads are deserted. You are in the land of the White Towns, or Pueblos Blancos. Beautiful, quiet towns, clinging to the rugged slopes.

When the sun hits them they shine like jewels against the barren slopes they occupy. The first climb of the day came within a few kilometres of the coast and was brutal. The team was divided today: into those training for early season objectives - for example Pieopoli rides Tirreno-Adriatico in March, whilst if Millar does nothing but win the Tour prologue in late June then the team will be delighted.

Francisco Ventoso tucks into his scientific energy food - the good old banana!

Piepoli is impressive on the climbs but he really is a tiny guy, his calves are non -existent and his waist must be a schoolboy size. Wielinga was impressive - a big Dutchman who can climb, he won the GP Chiasso last year and looks in great shape after a winter spent training in Monaco with Piepoli.

I was surprised that we stopped at the top of the climb but we were there for maybe 15 minutes until all the riders had taken on drink and clothes for the descent. Like all drivers of professional team vehicles, Matxin is deranged and our progress down the descent off the first climb was radge.

The second climb was savage too with some very steep ramps which Piepoli revelled in. Another stop at the top of that one surprised me too but some of the guys were starving and all were very thirsty. The descent off this one was long and not too technical.

It's easy to see how good descenders can make-up so much time when descents like these go on for maybe 15 minutes. After the second big descent Matxin let the guys ride steady for a bit, then it was through and off then some sprints.

Again I was amazed when the whole sheebang took-over a sleepy wee cafe for coffee and cookies. There was much fiddling with positions at this stop and plenty of banter.

The lads take over a cafe for "viente cafés con leche y algunas galletas"

Mayo seemed much happier than he did last night. Millar was chatty too, I think he's just wary of the press, one minute he's their Golden Boy and the next he should be 'banned for life' - (all I would say is that everyone should be given a second chance). However out in the sticks on a training run it's not so threatening: he's promised me an interview over the next day or two so that's cool.

The run-in to the hotel was pretty horrid - road works, traffic and busy dual carriageways. I made it five-and-a-half hours including stops. I'd like to go on a CSC run at this time of year to see how many stops old Bjarne let's them take!

It's 6.00 pm now and time to wander-off in search of interviews... The hotel lobby is a good hunting ground and in the evening I nabbed interviews with the guy who runs the team - Mauro Gianetti, a former Liege and Amstel winner. He's "muy sympatico" - a nice man. He obviously had a hundred things to do but gave me his full attention and plenty of time. He's still in good nick and if he's stressed he hides it well. Read my interview on Pez here.

I also interviewed Francisco Ventoso - he's the up and coming sprinter, he's a likeable big guy and we had a few laughs despite the language barrier. A long day, but a great experience. Hasta mañana.

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Day 3 - Friday 19th January, 2007

The third day, and it's the big one, your actual team launch.

I wrote-up my Gianetti and Ventoso interviews in the room first thing then came down for some grub. You can read the interview with Franciso here.

There was big Dutch guy, Remmert Wielinga just finishing breakfast, I asked about an interview, "how about right now?" says he. He didn't have to say it twice, he's a nice guy and I love the way he says, "for sure". That interview was up on Pez last night (you can read it here) and I let him see it this morning. He was pleased with it - "objective" he said, but told me that he's had hassle with Dutch journos making-up quotes from him!

Wee Simoni gets his new gear for 2007

At 10.00 am I had an interview arranged with Pascal Ducrot, Scott's main man in Europe.

Again, this piece will appear on Pez so I won't re-hash it now. He's like everyone around Saunier though - passionate.

By this time the Spanish journos were gathering but it didn't seem to have occured to them to do anything - except talk to each other.

Dave Millar appeared in the lobby, I stalked him for a bit then, when he was on his own, I pounced. It was another, "we can just talk now" job.

He's not a difficult guy to interview but he has that champion's matter-of-factness about his own abilities that some may confuse for arrogance. Pez will be running that one soon too.

Since I was there and he was there I asked for an interview with Saunier Duval, Spain main man, Carlos Doria. Looking every inch the Euro-exec, he gave me good answers and plenty of time. Guys like him know the value of cultivating the Press, even if it is just for a bike-specific North American website.

The launch was fun and a bit zany: some riders walked to the stage, some cycled, and some came by canoe through the pool!

It was all good fun though, and if the object is to get the flashguns going then it worked well. There was a 'bash' after it; the free wine and beer disappeared - ¡rapidamento!

The guys were wearing their new leisure gear by then - Simoni has a pal who has a clothes shop and it's way-out kit - pin stripe jackets with fleece "hoodies" added. Again, if the objective is to get people talking, then it worked.

David Millar sat beside us at dinner, he's much in demand and very popular. His French is good but he's just started to learn Spanish. Peter Slater from SIS (Science in Sport) is here, not only do they sponsor Jack Woodward, they are Saunier's energy bars, drinks, and gel suppliers. I did my last interview of the day, with Pete and stumbled up to my room to word process for an hour.

No sleeping tablets neccessary on this gig...

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Day 4 - Saturday 20th January, 2007

It's 6.30 pm and there's more pics being taken around the pool, somebody is late and the photographer isn't happy 'cos he's lost the light. Enthusiasm isn't high: a six hour run saw to that today. It's another six hour job tomorrow too.

I just had my interview with Simoni, he smiles a lot and he's polite but he's easily bored. I've been watching guys interview him and none of the conversations last too long. He seems in a little world of his own, 'Planet Gilbo' as one of his 'squadra' told me.

I did another big stint of word processing this morning: the Millar, Doria and SIS pieces, and after that I had to tempoarily abandon my role as a big-time journo, returning to my other role of guiser to go in search of T-cut for the Yaris. I'm glad I didn't leave it until tomorrow, it took an age to find some. I put the car through a car wash first, with a hand pre-wash and hand chamois after; it was 6 euros = 4 quid... how is everything so expensive in Scotland? I did my Arthur Dailey thing with the polish on the Yaris bumper and wing and it looks great now, well, kinda...

There's hilarity outside. A couple of the guys have jumped in the pool, racing gear on, at the request of the photographer, so he can get some 'daft' shots. Morale certainly seems good. Pascal was telling me there's an agreement amongst the riders that in the group pictures they all stand on their tip-toes to make Simoni look (even) smaller - unbeknownst to Gilbo, obviously.

It's 18.45 and my long-promised ten minutes with Iban Mayo has just been organised - for 9.30; that'll be 10.00 if I'm lucky. There'll be no wee bar, tapas and a Cruzcampo for Ed tonight, then.

It's 20.35 and the Simoni interview has been written-up and emailed, along with some pics of Gilbo giving Pez readers the 'thumbs up.'

Hotel lobby, 21.10 and I'm taking no chances about missing the man with the mullet, but It's 22.10 when I finally get my time with Iban. It just goes to show - you should never judge a man by his haircut! He's quiet, polite and his ready smile is for real, not like Gilbo's "turn-on the joker act".

The interview will be on Pez soon, but the jist of it is that he needed a change from Euskaltel after seven seasons with the expectation of the Basque nation on his shoulders and no team riders or staff from anywhere except the Pays Basque. I think Gianetti will get a lot more out of Iban than we've seen for a while.

It was midnight by the time I get that written-up and emailed off to Vancouver. Bed time - for sure!

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Postscript - Sunday 21st January, 2007

"Everything is good?" I say to the bonnie Spanish lass who checks the Yaris back into hire-bay; "Yes, have a good trip," she smiles. "Thank you", I reply, patting the trusty can of cutting-compound in my bag as I skip towards the terminal. She wouldn't have said that if she'd seen it after the boy skelped it with the Jeep on Tuesday.

I had a notion to drive to the airport at Malaga via Ronda and it's famous gorge, so I set the BlackBerry alarm for 06.30. At the appointed hour, I hit the button thinking: "I'll have five."

It was 07.50 when I woke up... scratch Ronda and opt for a nice easy run to the airport. I took time to find Mauro Gianetti to thank him for having me and to wish him luck for the season. The guys were on another six hour job today, the same as yesterday.

I met Koldo Gil in the lift last night and pointed to his thighs; "Sore?" I said. "Si, and here and here..." he said pointing to his shoulders and back. The pro life seems a glamorous one, but most of their Saturday will be spent in the mountains of Andalucia; there'll be no movies or dining-out with sweet hearts for them tonight - just more "war stories" in the hotel lobby.

But hey! Wouldn't it have been good to try it?

Next job is to give the wellies a clean; cuz VeloResults are at Hooglede next weekend for the World Cyclo-Cross Champs. My euros will be on Bart Wellens... Talk to you soon.

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