Robyn
Taylor - CSC Soigneuse
Saturday 15th April, 2006
by Ed Hood
So what brings a surfer dudette to West Flanders?
The smart answer would be – ha! The team car! Robyn Taylor is
a CSC soigneuse, she comes from Brisbane and has arrived in the male
dominated world of pro cycling via water polo, surfing, The AIS (Australian
Institute of Sport), and the now-defunct Team Fakta. Robyn found a
few minutes to talk to us between stages at the 2006 de Panne 3 Day.
You into doing any sports yourself?
"Yeah, my own sports are water polo and surfing. I studied at
the AIS and gravitated towards rowing, then triathlon and cycling.
I got the job with Fakta thanks to Scott Sunderland, and then when
the team folded I got this job."
What about the macho world she finds herself
in? "With it being a Scandinavian team attitudes are
more liberal, it’s really not an issue. In fact, I think I contribute
to good morale. The guys can banter with me in a different way to
the way they would with each other."
In other interviews with CSC personnel, we hear various
stories about director sportif Bjarne Riis' attention to detail, and
demanding high standards. How does you find him to work with?
"Bjarne is very professional; the only thing that matters to
him is that the job is done properly."
The old cliché about a woman's work never being
done must have been written with Robyn in mind: A typical day on a race
such as today's is pretty hectic. She rises at 6.00am, and first on
the agenda is to prepare the rider's breakfasts, then sort out the race
food and drink for the day. The riders' pre-race treatment depends on
the weather and the individual rider's preferences. Hot weather may
see some ride with no preparation on their legs at all; some may want
"a light oil". Cold weather requires "a hot oil or balm
- if it is cold and wet a protective layer of Vaseline or bees wax will
be applied over the warming agents, particularly around the knees where
tissue is most delicate."
Robyn doesn't get to see much of the race action -
during the race she will travel on to the next hotel and set up shop
ready for the evening massages. Her role in
the team is absolutely fundamental to their success - a rider could
not finish a three week stage race without massage, the process of
recovery by easing bruised blood out of tired muscles is essential
to daily survival.
The massage process is also a good relaxant, helping
to ease away anxieties. It's hard work, each rider will be on the
table for around an hour. Some prefer their massage before their meal,
some afterwards. The next day it all happens again - or it could be
a drive across central Europe.
We wonder whether she'll be going to the Olympics
with the Aussie team being full of medal contenders? "Yeah,
that would be good, but I’ve been too busy all year to think
about it really."
Thanks for your time Robyn
and good luck with all your riders for the season.
