Secrets of the toolbox: Etixx-Quick Step (video)
Etixx-Quick Step's head mechanic Kenny Latomme tells us about his most useful tool and his new trick that gives him a third hand, in the latest episode of secrets of the toolbox
Jack Elton-Walters January 29, 2016 4:30 pm
Playlist 19 Videos
Secrets of the toolbox: Etixx-Quick Step (video) 02:09
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7 May 2016 99th Giro d'Italia Stage 02 : Arnhem - Nijmegen KITTEL Marcel (GER) Etixx - Quickstep Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA
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Marcel Kittel: 'I don't fear anyone at the Giro d'Italia' (video) 01:37
Tom Boonen takes part in a bizarre orange juicing stunt for new Lidl advert (video) 01:59
Tom Boonen unfazed about being on the brink of cobbled Classic history (video) 03:33
Show us your scars #29: Marcel Kittel (video) 01:13
Marcel Kittel discusses his season's goals ahead of Etixx-Quick Step debut 03:02
The man, the myth, the hair: Specialized welcomes Marcel Kittel (video) 00:15
Tony Martin's Specialized Shiv
Pro bike: Tony Martin's Specialized S-Works Shiv (video) 01:33
Tour de France bikes: Mark Cavendish's S-Works Venge ViAS (video) 01:32
Mark Cavendish wins stage one of the 2015 Amgen Tour of California
Mark Cavendish driven by green jersey ambition at Tour de France (video) 03:21
Watch: The most anticipated cycling tech for 2020 03:13
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Image: Andy Jones
Watch: inside the Hope factory where GB's new track bike is being made 10:07
July's tech of the month: new products from Garmin, 100%, Prime and Cannondale 19:54
Behind every group of riders is an invaluable support team, chief among them are the mechanics who get their bikes race ready and keep them riding throughout the season.
For the first secrets of the toolbox episode of 2016, we caught up with Etixx-Quick Step's head mechanic Kenny Latomme in Calpe, Spain.
Etixx is something of a superteam when it comes to the Classics, which are just around the corner.
Such dominance in the early season is something you'd expect from a squad based in Belgium, but even with a numerical advantage, things don't always go their way.
Latomme quips that there aren't really any fussy riders on the squad this season, but there may have been last year *cough* Mark Cavendish *cough*.
Most of the mechanic's time is spent tweaking gears but also making adjustments, in particular to a rider's saddle height.
As an interesting insight into the world of professional cycling, the Belgian mentions how early season training camps aren't just about training but are also a time for riders to get used to their machines and find the best fit for them. Something that is particularly the case for new signings.