When it comes to professional road racing, riders rely on their team cars to supply them with race tactics, hydration and mechanical support. However, sometimes things don't go to plan, or perhaps there's a split in the peloton and riders can be left stranded. Saving the day, Neutral Service is there to step in and provide support to any rider who needs it.
Shimano looks after the Neutral Service for most WorldTour-level UCI events, with the exception of those run by ASO (the small matter of the Tour de France, for instance) and RCS Sport (Giro d'Italia). With this, a team of drivers, motorbike riders and mechanics are there – dressed in blue – to follow the race.
While on duty at the Tour Down Under, I managed to hitch a ride in one of the three Shimano Neutral Service cars for the first stage. It was a sweltering hot day with high winds, during which a small breakaway of Sean Lake (UniSA-Australia), Alexis Gougeard (AG2R-La Mondiale) and Martijn Keizer (LottoNL-Jumbo) was left dangling out the front without the support of their team cars, which were behind the peloton. (In the end, the peloton came together in the final kilometres with Caleb Ewan winning the sprint.)
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For the Tour Down Under, the Neutral Service team is made up of eight staff, four mechanics and four drivers, two of whom are on a motorbike while the other six get to enjoy the comfort of air-conditioned cars.
During the Australian race, each team has just one car in the convoy. So if there's a break or split, then there's a good chance Neutral Service will need to provide assistance. The race commissaires will call upon the Neutral Service motorbike if a breakaway gets a gap of 15 seconds. One of the three cars will be called upon if that gap opens to 30 seconds or beyond (as was the case during my time with them during Stage One). Another Neutral Service car waits up front in case a secondary split forms, while the final vehicle is placed behind the peloton.
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