Inside Lotto-Soudal’s Service Course

Cycling Weekly was recently invited to visit Ridley’s Service Course – the warehouse and maintenance centre serving the Lotto-Soudal professional cycling team. The mechanics’ truck was just being prepped for the Giro d’Italia when we took these photos.

The Lotto-Soudal team mechanics’ truck has storage for hardware at the back and a baggage area further forward, just behind the cab. In front are bike racks for the team’s bikes.

Lotto-Soudal’s bikes racked in the mechanics’ truck – a mix of Ridley’s Noah SL and Helium SL models.

>>> Bikes of the 2015 World Tour

New Zealander Greg Henderson’s Noah SL.

Continental tubulars ready for action - conditions during the Giro can be variable.

Luggage thrown into the baggage area of the mechanics’ truck – bad luck if you’ve packed anything fragile.

André Greipel’s German champion’s jersey hangs from a trophy. Greipel won stage six of the Giro before withdrawing before the stage 14 time trial.

Belgian champion Jens Debusschere’s Lazer helmet in Belgian national colours.

Rising neopro Tiesj Benoot‘s third place bouquet from March’s Handzame Classic one day race.

Pro teams go through a lot of water bottles – around 3000 on a three week grand tour.

Race souvenirs plastered on an internal wall.

Lots of washing, the occasional microwave meal – and quite a few signed jerseys.