Behind the scenes from a cycling enthusiast and fan.
0000 hrs After an afternoon’s worth of sleep, a hearty dinner and a daily pep talk and briefing by the routing supervisor, the routing and technical signage crew begins to roll out from the days’ start line to install the route arrows and technical signs needed to let the riders know where to go the next day. The routing crew also installs the event buntings, and sets up all the daily Sprint and KOM locations. At this time also, the accommodations staff sit down with the respective hotel managers to discuss the checkout procedure and the settlement of all bills.
0130 hrs The staging start supervisor and his crew typically wake up and check out from their accommodation around this time to begin setting up the start area. The staging team is always deployed in two separate teams, where one team will handle the start and the other team being responsible for the start. Their day begins with a visit to the local police station to inform the authorities of their work, before meeting up with the local council officials to coordinate things. The staging crew is responsible for setting up the tents, gantries, stages and barriers once they receive the green light from the local council.
0300 hrs At the finish town or city, the staging finish supervisor and his crew will begin to have their breakfast and go over the days’ schedule of work. As the finish area layout is more complicated than the start, they typically require more time to begin their setup. Anytime they can finish rigging in 4 hours is a good day, and the complexities of some locations mean that it can even stretch to 7 hours, depending on the problems that they have to solve on the go. The mobile stages are deployed first, followed by the gantries and the barriers.
0500 hrs The anti-doping support crew begin to deploy the mobile clinic and mobile toilet at the designated anti-doping areas.
0600 hrs The staging start crews and the routing crews will have typically finished their work, while the branding staff and sponsor liaison staff will normally arrive at the start area to ensure that the sponsors’ branding match exactly what was promised, from the positioning of the mobile stage down to the way barriers are arranged.
0700 hrs The attached race security contingent comprising of traffic and general duties police officers arrive on site and begins to operate the vehicle passing points or VPP to divert traffic away from the start line. The PA system staff will have also arrived on site to begin setting up their equipment. At the hotels, the race support officials make their rounds to distribute bottled water to staff and riders, and team liaison officials also go round to follow up on any outstanding travel arrangements or special requirements of teams and their officials. Riders and other officials are also having their breakfast at this time and begin to load up their vehicles and check out from the accommodation hotels. At the finish line, the routing crews would have finished positioning all their material, and assist the staging finish crews should the need arise before checking into their hotel.
0800 hrs The transport and logistics staff begin to assemble the race vehicles at their respective hotels to begin the short transfer to the starting line. The protocol staff will have already arrived on site to supervise on the VIP arrivals and seating arrangement, as well as the hospitality area. The race officials, comprising the President Commissaire and his team of commissaires begin to arrive on site as they have their morning briefing from the Race Director. Accompanying press members, marshals and traffic police escorts begin to arrive at the start areas. The merchandising staff will have opened for business also at this time.
0830 hrs The PA System is switched on and race announcers begins to entertain the crowd as they wait for the riders to arrive and sign on. Team vehicles begin to arrive under escort from the transport and logistics department, and is arranged in accordance with the previous days’ standing. The radio communications staff begin their daily radio check, and the race management will also typically arrive at this time.
0845 hrs VIPs begin to arrive and are ushered to the seating area by protocol staff. The traffic police escorts and marshals get their daily briefing from their respective senior staff. Riders begin to warm up.
0900 hrs Signing on opens and riders have one hour to go before the race starts. Commissaires go round to the teams to inspect their bicycles, frame numbers and rider numbers. Venue hosts typically begin their entertainment programmes at this time. At the hotels, the accommodations, secretariat, media support and medical clinic staff begin to pack up and move out directly to the next town’s HQ hotel. The anti-doping doctor and his staff will also head directly to the finish line.
0930 hrs The head of the technical department and the Race Controller departs to inspect the route. The tour leaders, comprising the 4 jersey holders are invited on stage to be presented to the crowds.
0945 hrs The team support vans pack up and leave the start area bound for the finish line, where they will wait for their respective teams. The first traffic police escort teams are deployed to close the roads in advance. Signing on is closed and the VIPs are invited to meet with the racers at the start line.
0955 hrs The advance vehicles begin to depart the start line, comprising the car and motorbike-mounted commissaires, results service vehicles, radio repeaters, transport lead vehicles and police command vehicles. Media cars and guest cars also depart at this time as they will not be allowed to overtake the race convoy while the race is in progress. The race security contingent will also leave the start site to go to the finish line, and security will be taken over by the local police at the start site.
1000 hrs The race is flagged off by the VIP, and the convoy moves out in a particular order. The Race Director is at the head of the peloton, maintaining a slow speed before they arrive at the real start some distance away.
1015 hrs VIPs are treated to light refreshments as the PA system staff begin to de-rig their equipment. Once the VIPs leave, the protocol staff will depart for the finish line via an alternative route, along with the race management.
1045 hrs Roads at the start line reopen as the staging start crews begin the dismantling of all the staging equipment. At the finish line, sponsor staff will have begun to set up their booths and the side events crew would be on site to begin registering participants for the days’ contests and setting up their demonstration areas.
1200 hrs The staging start crew would have fully de-rigged the start area and started making their way to the starting town for the next day, where they would check in and get a well-earned rest. At the finish line, the race security contingent would have arrived and begin preparations to operate the VPP at the finish line. The side events showcase and competitions would be starting and the staging finish crew would have completed the setup of the finish area. The PA system would be turned on around this time and the side events announce would have temporary control of the microphone.
1230 hrs The Race Secretariat and Media Centers at the HQ Hotels would have been fully set up by the secretariat and media support staff, while the accommodations staff would have prepared for the arrival of the teams to check in.
1300 hrs The Race Controller and the head of the technical department would arrive, along with the race announcer and begin his inspection of the finish area. The results service and photo finish staff would have completed their set up and would be calculating the results of the intermediate sprints received via radio from the convoy.
1330 hrs The VIPs would arrive at this time and are greeted by the protocol officers, with the race management and sponsor representatives. Prizes for the side events are given away and the side events showcase ends. Sponsor’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives are also officiated by the VIP at this time.
1400 hrs The Anti-Doping Inspector arrives at the finish line and makes the determination of the daily medical controls, assisted by the anti-doping team.
1430 hrs Assuming a 3 o’clock finish, the chief judge and results service manager arrives at the finish line. Roads leading up to the finish are completely closed.
1500 hrs The race arrives at the finish line and things begin to get busy. The transport and logistics staff will begin making arrangements for the transfer to the hotel, while the protocol staff will begin looking out for the day’s winners to bring them to the podium. The on-site secretariat staff and results service will be working hard to get the official results out, while the media support staff will be busy planning the press release and photo ops for the winners and sponsors. The routing sweeper crews will begin to collect all the race materials from the route.
1520 hrs The prizes are awarded to the winners by the VIPs, assisted by protocol staff while the commissaires have their daily post-race discussion with the race controller, race director and organiser representatives. The post-race press conference will then take place as teams not involved in the prize giving are escorted to the HQ Hotel by transport logistics staff.
1600 hrs Once the VIPs leave, the staging crews will begin to de-rig, and at the HQ Hotel, the Race Secretariat will come to life as team representatives look for their copy of the results and to use the Internet provided. Media correspondents upload their video feeds and stories to their respective organisations.
1800 hrs Depending on where the hotels are, race secretariat staff begin to distribute the official results to team managers and key personnel.
1900 hrs The staging finish crew would have completed the derigging, and be making their way to the next days’ finish town to check in at their hotel.
2100 hrs The Race Secretariat’s official opening hours are over, but they typically stay open until 10pm. Then begins the process of packing everything back up before putting up for the night.
2200 hrs The routing advance and sweeper crews will meet up to exchange equipment and discuss the next days’ work before the sweeper crew takes their rest. The accommodations staff will do their rounds at all hotels involved to ensure that all the staff and riders are settled in. The police mechanics will do their rounds for the motorcycles, and the transport and logistics staff will cater to the race vehicles to ensure that they will be running smoothly for the next stage.
