This is how a stage is experienced from a support car in the Vuelta: “Guys, watch out for the crosswinds”

It is 13:05 and the peloton begins to roll from Dos Hermanas to Seville. “There will be a neutralized start. Watch out, it is a pedestrian area and there are rubber objects on the road,” warn Radio Vuelta, the race radio heard in all the team cars. “Well, let’s go!” exclaims Steven De Neef, former professional cyclist and now director of Lotto-Intermarché. Because this is a flat stage that will be decided in a sprint, one in which Matthew Brennan will once again establish himself as the fastest in the peloton — already five wins in this edition, in his first grand tour, a real display of power and explosiveness — one, however, that has its story from the Lotto car placed in the second convoy at the back of the peloton.

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It is a calm day, “the easiest of the Vuelta,” says De Neef, while Andrea Di Marco nods from the back seat, the team mechanic. There are no hills or climbs, nothing broken, and there is no stress inside the car, to the point that they eat on the go, a good sandwich for Andrea and just a yogurt for Steven, who is on a diet. “The nerves for the last 20 kilometers,” warns the Belgian; “maybe 15 or 10. That’s all.” Mostly because the team orders are to stay unnoticed during the day until the final meters, when they will have to try to act as lead-out men for De Schuyteneer. And Braet, who was third in the previous stage? “No, he is very good if there is a bit of an uphill slope, as happened in La Rábida. But like this, on flat terrain, Steffen De Schuyteneer is better, although it is his first grand tour and we will see,” he explains while assuring that the goal is to get into the top-10. “And if it’s top-5 we will be more than happy.”

With the green light, Sinuhé Fernández (Burgos) — determined to win the combativity award of the Vuelta — and Enzo Paleni (FDJ) put on the turbo, a breakaway that is known will get nowhere. “I understand they want to showcase the sponsor, but for us it would be absurd. We don’t have that ambition to go for the breakaway in a stage like this because we know that Visma and Cofidis, on a day like this, so flat, will not give us the option. You must not wear yourself out,” De Neef concludes practically. And he predicts: “I don’t think the peloton will give them more than five or six minutes of advantage. And that’s because there are only two, if there were more, they would have them on a short leash.” The Lotto sports director hits the mark, as the escapees reach five minutes and, as the kilometers to the finish decrease, so does their advantage. It is the chronicle of a death foretold that is forged with three kilometers to go. The sprint remained, the moment of truth. But in between a bit of everything happens in the Lotto vehicle, full of cables and screens. There are two radios (one for the staff and another for the riders), as well as a mobile phone showing the race and a screen with Veloviewer, which is an application used by the organization and teams where all the race information can be seen, from curves to roundabouts, from wind to altitude, also the feeding points.

It turns out that only two cars per team are allowed behind the peloton and they are arranged in single file, always in the position corresponding to the general classification. That is, Mas is first and the Movistar car opens the procession, followed by Decathlon (Gall), Bora (Roglic)… Once the first cycle is finished, the second convoy begins with the same order. Unless there are emergencies. “We have to stop to pee,” warns Mario Aerts, the director of the first Lotto car. Then De Neef steps on the accelerator, honks non-stop to get way and, already awakened from his little nap Di Marco, De Neef is not calm until he is in his place. He has good reasons because then Radio Vuelta announces: “Lotto for feeding from the bunch.” Or, in other words, a team rider has raised his hand and requests to feed. “Water bottles, two more of mix and ice,” requests Craps, who will then distribute the products to the rest of the teammates. Once the urgency is solved, Mario returns to the fold and De Neef lets the cars pass until he returns to his place.

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It will not be the only time it happens in the race because De Schuyteneer, with 30 kilometers to go, punctures a tire. “It’s okay, it’s not an important moment,” argues De Neef, who has seen it all. The first car stops and De Neef again makes a rally weaving through cars, motorcycles — there are those of the Civil Guard, the organization (who are dedicated to picking up all the separator tapes on the road) and the media — and even cyclists. “What do you need mr. Widar?” asks the team director, with a perennial, kind and professional smile like few. “Waaaaater!” replies the little cyclist, stretching the a to show the heat exhaustion. “Well, today it’s not as hot as other days,” De Neef replies, who soon returns to the calm of the car, because straight away they can talk about Messi, Anderlecht, the precarious situation of Kern Pharma, music and even politics, recalling last year’s Vuelta and the incidents that shook the race due to pro-Palestinian protests. Although, suddenly, after looking at Veloviewer, De Neef grabs the mic: “Guys, pay attention, there will be crosswinds in the next sections, watch out for echelons.” And, again, the old fox is right, as the peloton splits in two. Not much because it soon groups again, but they were warned.

Time passes and the kilometers to reach the last 20, where tension begins to build. Looks at Veloviewer, data, numbers, review of the route in case something is forgotten or needs to be warned, nerves so the guys try to get into lead-out positions. On Radio Vuelta, almost every minute, they explain the bites the peloton takes from the escapee — Sinuhé dropped off a bit earlier —, bites at Paleni’s aspirations. “It’s time to get to the front, but it’s not easy because if they give gas and gas, there are teams with very good engines,” reasons De Neef, who admits: “This Paleni is strong, isn’t he? But he won’t make it.” And he doesn’t. The last pedal strokes remain, maximum nerves. “Here you can’t say anything to them anymore. They are very busy, they already know what they have to do and it’s better not to bother,” he suggests. And the Lotto team does as agreed, sneaking in on the left and launching De Schuyteneer. But it doesn’t matter to Brennan, who presses the hyperspace button again to arrive first, his fifth win in the Vuelta. “It’s normal, he’s the fastest. And with Van Aert helping him… it’s very hard to beat them,” he adds. Behind, in fifth position, comes De Schuyteneer. “Good job, guys!” congratulates Mario over the radio. “We’re happy,” adds De Neef. The day went as expected. For Visma, which adds its seventh laurel in the race; and for Lotto, which has met its goal.

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