Last weekend's event in Namur coincided with the return of the Cyclo-cross World Cup to Belgium. A race awaited for many aspects and points of view, the charm of the castle and the return to the race of Van der Poel (later winner of the race) were enough to attract attention to this small slice of Belgium. In addition to the adventure of Mattia Agostinacchio, which we told you about, Namur also represented the return of Lucia Bramati to her favourite race on the calendarTwo days in the land of cyclocross, with mud, people, and a great crowd.
Our curiosity, however, moved on to the person who experienced this test from the pits, Leonardo Cover is the mechanic of the FAS Airport Service-Guerciotti-Premac. For him, the trip to Namur was one of the most challenging events of the winter..
«Work-wise it went well – says Leonardo Cover who is still busy with the World Cup this weekend – though Lucia Bramati he was unlucky enough to get a puncture right at the start of the raceThese things happen, especially on a course like the one in Namur, full of steps and ledges to jump over."
Did FAS Airport Service-Guerciotti-Premac have only Lucia Bramati in the race?
Yes, in Namur she was the only one present. From this point of view the trip was simple, I was practically his personal mechanic.We managed the race well, with the pit stops and the technical choices made the day before the race.
Let's go in order, Saturday arrives and what does the mechanic do?
I assemble the bike and do an initial check to determine the wear status of the more delicate components, such as brake pads and bearings. After races with particular conditions, such as the one in Sardinia where there was sand and water, I preferred to do a check immediatelyI usually do a full check of the bike after every ride.
Did you participate in Lucia Bramati's technical choices?
On Saturday we went for a walk on the route all three (Lucia Bramati, sport director Luca Bramati, and Leonardo Cover, ed.). From just a first glance, you can figure out which tubular tire to fit and what pressures to use.
Tubular?
Yes, we still prefer to use this type of tire because we have seen that they work better than tubeless ones. Runners feel more confident and also have a good technical responseAt low pressures, tubeless tires risk coming unstuck during the most challenging curves.
Bad question: Lucia has a flat tire, are we sure we're better off?
It's true, but these things happen in cyclocross. And she wasn't the only one to get a puncture. Also because Lucia Bramati has chosen really low pressures, 1,2 bar both at the front and at the rearThis increases the risk of a puncture, so once Luca Bramati and I got back to the garage, we decided to increase the pressure slightly. But it wasn't necessary, because Lucia, once she'd swapped bikes, rode to the finish line.
How important is the mechanic's eye in technical choices?
I have my experiences, but it is the rider who has to find the right feeling with the bike. So the final choices are yours, both for the tubular pressure and the gear range.
What did Lucia Bramati choose in Namur?
How do you report the shortest possible option: 36" single chainring at the front and 11-44 sprocket setShe had already raced here and remembered the course's toughness, especially the steep section halfway through. So she opted for a more agile pedaling style.
Is it really that technical a route?
There are many steep climbs and technical descents. A factor to take into consideration when choosing the type of tire treadIn fact, Lucia Bramati opted for mud grooves, even though the ground was quite dry. He wanted to avoid not having the right grip and risking some fallsFrom this point of view, it was one of the most peaceful events in Namur in recent years.
Isn't it usually?
One year it rained so much that the riders changed bikes once a lap. As a mechanic in that case you have to clean the frame from mud and dry the delicate points like handlebars and saddle in less than five minutesLet's just say that days in Namur can be more stressful than last Sunday.
