Cycling’s ‘servants’ do the dirty work at Tour de France

Mouth gaping, his huge body bent over the bike, Tim Declercq is doing the dirtiest job at the world's most prestigious cycling race.

The 29-year-old Belgian cyclist is riding at the front of the pack, his 1.90-meter (6.2-feet) frame taking the full brunt of headwinds, mile after long mile, day after day at the Tour de France.

Declercq is what in cycling is called a "domestique," French for "servant," which means a support rider who knows he isn't fast enough to reach the finish line first. Instead, he and his kind are tasked with humbly helping their more talented teammates win the day's stage and compete for the glory of the Tour title.

"It's what I was made for," Declercq told The Associated Press this week. "I know I am not explosive enough to be a team leader. But I don't think that is a shame. I have found what I am best at. I still do what I love to do."

Slow in sprints, but good at the steady, long haul, Declercq's job is to make sure that the daily bunch of breakaway riders doesn't get too far ahead. By setting the pace, his Quick-Step team can also test the fitness of rivals and try to wear them down before unleashing their top riders at the end of the stage.

That job sometimes includes joining a breakaway so the team has a rider in the front bunch, or using one's body— like Declercq's— to shield the team's top riders from winds that make them spend valuable energy.

Then there are the inglorious chores of dropping back to the team car to load up on water bottles, food and, in rain or cold, jackets to distribute to the rest of the team.

Scully had to jump into action to make sure that Rigoberto Uran, the 2017 Tour runner-up behind Chris Froome, didn't lose time when he crashed near the end of Stage 2 and Scully quickly led him back.

Spanish rider Imanol Erviti has more work than most of his brethren.

While the Tour's eight-rider teams normally designate one man as their leader, Movistar says that Nairo Quintana, Alejandro Valverde and Mikel Landa all have free reign to go for the overall lead.

Beyond their work ethic, many domestiques share the common story of young riders who had to set aside dreams of becoming stars and accept that laboring in the shadows was their way to be a professional cyclist.

The payoff comes when a teammate climbs onto the podium.

Declercq has twice been able to enjoy stage wins by sprinter Fernando Gaviria at this Tour after spending many a mile keeping Quick-Step in charge of the race.