COMMITTING TO THE CAUSE
STEELS: When we leave the bus, we have about an 80 per cent plan how we’ll approach the final. If we have a sprinter on board, we always control the race and that gives a psychological advantage to the guys. It’s good for this generation – they really want us to control the race – so it’s not extra pressure. They just say, okay let’s go for it.
CAVENDISH: [At Highroad] it was more than a job. It was a group of guys. We didn’t train together, we never trained the lead-out, but we committed to each other. Everyone felt part of the win. And you didn’t have anybody trying to get into the top 20 and saving themselves. This year in this team, 2019, our team is picked for personality as well as talent.
GREIPEL: The team always helped me with a perfect lead-out and that’s why I was quite successful. Afterwards, we analysed the race if something went wrong. As a lead-out train we tried to adapt together because we win and lose together.
BENNETT: The more important thing is to keep the same guys in the races in front of you. My last guy learns what I need and I already know what he’s thinking – but he also needs that same relationship with the guy in front of him. These are split-second decisions and you have to know each other really well.
VIVIANI: When you start the season, you want to have the two last guys in the leadout stay the same, because the feeling in that moment of the race really makes the difference. They need to know everything about the sprinter and the more races they do with you is always better.