BUS FARE
At every race the protocol is the same. Journalists wait at the team buses for post-race comments on how the crosswinds or cobbles dictated a memorable day in the saddle. As each rider nears we move in, hungry for nuggets of wisdom. And invariably the rider rolls straight past, dismounts, hands the bike to a mechanic and skips onto the bus with the transitional prowess of a Brownlee brother.
In a sport scarred by its reputation for secrecy, you could argue team buses are a symbol of cycling’s nefarious past. The blackedout windows give the impression of something to hide – Team Sky’s bus was labelled the Death Star, don’t forget. But if you speak to the drivers and riders, this perception is far from the reality.
‘They’re light, airy and can be fun,’ says pro racer Dan Martin, who officially signed for new WorldTour team Israel Cycling Academy from UAE Team Emirates in 2020. ‘It’s well documented how raucous the bus was when I raced for QuickStep. Niki Terpstra would crank the Belgian dance music up to maximum volume and the bus would be rocking.’
That might come as a surprise to many, given Terpstra was once asked by , ‘Why are you so unpopular?’ Like
