31 May 2013
IAM Cycling
His first pro victory in the 2000 Tour de lAvenir while racing for Phonak put his foot firmly in the door.
Having been signed by Jean-Jacques Loup and Jacques Michaud, Alexandre Usov was 23 years old. A strong sprinter who was trained in the tough school of Russian cycling, the native of Minsk (Belarus) proved his speed many times throughout his ten year career. After riding in three Tours of Italy and three Vueltas dEspagna for the teams Phonak (2000-2004), AG2R-La Mondiale (2005-2008), Cofidis (2009) and ISD Continentale (2010), the father of a four year old daughter named Kiara has stayed active in the sport.
Living in Chambery (France) with his wife, Sandrine, Usov is happily waiting for the birth of a second child in September; since the beginning of the year, he has also been travelling with IAM Cycling as an assistant.
Alexandre Usov, why have you chosen to work as an assistant in a professional cycling team?
When I retired from racing, I was not certain which direction I wanted to go. I had already taken a masseurs course and received my diploma as a cycling coach in Minsk. I really wanted to stay working in the sport. But not everyone can work as a directeur sportif, so I decided to take this path. This is indeed a second career for me, and is just as important as the first. An assistant in a professional team fills an essential role within the structure keeping things running smoothly.
Describe a typical day with the IAM Cycling team.
We start work around 6.30 or 7.00 am depending on the program for the day. We are always up and working before the riders. We have to set up everything necessary for breakfast: put out their cereals, jams, fruit juices, and arrange with the hotel to have omelets, rice or pasta ready for the proper time. Then we prepare the water bottles and other refueling needs before heading to the start line or perhaps heading to the next hotel if we are in the middle of a stage race. One of us is responsible for preparing before the riders arrive at the hotel all of the things that they will need for recovery. And the other two are responsible for being with the riders and helping them in the preparations for the start of the race, helping to refuel them during the race, and then of course giving all aid immediately after the finish. At the end of the race or stage, we go with the riders in the car so that we can start their massages as quickly as possible; after that we are also engaged in preparations for the evening meal as well as filling bidons for the next day. Seldom are we able to sit down to dinner ourselves before 9 pm, but it is the same schedule for all members of staff including the bus driver, the mechanics and the directeur sportif.
When you prepare the musettes, what do you typically fill them with?
Before we fill the musettes, we fill the water bottles. In the heat of the summer, we will use over 200 bidons per day. And they certainly dont fill themselves up! The musettes are prepared the night before except for things like the small sandwiches thatll have ham in them. For the rest, we will include two bottles containing WINforce and water, three or four gels, and two energy bars, and in the summer a small can of cola.
What are your jobs at the start and finish?
On the bus before the start, we are available for any last minute massaging with heating or cooling products according to the temperatures the riders will face. Then we’ll race ahead to the feed zone before heading to the finish line. Again, there is a lot of work and some nervousness around the chores at the end of a race since we’ll have to make sure the riders receive the right support, especially if any need to go to doping control or to any award ceremonies; then of course we are focused on getting them to the hotel so that they can start their recovery as soon as possible.
If you are the assistant back at the hotel, what is your role?
For a stage race, I leave with one of the cars to head to the next hotel at the same time that the truck with the mechanics head over. We are responsible for preparing everything before the rest of the team arrives. We check to make sure all the rooms are ready for the riders and staff; we put everyones bags in the proper rooms and set up the massage tables. We’ll check to make sure the hotel menu suits our needs and make any necessary changes to that. Then we’ll prepare the refueling foods (bread, cheese, salad, fruit) for the following day. Of course time passes very quickly and the riders arrive before we know it. Then we’ll give the massages of 45-50 minutes per rider. It is rare, though, that we can begin before 6pm considering when the races usually finish and the required transfer time from the finish line to the hotel.
Usov career results on ProCyclingStats.com
