It’s been a disastrous few days for Patrick Lefevere’s Soudal–erm T-Rex Quick-Step squad, logistically.
On Wednesday, the team’s bus broke down. Thankfully, a local family helped the team get ready for Stage 4—especially given the brutally hot conditions. For pro teams, the team vehicle is crucial for riders before stages for a variety of reasons.
“Problems with the bus meant that we had to adapt quickly in order to get ready for Stage 4 of La Vuelta a España,” the team posted on X. “On the bright side, we’ve made some new friends.”
Problems with the bus meant that we had to adapt quickly in order to get ready for stage four of #LaVuelta24 👍
On the bright side, we’ve made some new friends 😊
Photo: @BeelWout pic.twitter.com/7PFVFe5Iku
— Soudal Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (@soudalquickstep) August 20, 2024
But the bus was still busted, so the team had to find a solution for Stage 5. On Thursday, there was a strange sight at the start of the stage: the Burgos-BH team vehicle. The Spanish ProTeam was not invited to the Vuelta a España, but the gang at Soudal reached out to see if they could borrow the wheels.
Spanish news outlet Marca interviewed the bus driver. Nacho Labarga spoke to David, the driver, who said he had been on holiday when asked to drop off the rig.
“I was over in France on vacation with my family, and then I was called because Soudal Quick-Step had a problem with their bus. So, I returned to Burgos in the morning, drove from Burgos, and reached the start of the stage.”
🇪🇸🚴♂️ ¡Y el @BurgosBH se cuela en @lavuelta!
David, conductor del equipo burgalés, explica en @marca el ‘fichaje’ por el equipo de Landa, el @soudalquickstep, después del incidente de ayer.
📹 @nacholabarga pic.twitter.com/juIlqKpHY5
— MARCA Polideportivo (@MarcaTMF) August 21, 2024
Apparently, the Belgian team made a financial arrangement to borrow the bus until theirs can be fixed. Given the hot temperatures, a well-air-conditioned spot for riders to stay cool before the start is imperative.
Temperatures the past few days have been in the 30s°C, peaking just under 40°C during Stage 4. It’s been muy caliente. Primož Roglič currently leads the Vuelta. There is one Canadian racing, Israel – Premier Tech’s Michael Woods. You can watch the race on Flobikes.com
Landismo is alive at #LaVuelta24 😁
A big thanks to @BurgosBH for helping us with the bus 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ACeamfQ4oT
— Soudal…
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