"All our bikes are carefully prepared" - Shimano mechanic who provided Tadej Pogacar with neutral Roubaix bike responds to criticism

Out of all the stories that Paris-Roubaix can provide, one of the most odd was the sequence of events and statements regarding Tadej Pogacar's mechanical and brief use of a Shimano neutral service car bike. For a few minutes, it was the bike that saved his race, however when asked after the finish his comments were rather negative regarding the fit. The mechanic himself who gave Pogacar a bike that day has shared Shimano's side of the story.

In an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws he used the Slovenian term of wheelbarrow and also called the bike 'very uncomfortable', sparking some debate post-race. This was necessary after, with 120 kilometers to go, Pogacar had to stop and wasn't given a bike by a teammate. “The saddle height was not correct and the wheels were also not suitable for the cobbles," the World Champion said of the 'blue bike' which riders are often given in situations of emergency, in which their team cars are also far behind.

The instance of uses of neutral bikes are not too many, specially amongst top riders. Famously, Chris Froome was given one after a crash near the summit of the 2016 ascent of the Mont Ventoux at the Tour de France, but could not clip in his pedals. Such incidents nowadays are quite rare, as the neutral service cars are equipped with bikes featuring pedals and other systems from a vast range of suppliers, making sure that such does not happen.

"All our bikes are carefully prepared," Kevin Poret, the mechanic himself who provided Pogacar with the bike, assured in an interview with Ouest France. He probably had a mechanical problem in addition to a puncture. Having the World Champion in need of a bike and in position to take one from the Shimano car was the prime example of why this vehicle is present in the races.

And sure enough, the World Champion did get back on track, which allowed him to limit his losses - unlike Mathieu van der Poel shortly after, who was given a bike by his own teammate Jasper Philipsen which had different prototype pedals. "We gave him a bike that was his size, the best for him. And he was able to get back on track quickly. For us, it's essential that the intervention be rapid. And we did our job".