CYCLING – TEAM Bahrain Victorious rider Finlay Pickering had to scramble to make it to Turin, Italy, in time for the Vuelta a Espana’s start on Saturday, arriving without his luggage after being drafted in as a last-minute replacement.
The 22-year-old Briton received a call to take the place of injured teammate Damiano Caruso less than 24 hours before the opening stage began, triggering a frantic journey involving a 200-kilometre taxi ride from Andorra to Toulouse and a flight delay.
He went on to finish the first stage in 153rd place.
“It was actually really lucky, because I had a problem with a pair of training wheels and they were in a bike shop, so I was a bit late going out training,” Pickering told reporters.
“I was on the way to pick them up when I got a call from management saying ‘How quickly can I be in an airport?’ Well, if I drive fast, I guess the answer’s – pretty quick... The first flight was delayed, so I didn’t get my suitcase.
“But at least I managed to pack two pairs of shoes (in hand luggage) so I can start today. I’ve got a set of boxers, a set of socks, and the team are really good at looking after me, so – no stress.”
Pickering has never previously competed in a Grand Tour, but he did not seem daunted by the prospect.
“I’m pretty ready,” he added. “I’m a bike rider and this is a bike race, after all – even if it’s a pretty big one.”
In yesterday’s 159.5km second stage, Pickering ranked 96th, while teammate Santaigo Buitrago was Bahrain Victorious’ top man in 21st. Torstein Traen and Antonio Tiberi followed in 26th and 27th, respectively, while Jack Haig was 113rd, Roman Ermakov 120th, Nicolo Buratti 144th, and Mathijs Paaschens 174th.
Buitrago improved 23 spots to seventh on the race’s general classification, while Tiberi was 10th in the best young rider classification. Bahrain Victorious climbed 12 places 12 seventh overall on the teams’ classification.
The Grand Tour continues today with the third stage, covering 134.6km.
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