Jean-Louis Guihard-Thébault, who dreams of working for a professional team or National Federation, got a real taste of what it would be like during a two-month mechanics course at the UCI World Cycling Centre in Aigle, Switzerland.
He is won over: “It’s what I want to do. And I want to do it while I am young, before settling down with a family,” says the 23-year-old, referring to the long hours and travel involved for mechanics who accompany riders to races.
Already with a good grounding from his years as a competitive rider, Jean-Louis Guihard-Thébault then gained experience working one year in a bike shop in France. His internship amidst the mechanics team at the UCI WCC has reassured him that he made the right decision to interrupt his scientific studies.
“I’d had enough of sitting in classrooms so I stopped. One day I would like to open a shop or work for a professional team. It is the ultimate outcome in the career of a mechanic.”
“I have learned a lot here, especially concerning the Regulations, preparing bikes for races, and the logistics of working at events. That is the sort of thing you don’t get in a shop.”
As well as working in the WCC workshop on the centre’s trainees’ bikes, the young mechanic spent several weekends accompanying them to races.
“It can be quite stressful, making sure you haven’t forgotten anything and ensuring you can respond to any situation. But if the preparatory work has been done well, it is usually OK.
“The contact with the athletes is important and I think that it’s easier when you have competed yourself. You know more or less what the riders want and also understand their stress before a race because you’ve already experienced that situation.”
Another highlight of his time in Switzerland was two days spent working at the service course of UCI WorldTour team IAM Cycling mid-March. The team had returned from Paris-Nice and the mechanics had plenty of work preparing wheels for the following one-day spring classics.
According to the UCI WCC’s Mechanics Manager Alex Roussel, his latest trainee is a very good mechanic with a surprising maturity for his age.
“In addition, he is at ease in race situations which is a great help,” says Roussel.
Jean-Louis Guihard-Thébault returned to his native Brittany at the weekend but will be back at the UCI World Cycling Centre in July to help out the mechanics team. In the meantime he means to pass his heavy vehicle licence and actively look for a permanent contract: “My two months at the WCC will be added-value for my CV.”
Jean-Louis Guihard-Thébault is the tenth trainee mechanic to complete the eight-week mechanics training course at the UCI WCC since it was introduced in 2013. All remaining courses for 2015 are full but applications are being accepted for 2016.