General News: Shimano neutral support heading for the cobbles
Posted By Gravel Union
On 19 January 2021
For most of us, the dream of having a neutral support car (or moto) following behind during a gravel ride is exactly that – just a dream.
But for professional racers heading to the cobbles and gravel of the Spring Classics this year, Shimano are going to be there, clad head-to-toe in their neutral support team blue. Shimano turn 100 years old this year and as part of their centenary plans, they’ve extended their agreement with the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) to support the Paris-Roubaix, Paris-Tours and Liège–Bastogne–Liège races among others.
None of these races will ever appear on a list of Top 10 gravel events, but they all contain broken tarmac, vast 'sectors' of filling-rattling cobbles (Paris-Roubaix) and gravel sections thrown in to make the event more exciting (Paris-Tours) so there’s something for even the most die-hard gravel fan to get excited about.
Shimano are going to be providing support at all ASO run women’s and men’s events, kicking off with the Paris-Nice (which isn’t scheduled to have any gravel sections in it, unfortunately) on the 7th March.
We can but hope that one day in the not-too-distant future, Shimano neutral service will be available to mere mortals as well during a roadside (gravelside?) mechanical disaster. Tubeless tyres too difficult to remove? Gears that have gone wonky mid-ride? Brake pads worn down to bare metal due to a gravel grinding paste? Just put your arm in the air and you never know your luck – maybe a bright blue-clad neutral support crew will be passing at just the right time to be able to help out.