Andy Stone, head mechanic for Team Novo Nordisk, prepares a bike during training camp for the Amgen Tour of California’s Sacramento stage in May.
As a race mechanic, Stone has traveled the world — mostly Europe — working 150-200 race days per year for the team, which is based in Atlanta and is the first all-diabetes professional cycling team (Novo Nordisk, headquartered in Denmark, produces drugs to treat diabetes).
“It’s a lifestyle you get used to,” says Stone, who estimates that in eight years on the job he has only had a handful of days sightseeing. His friends will ask him, “‘You’re close to Rome. Did you see the Colosseum?’ Well, no.”
A Sacramento native, Stone attended Encina High School where he took a Regional Occupational Program bicycle mechanic class. He worked at bike shops for several years before getting into race mechanics. “I’m fairly calm before the race starts, but the first 20-30 [kilometers], for me, I get nervous,” he says.
“If something happens between the start and the first 20k, it’s most likely something I missed. If I get past that, then OK, I did my job.” His favorite task is preparing equipment for race day: “I have this saying: ‘When perfection meets opportunity that gives you the best chance to win.’”