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To the casual fan, "Repack" was a forgotten word, a relic of 1970s California mountain biking. But to the old-timers in the team cars, it sent a chill down the spine. It meant the only way to stop your bike at the bottom of the muddy descent was to strip the hubs and repack the bearings with grease. Brakes were a suggestion. Mud was the law.
The maillot jaune, a young Belgian prodigy named Lars Vandevelde, looked invincible. He had dominated the Alps and cruised through the time trial. But he had never raced Repack . Tour de France 2024-Repack
Midway down, the course funneled into a chute: a narrow tunnel of trees with a 15% gradient. Vandevelde, panicking, grabbed a fistful of brake. The front wheel locked. He went down hard, sliding on his hip, his yellow jersey turning brown. To the casual fan, "Repack" was a forgotten
"You need to repack it," Navarro said, handing it over. "Just like the old days." Brakes were a suggestion
The descent began.