Back Stage With Team High Road Mechanic Jorg Wohlleben

Jorg is a hard worker who has earned the respect of the High Road riders and team staff

Jorg Wohlleben has been a professional mechanic for over 20 years. A round faced, happy looking German, Wohlleben actually means "good life" in German. And as the life of a pro cycling mechanic goes, Jorg's life is indeed a good one. He took a few minutes with Euro Peloton to speak about the life of a mechanic, and some of the lesser known facts about being a member of the operations team of a big time cycling franchise.

Jorg has been with the same organization for his entire professional career. Beginning as Telecom, then T-Mobile, and finally its present day form of High Road, Wohlleben has worked on the machines of many cycling legends, including Jan Ullrich, Bjarne Riis, Giani Bugno (for track racing), and Erik Zabel. In fact, he calls Riis one of his best friends, and acted as the Dane's mechanic during his lone Tour de France win in 1996.

He'll head back to the Grand Boucle again in 2008, after a 12 year hiatus. The last time he worked the Tour, Riis won the overall itle while then teammate Jan Ullrich took second. As a reward for his hard work, he was gifted a custom prototype bicycle from Riis along with a leader's yellow jersey. The bike and the jersey hang in his house to this day. Hopefully he'll bring similar luck to the team in the 2008 version of the Tour.

Wohlleben is responsible for all the High Road bikes for the Commerce Bank Triple Crown of Cycling

Like the riders, the mechanics and other employees of a team are provided bonuses when the team wins. The prize money is split up into a pool, and then doled out to the mechanics, soigneurs, and other logistical employees at the end of the year. As Jorg describes it, "cycling is a big family, we are all very close to each other. When one wins, we all win. It is nice."

When not tweaking the saddle position of George Hincapie's saddle or adjusting the stem angle for young John Devine, Jorg heads into the uncharted wilderness of the Yukon to hunt Moose and bear. He does so all alone, often for weeks at a time. He describes his off season passion. "Being in the wilderness is good for the mind, a healthy way to clear one's head before heading back to the bustle of every day life. I am never scared, because I am used to being alone in the wilderness. It is my home away from home."

Look for Jorg after races as he adjusts each rider's bicycle exactly to their specifications. And wish him and the High Road team luck in the Philadelphia International Championiship, because when Team High Road wins, so does Jorg Wohlleben. It's a good life!