After his years with Sky, Servais Knaven now drives the car feared by classic riders

How are things with Servais Knaven? The former cyclist and successful team leader now works for Shimano, where he coordinates the neutral service. It is a completely different role from that of a team leader at Sky/INEOS or as team boss of AG Insurance Quick-Step, but it is a challenge that the former winner of Paris-Roubaix tackles with just as much passion. IDLProCycling.com spoke to him about the spring classics.

Knaven enjoyed a successful career with teams such as TVM, Quick-Step, T-Mobile, and finally, Milram, where he retired at the end of 2010. In 2012, he became the sports director of Team Sky, where he worked for eleven years and won several Tour de France.

In early 2023, he opted for a new challenge when the father of four daughters became the women's team AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step manager. Together with his wife Natascha, although this adventure did not work out quite as planned. And so we suddenly found him in Shimano clothing in AlUla.

Read more below the photo!

Knaven talks about his job in the neutral service car

Servais, what is your role at Shimano?
"I am the coordinator of Shimano Benelux and France. Libéma Profcycling, which provides neutral service in Benelux, now also covers France. That is a big change because it means many more French races: Paris-Nice, the Dauphiné and the Tour. I ensure everything runs smoothly and ride in the car during the race."

What's that like?
"Driving the neutral service car is different than driving the team car. You have to think ahead and know what's going to happen. You have to anticipate. Often, nothing happens until you get to the last part of the race, and there's suddenly work to be done. We are neutral, so our car is loaded with all kinds of different wheels. We have three cars and six bicycles on them, with varying types of pedals and custom tires. We have worked on this this year and want to make progress."

"On a day like Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, we have six cars and two motorcycles combined for the men's and women's races. To give you an idea, we have 42 wheels for each race. So it's very organized, even behind the scenes."

How do you like it so far?
"I like it. You don't think about what the neutral service does until you're in it yourself. As a rider and team leader, I always thought they got in the way. As a rider, I would rather not have them there because you never know what you'll get. We want to address that with the best equipment Shimano has to offer. And I tell people I know they don't have to worry that it won't be a good bike. That area has improved enormously. We all know what happened to Chris Froome on Mont Ventoux, where he was given a bike with toe clips that didn't fit him. Those days are over."

Read more below the video!

Knaven finds Shimano "a very nice challenge"

Is it important that your name is now associated with Shimano?
"I do think it makes a difference. It helps when there is someone you know behind the wheel. We also have Henrik Redant, a team leader who has been here for many years, and a few French people. This helps build trust with the organizations but is a gradual process. It is an important part of Shimano, and we want to provide the best service. The few times we have to take action, it has to be spot on."

What is your role in this?
"I have never been in the position I am in now. I used to be in car 1, but there was always a neutral service car in front of us. You are in the heart of the race."

How did you get involved?
"I've known the people at Libéma for quite some time. I'd had enough at AG at a certain point, which wasn't going the way we wanted. Then, at a certain point, I thought, I'm giving it a go. I no longer called teams and felt I had to give it a go. It's different, but still in the same world. A very nice challenge."

To what extent is a race like the Omloop different from a race in the desert?
"There are more spectators, and the roads are narrower, with all kinds of short, steep climbs. The team managers will be more nervous there, too. In AlUla, I will have plenty of space, but in the Omloop, it will take me three times as long—a completely different environment."

How good a driver do you have to be to drive a neutral service car?
"If you have to drive behind the peloton, you must have some experience in that situation. But that goes for everyone, no matter what car you drive. Gradually, the criteria are becoming increasingly demanding, which is a good thing."

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