“Don’t Try This at Home, Kids.” Watch Elena Hartmann’s Brow Raising On-Bike Mechanics
Stage 3 of the Tour de France Femmes was full of heartbreak and nail-biting anticipation. One such incident happened when Elena Hartmann (Israel Premier Tech Roland) experienced chain issues, and instead of stopping, the Swiss National Champion used her bare fingers to realign her chain while still riding her bike.
“Don’t try this at home, kids. You might come back with one or two less fingers,” said race announcers in a video posted on Twitter by GCN Racing.
While balancing her bike and looking down, Hartman carefully lifts her bike chain to the front of the big ring. With exceptional precision, she strategically places the chain on a few teeth of the big ring and pedals away.
“No risk no glory, uh?” replied Israel Premier Tech Roland.
Was the risk worth it? It depends on what camp you’re in. Despite the commentator’s “don't do this at home” caution, not everyone agreed, and it wasn’t just because you could lose a finger.
“Technically do try this at home. Stationary! Just don’t try on the road while in motion,” replied one Twitter user.
“Don’t try this at home. She’s professionally trained and on a closed road,” replied another.
Whether you’re for or against such a herculean effort, her flawless execution could lead one to believe that this wasn’t Hartmann's first rodeo. After all, she’s a pro, and with the amount of time she spends in the saddle, she’s bound to have some cycling skills that defy logic.
Staying upright worked to Hartmann’s benefit. She was about four minutes behind the yellow jersey when she crossed the finish line in Montignac-Lascaux.
With four days of racing to go, let’s hope Hartmann's chain stays aligned so she can do her day job rather than being a literal race mechanic.
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