Tour de France 2011: Inside the Team HTC-Highroad engine room

Lars Back: 'Diesel' First we make sure the break that goes is right; it has to be four or five riders, not eight or nine. Then once the escape is established, the diesels set a tempo at the front of the bunch, which keeps the leaders within a manageable margin Danny Pate: 'Diesel' Fulfils the same role as Lars. The diesels are a key part of the train because they keep the break at between three and five minutes, depending on how hilly it is, and how we want to use the riders that day Tejay van Garderen: 'Diesel' As the lead comes down towards the end of the stage – sometimes with the help of the team defending the yellow jersey – Tejay can be put to work. Knowing Cav is the best makes everyone two or three per cent better. It gives them confidence Tony Martin: Tempo-man A key man late in the stage is Tony. We bring him in about two, 2.5km before the finish. He makes a steady, high speed over small hills, through the corners. He's going for a place overall, so he likes to stay right at the front, out of trouble Peter Velits : Tempo-man Tony can swing off somewhere between one and two kilometres out. Afterwards we'll use Peter Velits. He's very good technically, is looking for the overall standings as well, and so it doesn't cost him much to pull for a few hundred metres Bernhard Eisel: Train driver The final phase is critical. 'Mr Freestyle' is the organiser, he's got a loud voice, he's in contact with the directors. You need a strong road captain to make the calculations. He makes the pace into the final kilometre Matt Goss: Lead-out two With 800m to go Matt Goss, who won the Milan-San Remo Classic in March, will take Cavendish and Mark Renshaw into the last 500. Like his fellow Australian Renshaw, Goss is a world-class sprinter in his own right Mark Renshaw: Lead-out one Renshaw will get Cav to the last 200. Our train doesn't always work, other riders can be sent to disrupt it. But the important thing is for the riders to stay together. If you start to lose the wheels, you are in trouble. But the opposition know Cav is fastest, and his train is the best