I remember watching the Tour de France, never realizing the amount of work that went into creating the winner's jerseys. People miraculously appeared with the winning team's logo on the jersey, helped it on the winner, and did it again and again, day after day.
Economically, it wouldn't make sense for a company to print off every teams logo of every size for every category. When there are only a few winners each day, that's a lot of jerseys to never use.
Being the Official Technical Wear Sponsor of the Colorado Classic, it's our privilege to do this task - this secret task that must be done perfectly.
In the "Green Room," there's such a machine - called Betsy. Betsy is our sublimation machine. Rok and Jeff work side-by-side through this process in order for each teams' logos to seamlessly transfer from the printed graphic to the white square on each category's jersey.
The tent is full at the finish. The winners of that day's race and their assistants, go to their specified chairs (Queen of the Mountain, Overall Leader, Sprinter, etc) and eat their favorite foods. Meanwhile, they're interviewed between bites and stripping off their chamois.
Bob Roll was in the back interviewing the winners as well.
Meanwhile, at the other end of our Green Room, people are hustling and bustling confirming each winner's name and sizing.
Once a winner was announced and their size confirmed, Jeff pulled the specific jersey and Rok pulled the winner's team's logo. Betsy was warmed up and ready to print.
It takes four hands to complete this job.
Rok held the jersey in place and Jeff set the graphic on top. Rok held the graphic as Jeff slid off the protective sheet of paper. Rok gently pressed the lever down and with a click, the jersey was stamped. Rok lifted the top, Jeff pulled the jersey and grabbed a hanger, and Rok zipped it up.
Others grabbed the finished jerseys to rush them over to their manager, who then handed it to the people who'd help the jersey on to the winner.
Everything happened fast. It needed to. Otherwise, the audience would be wondering what was going on and we all want to see the winners win.