Meet Kim Tiebergyn
The Grand Tours are the most demanding not just for the riders, but for the motorcycle pilots and the photographers capturing images to share with the world. Motor pilot Kim Tiebergyn (left) and photographer Tim De Waele share saddle time all around the world. Photo: Jim Fryer
Belgian motorcyclist Kim Tiebergyn has accomplished quite a bit in the 11 years since getting his M1 class license. The 32-year-old has become a regular fixture on the professional international bicycle racing circuit, piloting the likes of world-class photographer Tim De Waele. Tiebergyn has racked up an impressive race resume: nine times Tour of Flanders, eight times Paris-Roubaix, seven times Tour de France, seven times Giro d'Italia, seven times Milan-San Remo, and six times La Vuelta a España, to name a few.
The Grand Tours are brutal for everyone, including the drivers: in three weeks, there are just two rest days. And while it might look exciting to watch professional cyclists fly along at an average of 25 mph, it can be rather stressful for a professional photographer to be in the right place at the right time. Most European roads are narrow, crowned and lined with spectators.
This is where the skill and ability of the motorcycle pilot—not to mention an astute sense of where not to be among the rolling caravan—plays a key role in which photos get published online or in print. For years I reported on all the races Tiebergyn has driven, but never from the back of a motorcycle speeding alongside 100-plus Lycra-clad racers.
Every picture tells a story, so I spoke with Tiebergyn to learn more about life on the bike.