Benno Willeit
Benno Willeit
Specialized Factory Racing Team Mechanic
Name: Benjamin Willeit
Age: 27
Nationality: Italian
Height: 1m 82cm
Weight:78 kilos
Favourite Movie(s): Coyote Ugly
Musical Interest(s): All kinds of music, depending on my mood
Bikes:
- Specialized S Works Roubaix
- Specialized Enduro SL
Nickname: My name is Benjamin but everybody calls me Benno. The Irish have a nack of giving people good nicknames, so Bobby always seem to come up with witty names and comments!
How long are you working with Specialized and how did you end up working for the company? I started working with Specialized at the end of the 2005 season, having spent three years working with Cannodale as a mechanic to their mountain bike team. I joined Specialized at the same time as Christoph. I have been working with Christoph since I started with Cannondale in 2003.
How did you end up working in this industry and as one of the key players in The Specialized MTB Team? I am good friends with a guy called Marcus Riener, a lad from home, who has owned a local bike shop. In 2002 Marcus started The Reiner Wurz MTB Team with Alexander Wurz the current Williams Formula 1 Driver. In 2003 the team became known as The Siemens Cannondale Team. Marcus approached me in 2003 and explained to me that he needed a truck driver for the team, but never mentioned the fact that the role also involved being a team mechanic. I was a qualified truck driver and the job sounded pretty exciting so I jumped at the opportunity. I knew absolutely nothing about bike mechanics and spoke no English, so I really had no idea what I was getting myself into! The first time I met the riders was in Monte Carlo, which was the team base at the time. It was a pretty cool place to have as a team base as you can imagine. From there we travelled to the first race. At the first race I was asked to work on the bikes, so Christoph (Susi) came with his bike and asked me to build it. There were no pedals on the bike, so I was trying for ages to get the pedals on but I could not! I had no idea that you had both a left and right side pedal! Susi pointed me in the right direction. So that is where I started: no English and having on idea about bike mechanics! Thankfully I now speak pretty good English and now I know a thing or two about bikes! In 2005 Susi was approached by Specialized and he asked me would I make the move with him. Christoph is such a good friend and a rider I really admire and the opportunity of working with Specialized excited me, so I made the move.
How was your first season (2006) with Specialized? The 2006 season was interesting and completely different to be part of a Factory Team. I really enjoyed the opportunity of working directly with the engineers and of having an input into the design and development of The Specialized product line. It was definitely a new challenge with the Epic Full Suspension Bike. I knew Christoph wanted a really light bike, so when the bike sat at 8.84 kilos at The Mont St Anne World Cup in June I was pretty satisfied.
What is your outlook on the team for 2008? I am really looking forward to the season. I am hoping that we are going to be on the top again. The biggest goal is definitely the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. We have also got a really good team atmosphere. We, the staff all get along very well, which is conducive to top results in the year to come!
What do you do for fun? I like riding my bikes. Downhill and free ride are great. I also like mini cross and have a Thumpstar 125 4 stroke and a moto vert 140cc machine! I love anything crazy and anything fast. The things I do must be exciting. With that goes outdoor sports, like snowboarding etc. Anything I do must be extreme and not boring. I hate routine and swimming sessions with Bobby in the pool is not my idea of fun! I prefer to watch the girls around the pool!
How about family? I moved from Sudtirol to Munich a few months ago but back home in Sudtirol (Northern Italy) are my mum, dad and sister Martina
Love life? I am a random guy right now! Still looking for the right one.
Other Interests? I have an interest in property and in my earlier years spent time working in the construction industry building houses. I like working with my hands and trying new things out.
If you were not where you are not what would you be doing? Movie star in Hollywood I guess!
Tell me about your pimped team van? The most important thing is that style and function must go together. Think Italian flair! I got a simple straight forward van and now we have the fastest, coolest team van on the circuit! I am always playing with it. My most recent addition was the subwoofer, but the rear is also practical. The back has space enough for five bikes, I have an air compression, a custom made work bench with all of the tools required and I can sleep in it after a big night if required! I left Bobby alone in a nightclub in Italy once (he was doing fine despite speaking no Italian), but he could not find his partner in crime. After a search party he found me asleep in the back of the van. Partying with the Irish can be tough.
