For riders, earning a place on a Tour de France roster is the realization of a lifelong dream. What is less visible to fans is that the same dream exists behind the scenes. Mechanics and masseurs spend years working toward the chance to be part of cycling’s biggest race, knowing there are only so many coveted spots available.
This July, Marco Morais finally arrived.
“I’ve done the Giro d’Italia four times and the Vuelta a España four or five times,” he says. “But this is my first Tour de France. And I can tell you that this is a special race. It’s the biggest race in the world, and I’m really excited.”
Marco is one of the masseurs with the Pinarello-Q36.5 professional cycling team, making his Tour debut just as the squad makes its own first appearance in cycling’s most prestigious event.
“It is a goal for many riders to be selected for the Tour de France team,” he says. “But the same is true for mechanics and masseurs. We all want to be here. It’s the top of the sport, and it’s special for everyone.”
For Pinarello-Q36.5, the excitement goes beyond simply racing in France. This is the team’s first Tour de France, making every stage part of a larger milestone.
“There is definitely more stress here,” Marco admits with a smile. “But it’s good stress. For us, it’s super special because this is the first time the team has been selected for the Tour de France. It’s a real honor for all of us. Some of the staff have worked the Tour before, but not together on this team. The fact that it’s our first Tour together has created a really special atmosphere.”
The Tour may represent the pinnacle of Marco’s professional career, but his path there began decades earlier—as a rider.
Growing up in Portugal, Marco spent many years racing professionally before deciding to move to the other side of the sport. Rather than stepping away from cycling altogether, he transitioned into life as a masseur, working with Portuguese teams and gradually building a reputation for his professionalism and attention to detail.
His career then took him to France, where he joined the professional team Delko. It was there that an unexpected phone call changed the direction of his career.
“I received a call from Bruno Pinto (inGamba’s logistics manager), who has been one of my best friends since childhood,” Marco recalls. “He asked if I could come help out for a few weeks with inGamba. Before I knew it, I was working there full-time.”
Those few weeks turned into four memorable years.
From 2018 through 2022, Marco became an integral part of the support staff at inGamba, working alongside guests on cycling vacations throughout Europe. Although far removed from the intensity of the WorldTour, the experience proved to be an ideal training ground for what would come next.
“For me, inGamba will always be like a second family,” he says. “I raced with many of the guys for years, and a lot of them are close friends. It was an amazing four years, and I have only good memories.”
More importantly however, he insists, “It was a really good school before coming to Pinarello-Q36.5. I learned so much with inGamba. The level of support there is incredibly high. There is so much attention to detail—just like on a professional team. Today, I really think that it is the details make the difference. That is what makes the difference between the pro teams, but the same is true when it comes to travel groups and that is what sets inGamba apart.”
Those details define the daily work of a professional soigneur. Long before riders think about recovery, meals, or massages, the staff has already spent hours preparing everything needed for the day ahead. At the Tour de France, where every marginal gain matters, nothing is left to chance. And this is never more the case than at the Tour de France.
“When I was at inGamba, I might massage three guests in an afternoon. And at most races, I massage two riders. But on the Tour, I am only working with one cyclist. The team has eight masseurs at the Tour de France. Here at the Tour, I’m only massaging Chris Harper,” he explains.
That one-on-one relationship allows Marco to focus entirely on helping the Australian climber recover for the next day’s challenge, and a post-race massage on the Tour can last well over an hour. During a three-week Grand Tour, recovery is every bit as important as training, and a skilled masseur becomes an essential part of a rider’s performance.
While his professional life now revolves around racing’s biggest events, Marco still looks back fondly on his years with inGamba and the places he explored with guests.
“My favorite trips were the Dolomites,” he says. “The roads are incredible, and the scenery is just amazing.”
The other obvious choice is Portugal.
“And of course, I always loved the trips in Portugal because, well, it’s my country.”
Even after years in professional cycling, Marco still speaks like someone who genuinely enjoys introducing people to the roads that shaped him as a rider.
Ask him about his favorite race, however, and there is no hesitation.
“Paris-Roubaix,” he says immediately. “It’s just special. There’s no other race like it. Every rider who finishes Roubaix is a warrior.”
Now, as he experiences his first Tour de France from inside the race caravan, Marco has added another unforgettable chapter to a career that has steadily evolved from rider to trusted member of one of professional cycling’s support staffs.
It is also a reminder that the Tour de France is built on far more than the 184 riders who roll away from the start each morning. Behind every rider is a team of people who have dedicated their own careers to reaching this moment. They may never stand on a podium or wear a yellow jersey, but they celebrate their own victories all the same.
For Marco, that victory came not at the finish line, but with his selection to the Tour de France itself—a journey that began on the roads of Portugal, continued through four memorable years with the inGamba family, and has now brought him to the biggest race in the world.
“It’s special,” he says simply.
For someone who has spent years helping others achieve their cycling dreams, finally realizing one of his own makes those words feel like an understatement.
