Beating wheel sitters in short crit

tomdavis80

Speaking of triathletes turned cyclists, Lance Armstrong was a triathlete himself before he became a cyclist.

I do not really understand why triathletes don't like it when people draft behind other's wheels because it's part of cycling and personally, if they don't like it, they can shove it down their throats cause the person drafting has the better chance of winning than they do.

Thomas Davis

Roy Gardiner

I think the 'no-drafting' rule was correct *in triathlons*; I'd love to see a group of 8 or 9 professional cyclists enter an 'Ironman' under the new rules and ride the cycling 112 miles together as a TTT. Even if they finished half an hour behind the first swimmer they'd make it up in the cycling leg, and drag the entire field behind them, thus making the whole event look silly.

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Roy Gardiner, Hainault Roads Club

Shabby

It's not that you are any fitter than the sprinters, we're just smarter than you.

Obviously you've never heard the phrase "Let them cook". That's why your little breakaway always survives until one or two laps to go. No decent sprinter cares about your 200m lead, that can be eaten up in no time if someone bothers. And everyone knows you won't sprint well if you time trial for 45 minutes before the sprint.

There's no prize for waste the most energy needlessly. As soon as you figure that out, you'll have more fun racing crits. If you want to prove whose fittest (but not smartest) do a time trial or go back to tri's. If you want to win in a breakway, have a go, but don't whinge about negative tactics.

Oh, and we all do plenty of turns to make sure the bunch says together for the sprint.

Nicko71

Thanks for your reply Shabby, I do appreciate the general sentiment.

I enjoy the idea of crits, but I really don't enjoy the races where the pace is slow, and the riding very negative. Hey, dont get me wrong I don't mind losing, I just like to see people have a go at winning and get some hard work and exercise in the process!!

As for the plenty of turns thing. I've seen guys win who do none. In the end I dont really care that much, but I just dont see how they can all go around and pat themselves on the back, and shoot off about their "fabulous victory".

I know I shouldnt whinge about crits, because the point is to win within the rules, by the use of intelligent tactics.

Roy Gardiner

A pal of mine is a world class sprinter (he has two medals from the World Masters to prove it). If we let him get within sight of the finish still at the front, he will win. But in all other aspects of bike racing he's fairly ordinary. He can be dropped on hills. If you're in a break and attack with 1k to go, he's easily beatable; if you leave it until 500m, you have no chance. So why should he do anything other than sit in? It's up to us to get rid of him. And if we don't, he would be entitled to brag about it

That's why I think you're mistaken to complain. A sprint is a gift from God for a cyclist. So yes, you have to use intelligent tactics to defeat them. For the sprinter it's easy; follow wheels until 200m to go. Yet it makes them predictable. You have to make sure they're not there at 200m.

Good luck.

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Roy Gardiner, Hainault Roads Club

Shabby

Once you win a few times you'll get put into a grade where the pace is higher, and this will keep continuing until you find a tough race, or you racing Le Tour. And once you're there, you will no doubt working for one of the sprinters who sits on until 200 meters to go, or one of the climbers who sits on until the base of the biggest climbs.

If the pace is too slow for you, attack. If you're not getting hard work, train harder or race at a higher level. But to me, it sounds like you should work on your sprint first, becasue if you can't win a race which is a slow pace, you certainly won't win the sprint in a faster race.

shaneo

Nicko

one thing you haven't quite got a grasp of is that often a good sprinter is not always a good endurance type rider....they dont always have the type of legs for pulling good turns, as you have described.....but if they are still there with a look at the line...they are able to explode for a short distance and rapidly accelerate....

I wouldn't look at it in a negative light....basically if the race comes down to a bunch kick....then it is a sprinters game...

maybe you should find one and help lead him out....if the race comes down to a sprint....this can be abit of fun....especially if you are not blessed with a big kick yourself...

dont worry....it sounds like you might have been working for a couple of sprinters....without realising it

hlimbocker

Like cyclesteve said, be patient and let the others do some work. Like you yourself said, these guys are of average fitness, work with a couple of guys to pick up the pace, beat on the weak a little, and leave the end to you and your co-consirators. You could ride once a week with good fellow crit riders, and keep 'em movin' and get there fitness up. How badly do you wish to win.

Nicko71

Thanks for all the great replies,

I've been working hard on a bit of sprinting ability. Super fast cadence intervals, and some big short hill climbs. Things seem to be slowly getting better in this department. Unless youre with a team, I think you have to have a sprint well to really enjoy crits.

My finishing is always OK, but now with experience I am learning where to be at the end of a race.

I have found that near the end, if the pace has slowed to allow sprinters a bit of recovery, a last lap break is not very effective. Getting a good wheel on that last lap is the key to good finish in this situation.

If the pace is high all the way to the end. Then a last lap break is a possibility, because sprinters are a bit too tired or over cautious to chase you anyway.

I'm still wondering about early attacks though. Sometimes the race starts are very slow in this amateur group I ride with. A surprise attack right from the word go, I'm sure would establish a good break!! Can a group of four hold off a peleton of say 25 for 40 minutes, without any blocking? (I'm sure it must be rare that such an attack would be successful). Looking forward to trying anyway.

Nick

Roy Gardiner

I'm very surprised by your experience.

In the professional world the sprinters' teams work hard to keep the pace as high as possible to prevent last-km dashes; the opposite of your experience.

Back to our world. If the pace is high you will not be able to make a big gap, and you must have a significant lead as you hit the last 300m; you will be dying, the sprinters coming alive. Conversely, if the pace is low and you get a gap you can capitalise on it because everyone at the back will be watching everyone else, not chasing, until such time as the sprinters start winding-up.If there's a lead-out man working for one of the sprinters you're stuffed anyway, 2 against 1!

The key is to get a gap; if you attack at 800m and someone catches your wheel, all you will do is string out the field. Useless; I know! But if you can get even two or three lengths clear, you have a chance. Go to 100% and don't look back - all you can do is hope to get to 300m to go with a big enough lead so that as you die they don't come past.



If you're racing against the same people week after week, then you'll see a pattern. Certain people attack and no-one takes any notice, others do and get chased. They are the danger men. Get four or five of them in the break and you have a good chance, for 2 reasons. Good guys in the break, those same good guys not in the bunch chasing... Watch which break to go with, if you miss it then break your legs to get across. Also the good guys might not be interested until nearer the end, so don't go in a break with weak riders. The good guys will get together and catch you in the last 10 minutes.

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Roy Gardiner, Hainault Roads Club