Cycling and Endurance Sport Training Information

You are in the break-Great !- Now what? If you are the weaker or feeling weaker , then do 1 of 2 things. #1 Sit-on- Rest and maybe you'll come around. #2-Pull-, but not super hard, just keep the pace going. Many times when the break is getting established, you have no choice. Pull or get caught, however, once it is established it is easier to rest.

If you are the strongest rider- Motor the break, but make sure to keep it consistent at the front and smooth. DO NOT go so hard that you do 80% of the work. If you are doing 80% of the work, then sit -up and try for a different combination of riders. The original break probably would not have worked anyway and you would have ended up getting tired in the process.

DO- Ride hard and make sure that you are confident of being able to jump away towards the end or win the sprint. Don't get fooled by other riders, who may be bluffing of their weakness. Don't be too eager to drive the break, but make sure to be vocal and encourage the break to work together and go fast.

Be careful and assess your breakaway companions strengths and weaknesses. Make sure to eat and drink at the back of the break or shake out your legs at the back , so others won't see you.

If your jump is slow and the finish is coming up, you might want to drop off the back a bit and then attack (slingshot) around the rest of the break. This is great to do b/c you pass the rest of the break at max speed and they can't get your wheel and they must make a MAJOR effort to get you back.

Blocking is part of bike racing and if done properly, it is a very effective tool to assist a teammate or friend who is in a breakaway. If done incorrectly, it leads to very negative racing.

Blocking should be done subtly and smoothly. DO NOT go the front of the pack and slow down, other riders will recognize this and just go around. Go to the front and ride "tempo" - a fast pace, but slower than you know that the break will be going. This allows the break to gain time but discourages other riders from attacking or coming around you.

Another good technique is to lead into the turns and slow down a lot for each turn and then sprint hard out of each one. That creates an accordion effect and makes it very hard for a chase to develop. Your speed will be fast on the straights, but slow through the turns, and allow the break to get away.

Do attack at every "lull" that you can, especially in criteriums. Don't attack when the pace is 35mph+ ! Attack from farther back in the pack and get the "jump" on the other riders. Attack going into turns to get a gap. Attack on hills, or at the top of the hill.

Make your attacks count ! Don't just attack every other chance you get, but do attack with purpose and commitment. Good places to attack in Road Races are on the upside of a long downhill (use your momentum) . Also, attack in the crosswinds and ride on the side of the road that will not allow anyone to draft until you get someone to help you.

Half hearted attacks are nothing but a waste of energy. You have to attack to win!

Cycling and Endurance Sport Training Information - Racing Tactics