Long, Steve
And how to achieve that is a matter of orchestration and poetry in
motion.
Often times, breaks/chase groups don't work. Not because they can't but
because there's a lack of orchestration. This takes a tremendous amount
of thought from everyone in the break or chase group.
From: obra-bounces@list.obra.org [mailto:obra-bounces@list.obra.org] On
Behalf Of Mike Murray
Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2010 9:18 AM
To: 'OBRA'
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] pacelines / #369 (Fat Cyclist) offers an
apology
People think that breaks get away because they go faster. While this is
obviously true over the whole period of time that a break is out they go
faster not because they can go faster than the field, it is because they
don't go slow, as a field often will. It is the lack of slowing that
makes a break succeed.
Mike Murray
From: obra-bounces@list.obra.org [mailto:obra-bounces@list.obra.org] On
Behalf Of john
Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2010 08:57 AM
To: obra
Subject: [OBRA Chat] pacelines / #369 (Fat Cyclist) offers an apology
Actually, other then the potty mouth, imho, you did the correct thing.
In 3/4 category where the teams aren't well organized nor at matched
fitness levels, If you get in a break, you are all temporary teammates
and should try to work together (smoothly)... if nothing else for the
experience and possibility of actually staying away. I know if I ever
get a break (when i start racing again...) , i could care less about
winning, first priority is for the break to succeed ! [ I think this is
the same with everyone, in lower categories, no one is sitting in on a
break trying to set up for the sprint. In higher categories where there
is money on the line, and maybe its your livelihood and you have high
power teammates, well then yes it is all part of the game and the
tactics].
Anyway, there is nothing worse then having someone try too hard, to pull
too much, only to be shelled. There is nothing worse then when I am
pulling to not have the other persons sitting on tight and drafting
properly, cause i will need help in about 10 seconds when i start going
anaerobic, if only for say 2 seconds drafting, or if we have to settle
in for bit, for help later. Or maybe just moral support, and having
someone draft behind, this does help the lead person go faster.
So yes just as bad is someone who thinks you should be pulling through
or doing long pulls. Noooo !!! , not if you can't, not if you going to
blow up because of it...
Pacelines are all about getting up to speed and then being smooth AND
only one person doing the work at a time (unless you have say more then
8-10 guys then two at front for a rotating paceline.)
When someone comes through, instantly soft pedal, start recovering, get
some draft, let your heart rate drop then come around, smoothly. If you
are thinking this person came around too quick I am not done pulling, i
didn't wave off, etc.. WRONG ! don't both fight the wind, get behind
and draft, and then just come around quicker, speed up a tad, and
balance the workload without surging. If you surge (create a gap) when
you come around then you did NOT come around soon enough. Yes that
sometimes means you draft for only 2 seconds (but your recovery started
the instant you sensed the other person coming around)
If you surge when you come around then the people behind you have no
time to recover (they are dying trying to close the gap you created! )
so now all are dead, who's going to pull ? big big oops.
If anyone stays out in the wind too long, surges hard, your break is
doomed.
If you don't have the power to take a pull, then move over to the wheel
of the person coming back so that they don't see you, so they don't
accidently try to go behind you. When you feel better, take quick
pulls, but for the Love of God, don't be a hero, pull too long, and blow
up ! If anyone doesn't appreciate even your quick pull, or even your
sitting on, then they are idiots or think they are racing professional.
(and if you are someone who sits in a break just to win a sprint, first
of all very rare, but there is always fool me once, shame on you, fool
me twice...
If anyone is "blocking" or letting gaps grow, keep your head up,
instantly recognize and instantly come around. Don't let the gaps grow
! Always stay in draft ( except when you are pulling... )
Always rotate off into the wind. At say PIR, when windy this can make
things difficult, since the paceline rotation NEEDs to change every
mile. If even one person doesn't understand this and if it is not
executed with finesse and smoothness, then your paceline is doomed.
On Tue, Jun 8, 2010 at 11:28 PM, Jeff Lorenzen
wrote:
I know this may seem trivial, but it bothered me all the way home. I
was in the break in the 3/4 race when I was admonished by another racer
to pull through. I responded with a "potty mouth." While sitting in is
a legitimate, though annoying, racing tactic, tonight I was turning
myself inside out just to hang on. I got shelled anyway. So, I
apologize to my fellow racers and to Elden Nelson (the Fat Cyclist) for
not doing his colors right.
Maybe with another week of fitness I'll be able to pull through.
Jeff Lorenzen
Hood River Double Cross
Port of Hood River Criteriums
541.490.6837
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