"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Inattention=gaps=dropped

Happened @ the Tour de France today, and C. Moreau lost 3 minutes. Ever happen to you in a race or group ride on a windy day on a flat course? Pcad has been on the short end of that stick. And always my own fault for not paying attention to some idiot 3 wheels up from me allowing a 5' gap to open on a windy day. That becomes 10', then 20' and by the time this fool notices it it's 30 yards, the front group has droped the hamer and you're in the second group. Very frustrating. I can't imagine how crazy this must drive them in the Tour, particularly a Frenchman in the top 10 in the G.C. Oooofaaaa.

Pcad has not only read every page of the Book of Getting Shelled, he wrote half of it. And in that pathetic way I feel I have something in common with some Tour riders.

pcad, ' = minutes. " = seconds.

It's happened to me. I went OTB then got pulled.

TT's bd. You can't get pulled in a TT.

TT's bd. You can't get pulled in a TT.

But who do you blame then for leaving the gap?

i was able to finish with the lead group, but there was a flat as a pancake race in lynchburg, OH this year that saw massive drops due to crosswinds. it was rainy/sleety with a 20+ mph wind that seemed to come from every direction. of the 41 guys in the race, only 17 finished in the lead bunch (with one guy pulling out a solo last lap ftw). going into the wind on the front stretch also made for an interesting sprint.

side note: it is even more frustrating when the person that causes the little gap is a junior that is 4 feet tall and has as much power as a tadpole. you not only have to try to cover the gap, but you are barely in a draft when you are behind the little guy.

But who do you blame then for leaving the gap?

You blame your lack of a Powertap. Then you come home, post 3 hand-wringing BF threads about it, then you go and buy one. It's a process that inevitably leads to more bike schwag. Which of course is the ultimate OCP goal.

Pcad has not only read every page of the Book of Getting Shelled, he wrote half of it. And in that pathetic way I feel I have something in common with some Tour riders.

the chapter on 'Inattention=gaps=dropped' was ghost written by 'nother

You blame your lack of a Powertap. Then you come home, post 3 hand-wringing BF threads about it, then you go and buy one. It's a process that inevitably leads to more bike schwag. Which of course is the ultimate OCP goal.

When does the second power tap (SRM) thread begin?

When does the second power tap (SRM) thread begin?

Ah, but it has begun my hapless weenie, it has begun.

I've learned this lesson the hard way. Repeatedly.

It wasn't inattention. It was 400w for 10 freaking minutes that finally toasted me as I watch 1st and 2nd (finally) burn off the guy with the sprint less than 100m from the summit. I dunno which is worse, getting dropped because of a lack of awareness or because of the blood coming from your eyeballs...

i was able to finish with the lead group, but there was a flat as a pancake race in lynchburg, OH this year that saw massive drops due to crosswinds. it was rainy/sleety with a 20+ mph wind that seemed to come from every direction. of the 41 guys in the race, only 17 finished in the lead bunch (with one guy pulling out a solo last lap ftw). going into the wind on the front stretch also made for an interesting sprint.

side note: it is even more frustrating when the person that causes the little gap is a junior that is 4 feet tall and has as much power as a tadpole. you not only have to try to cover the gap, but you are barely in a draft when you are behind the little guy.

Yes. Brutal race. I spent some time hammering on the front bringing back a break and in the process toasted two of my teammates. That was not in the plan. There was seriously no place to hide in that race.

allowing a 5' gap to open on a windy day. That becomes 10', then 20'


pcad, ' = minutes. " = seconds.

It's happened to me. I went OTB then got pulled.

BD - ' = feet, then ' = feet again.

Inattention my @$$. Vinokourov and Astana atacked when Moreau was getting his rear end looked at by the doctor. The people in the back eased up when a top rider was getting medical attention. And why was that?

Vino was paying back Moreau. Unfortunately, they made a lot of enemies yesterday. Whether anyone will do anything about it, who knows? But that really does not help Kloden. Not at all.

I'm pretty sure Astana would not attack a rival, while being doctored. Nonetheless, their tactic has been used many times in the past and can work wonders if the crosswind is strong enough and long enough.

Anybody remember when Rabobank hit the front one year in Paris Nice (1997?) and the only one left after a few kilometers was VDB just barely onto 6 Rabo's in TTT fashion. Riders scrambling for wheels. Desperate to form 2nd, 3rd, 4th echelons. That is racing.

Check out Gent Wevelgem every year. That race is famous for it's numerous echelon pictures.

BD - ' = feet, then ' = feet again.

yes yes, let's all pick on the Asian and his quick-to-judge personality. :p

Inattention my @$$. Vinokourov and Astana atacked when Moreau was getting his rear end looked at by the doctor. The people in the back eased up when a top rider was getting medical attention. And why was that?

Vino was paying back Moreau. Unfortunately, they made a lot of enemies yesterday. Whether anyone will do anything about it, who knows? But that really does not help Kloden. Not at all.

I had not heard that RW, thanks for the insight. This Tour gets warmer and fuzzier every day.

I'm shocked, SHOCKED! that Vino would attack an opponent under such circumstances.

http://img.search.com/thumb/7/7d/Crains.jpg/200px-Crains.jpg

Round up the usual suspects.

Inattention my @$$. Vinokourov and Astana atacked when Moreau was getting his rear end looked at by the doctor. The people in the back eased up when a top rider was getting medical attention. And why was that?

Vino was paying back Moreau. Unfortunately, they made a lot of enemies yesterday. Whether anyone will do anything about it, who knows? But that really does not help Kloden. Not at all.
They reported his doctor visit was over, he was just riding at the back.
And the peleton gassing it when Vino crashed, abeit more serverly, was fair? It wasn't only Astana taking pulls at the front.

Regardless of anything else, Vino & Astana were @ the front of that friggin ride HAMMERING for hours. Whatever gaps they opened up were hard earned through an incredible team effort.

Vino was paying back Moreau. Unfortunately, they made a lot of enemies yesterday. Whether anyone will do anything about it, who knows? But that really does not help Kloden. Not at all.

...Like anyone at Astana gives a flying **** about what happens to Kloden...

They're all single file when you get gapped and dropped.
But one lap later, when you're watching from the sidewalk, they're all bunched up and freewheelin' and talkin' and drinkin'.
That's the real crime.

Well, I, for one, like it when the big guys put a hurt on the l'il climbers :)

Payback for every time I see them slowly(or often not-so-slowly) pull away from me on hill climbs. Unfortunately, power on the flats is usually pretty boring and doesn't seem to get me very far.

On a fast training ride with around 30 guys, the group slowed a bit so I decided to remove my vest. Just as I got one arm out the attacks began. By the time I got my vest off I was 200m off the back fighting a head wind trying to get back on with the group. It sucked because I could just see them in front of me slowly opening up the gap. It took my 10 miles and one really hard climb to finally get there but I managed to do it.

On a fast training ride with around 30 guys, the group slowed a bit so I decided to remove my vest. Just as I got one arm out the attacks began. By the time I got my vest off I was 200m off the back fighting a head wind trying to get back on with the group. It sucked because I could just see them in front of me slowly opening up the gap. It took my 10 miles and one really hard climb to finally get there but I managed to do it.


Something similar happened to me once, but by the time I caught them I was so gassed I couldn't stay with the group.

A pretty flat start to an 80mi RR, hangin around the back jawing, ect. Not paying attention to the course or wind. Course makes a RH turn and into a 25mph left to right cross wind. I end up in the gutter in the next to last eschelon with gaps forming everywhere. Had to work like a dog for 10mi to make the selection, pretty much toast the rest of the way. I was so tired Event caught me on a climb;)

They're all single file when you get gapped and dropped.
But one lap later, when you're watching from the sidewalk, they're all bunched up and freewheelin' and talkin' and drinkin'.
That's the real crime.


This always seems to be the case, don't know why, must be a law of nature or something.

It wasn't inattention. It was 400w for 10 freaking minutes that finally toasted me as I watch 1st and 2nd (finally) burn off the guy with the sprint less than 100m from the summit. I dunno which is worse, getting dropped because of a lack of awareness or because of the blood coming from your eyeballs...

personally i think inattention is worse, because it's a dumb mistake that shouldn't have happened. getting dropped after giving it your all is at least a noble outcome.

....after hanging onto a car for 7 miles at 35mph. I let go just before I rolled up on you.

....after hanging onto a car for 7 miles at 35mph. I let go just before I rolled up on you.

Alwasy wondered..

My problem is more like this: attention=gaps=dropped.

At least you have a reason.:)

My problem is more like this: attention=gaps=dropped.



You twisted bike weenies.

Ah, but it has begun my hapless weenie, it has begun.

King of the weenies,

I am waiting in eager anticipation for the first thread on your new purchase. Much like the anticipation many feel for this evening's Harry Potter release, I cannot wait to learn our hero's fate. Will it be a powertap laced to a Zipp? Wireless / wired? Or an SRM so the Zipps, which most certainly rock, can be used with power data? Or no powermeter, but a new disk? Screw Harry, we need an update on the adventures of Pcad as he battles the same foe many of us (certainly I) face: DNA that does not lend itself to victory.

Oh, and to be on topic, I have never allowed a gap to form due to lack of attention. It has always been due to my inadequacies on the bike.

Eric "the gap" Cox