"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Suckers

Just wanted to vent a little after my crit yesterday.

I won my last one, so was feeling pretty good for a repeat performace. Half way through i was feeling good and was looking good for the win again while doing my turns, however when it came someone elses turn to move to the front, no one would move forward or would only roll up and then straight off.

One guy was even following me across the road when i swervign off the front to keep me up the front...

I know how to deal with him now, I am going to just attack the crap out of him, thats how i won the last race, he couldn't handle all the attacks. Am hoping he is racign this weekend.

Long story short, I had to work to chase down attack, this guy sucked my wheel the whole time and then got up for the win cause i had nothing left...still managed third tho.

Anyone else have a sucker that cost them a race win.

Just wanted to vent a little after my crit yesterday.

I won my last one, so was feeling pretty good for a repeat performace. Half way through i was feeling good and was looking good for the win again while doing my turns, however when it came someone elses turn to move to the front, no one would move forward or would only roll up and then straight off.

One guy was even following me across the road when i swervign off the front to keep me up the front...

I know how to deal with him now, I am going to just attack the crap out of him, thats how i won the last race, he couldn't handle all the attacks. Am hoping he is racign this weekend.

Long story short, I had to work to chase down attack, this guy sucked my wheel the whole time and then got up for the win cause i had nothing left...still managed third tho.

Anyone else have a sucker that cost them a race win.

-If you're in a two man break with him, threaten to stop working. He'll either either come through, or you'll go back to the group.

-If you're in a multi-person break with him, back him out of the break. Then accelerate back up to it. He'll either get popped, or start working. Do this multiple times. It will work, either way.

-If he's just doing this in the pack, who cares. But, unless you're just going for the final pack sprint, the first two situations will arise, and you'll need to deal with him.

sounds like the guy that won is a pretty smart racer. Duke's pointers will keep you from getting burned again.

Do you have any teammates? They sure woulda come in handy, too.

+1 to Duke's suggestions. Escorting the guy out the back of the break is a really great technique, and actually pretty fun.

Make sure that when you attack him that you jump toward the centerline, then back to the shoulder quickly to shake him out of your draft (make sure you're clear).

Just wanted to vent a little after my crit yesterday.

I won my last one, so was feeling pretty good for a repeat performace. Half way through i was feeling good and was looking good for the win again while doing my turns, however when it came someone elses turn to move to the front, no one would move forward or would only roll up and then straight off.

One guy was even following me across the road when i swervign off the front to keep me up the front...

I know how to deal with him now, I am going to just attack the crap out of him, thats how i won the last race, he couldn't handle all the attacks. Am hoping he is racign this weekend.

Long story short, I had to work to chase down attack, this guy sucked my wheel the whole time and then got up for the win cause i had nothing left...still managed third tho.

Anyone else have a sucker that cost them a race win.

too late.

News Flash! Race winners are most often the guys who worked the least, not the most. It's called 'Race Smarts'.

You got schooled.

Bob

too late.

Come on, it wasn't that bad. At least he used punctuation, paragraphs, and capitalization most of the time.

Compare it to this post (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=368959&p=5770284)...

That wheelsucker sounds crafty.

Anyone else have a sucker that cost them a race win.
No, but I have been the sucker before. It's not always the strongest who win.

Really, I just held on to a nice spot in the pack and came around the outside with all my saved up energy, but you get the idea.

I'm reading this as though you were in the winning break with others and took 3rd, no shame in that. The winner utilized your efforts and used you for a leadout, which is simply racing smarter than you. Learn from it, and use it in your future races.

A thing about breakaways (I've been guilty of many times) is that participants often have a tendancy to work too hard in an effort to make a break stick, then get dropped, swallowed by the field or a chase, or punked in the last 200M by other breakaway group members that utilized their energy more efficiently. When in a break, do your share, but that doesnt mean you should do more than anyone else. (Lots of exceptions depending on circumstance).

Come on, it wasn't that bad. At least he used punctuation, paragraphs, and capitalization most of the time.

Compare it to this post (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=368959&p=5770284)...

apples and oranges, they're both fruit.

wheelsucker played you good

ride more,
do some squats in secret,
come back and destroy...it's the only way

I agree with everyone about the wheelsucker racing smart and Duke's suggestions for breaking him. But what struck me in the OP's post was the comment of lack of interest of others to make the break stick. That is frustrating when your break mates don't see that their odds of winning go up in a small break vs. sprinting against the field and refuse to work for it. Even if you're a sprinter and are saving it, it's still far safer to sprint within a small breakaway.

I agree with everyone about the wheelsucker racing smart and Duke's suggestions for breaking him. But what struck me in the OP's post was the comment of lack of interest of others to make the break stick. That is frustrating when your break mates don't see that their odds of winning go up in a small break vs. sprinting against the field and refuse to work for it. Even if you're a sprinter and are saving it, it's still far safer to sprint within a small breakaway.

not if you're going to get dropped by the breakaway by doing too much work (sometimes too much = any at all)

not if you're going to get dropped by the breakaway by doing too much work (sometimes too much = any at all)

That's me pretty often. I can take a couple turns, but am at a huge risk for getting dropped in a break with some 1s and 2s driving the pace. If I can hang on to the 100m line, look out.

I agree with everyone about the wheelsucker racing smart and Duke's suggestions for breaking him. But what struck me in the OP's post was the comment of lack of interest of others to make the break stick. That is frustrating when your break mates don't see that their odds of winning go up in a small break vs. sprinting against the field and refuse to work for it. Even if you're a sprinter and are saving it, it's still far safer to sprint within a small breakaway.

That's because in the lower cats, everyone thinks they can win the field sprint. Maybe after a few years of racing they'll realize they're not sprinters. Sprinting ability is largely genetic and not that trainable so a good portion of the field is deluding themselves.

not if you're going to get dropped by the breakaway by doing too much work (sometimes too much = any at all)

True...That's always a factor to consider. I guess I was mostly referring to those folks who aren't even willing to try to get a break started and just want to sit in and hope they can take the field sprint.

True...That's always a factor to consider. I guess I was mostly referring to those folks who aren't even willing to try to get a break started and just want to sit in and hope they can take the field sprint.


This is exactly what happened in the race, he sat in the whole race...Its all good, i got him sussed now..Hope i see him again real soon

That's because in the lower cats, everyone thinks they can win the field sprint. Maybe after a few years of racing they'll realize they're not sprinters. Sprinting ability is largely genetic and not that trainable so a good portion of the field is deluding themselves.

Sprinting ability, at every level, is largely determined by your ability to place yourself on the right wheel at the right time.

If it had been about genetics, and pure sprinting ability, my 4.5s 40y ass should have won at least one race in the Cat4s. Did I? Hell no. Because I didn't know how to sprint. As in the act of carrying out a well timed final sprint in a mass finish.