You've all seen it. A team with large numbers takes turns launching attacks, and we lemmings chase every time. Meanwhile, while we get pooped out, their sprinters have been protected in the pack the entire time or they got one in their break or something else.
What have you done to foil this strategy in your races, be it solo or with teammates of your own?
I tried today by convincing other racers that were continually covering these attacks that it wasn't worth it if they only had one solo off the front. I was trying to discourage the chasing because we were only in lap 1 of a 45 mile race and wanted to ease the surging. I succeeded for a round and the top 15 of us watched the following attack and let this guy off the front and he started to squirm and look back exhausted until his own teammate decided to shut it down and bridged.
Ideas? I naturally tried searching which failed so if you have a link to another thread that'd be great.
bdcheung
05-04-08, 07:10 PM
I follow the attack and sit in the entire time. Especially so if my team isn't well represented.
Snuffleupagus
05-04-08, 07:12 PM
Mark the guys who actually have the legs to make a break stick, and go when they go. Otherwise, sit in the pack and let the other teams/riders who're racing on balls not brains chase.
carpediemracing
05-04-08, 07:20 PM
Usually the team launching a bazillion attacks is really working for a couple specific riders, not all of them. Okay, sometimes you're up against the Masters Postal team or similar and end up with a team of 10 potential winners in the race. Or Mapei or CSC or whoever.
But if the first bit is true, i.e. there are a couple specific riders protected, then you go with them. The other guys will "chase themselves back", i.e. they'll blow and return to the group. Here's a race where something like that happened:
http://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.com/2008/04/racing-plainville-april-19-recap.html
cdr
schnabler1
05-04-08, 07:26 PM
Yeah, this makes sense guys. I think the trick is identifying the strongest racers.
Snuffleupagus
05-04-08, 07:33 PM
Yeah, this makes sense guys. I think the trick is identifying the strongest racers.
Sometimes it's not always the strongest guys that are getting set up either. Say it's a combined CAT3/4 or 2/3 race, where most of the guys are 3s or 2s - except for a few, and the team is working to get those guys a result so they can upgrade and keep racing with the rest of the team.
waterrockets
05-04-08, 07:38 PM
Yeah, I just let the guys go unless I know who they are. I'd rather have a good looking break a couple hundred meters up the road so I can bridge to them anyway. If I can time the launch with one of the strong guys, I'll go with him.
Racer Ex
05-04-08, 07:56 PM
Attack them first.
schnabler1
05-04-08, 07:59 PM
Sometimes it's not always the strongest guys that are getting set up either. Say it's a combined CAT3/4 or 2/3 race, where most of the guys are 3s or 2s - except for a few, and the team is working to get those guys a result so they can upgrade and keep racing with the rest of the team.
Good point. Carpe's entry makes a good choice of words like "Placer" "Leader" "LegBreaker" whatever.
His idea was more along the lines of what I was looking for - he identifies all the racers as ether workers or ones the team intends to place, and separating them by getting all the workers into a break and all the placers in the pack. If the placers are to acheive, they would have to chase they're own teammies.
Unless another team does it for them of course.
We've got a rival team down here that practices this 'taking turns attacking' drill every World's ride. They practice and practice it, so I was interested in ways to shut it down without practicing Cinzano tactics.
waterrockets
05-04-08, 08:03 PM
Attack them first.
:lol:
I mean: grrrr
That did work out well for me as well... it's tough learning to race like that though, as I've never had the tool set before.
Racer Ex
05-04-08, 08:13 PM
:lol:
I mean: grrrr
That did work out well for me as well... it's tough learning to race like that though, as I've never had the tool set before.
The toolset should include a short attention span and a short memory. Last Tuesday nighter I swore I was just going to sit in and get some work. I felt tired, sleepy, and decidedly unenthusiastic. Next thing I know I'm in a break OTF with the big motors. Look down and see the SRM has clocked all of 10 minutes. Only 50 to go. Ohhhhhhhh.
Yoda was right. There is no try, only do.
schnabler1
05-04-08, 08:17 PM
Do you two know each other?
Racer Ex
05-04-08, 08:38 PM
Do you two know each other?
Me and Rockets or me and Yoda?
waterrockets
05-04-08, 08:38 PM
Racer_Ex and I? Yeah, we've been off the front together, in a 2-man attack, so he could remove my lungs for me ;)