"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - What to do in this situation?

Picture this scenario in a road race... there is a very sharp right hand turn, followed by a short straight section, followed by another sharp right hand turn, then a long straight.

As the main pack was going through the first turn, they slowed way down, then hammered it for a few seconds to the next turn, then slowed way down again, then picked back up to full speed out of the second turn.

Going through these turns towards the middle/back of the pack, I found that without pedaling, I could drift through the short straight section. A gap of about 10-15 feet would open up in front of me, but then I could easily make it up in the second turn by cornering faster, since the pack was braking through that turn. Coming out of the second turn, I would be right with the pack. Basically I was going through these two turns as fast as the pack was, but I wasn't using any energy while they were hammering for a few seconds on the straightaway.

A few times through the straight section, the guy behind me would notice the slight gap, stand up and pass me, then hit his brakes as he suddenly caught up to the group going into the second turn. That seems like wasted energy to me.

So my question is... is it okay to drift through a section like this, or should I have hammered it for a few sections like everyone else?

As long as you don't mind losing your spot.

stay in the top 5. it's less work

Sure you can drift through but you will go from mid pack to the back of the pack pretty easily.

Sprinting and braking is dumb

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Sprinting and braking is dumb
I agree. But at least a few guys thought it was the better option.


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I can't wait. I was half tempted to stick around and watch the 1/2/3 race to see how they handled those corners.

Doesn't it suck when you lose races because guys don't ride the way you think they should?

Doesn't it suck when you lose races because guys don't ride the way you think they should?
Probably does. But I've yet to experience that, and that's not the point of this thread.

So you won the race? congrats!

So you won the race? congrats!
No, but I didn't lose because of how other people took these corners, or how I "thought" they should ride.

You sound cranky :(

You sound cranky :(

Maybe I am. Could be cause I'm sick as hell. Which IS why I lost the race :)

Your basic approach has merit. If you can be smoother than others, you'll save energy. You do have to temper the approach with protecting your position.

In that situation the further forward you can be the less you'll use your brakes and accordion. In a crit, especially a technical one, I almost never come out of the top 10.

Hello timster,

If you're at the back it's a good way to save energy. If you're in the middle of the pack, it's a good way to move to the back. ;) Trust me, been there, done that.

Being at the front only helps if those around you know how to corner too. Can't tell you how many times I've rolled through a corner at speed and without jumping ended up with a gap that I didn't necessarily want. :p

If it was me I'd try to lead through that section but it could possibly be that all the guys up front want the same thing so staying up front leading to that section could be tough. It's similar to a pack slide. When ever there are rollers in a race I get my self up front at the base of the roller so that I will be at the back of the field at the top but still hanging on.

I do the move you describe regularly. It's efficient, probably a better way of approaching the two turns, and you can do energy wasting stuff in the more important laps.

cdr