Crit practice today was fun (wow fun... ) we got to play around with team tactics because only 6 people showed up. We worked on sprinting an leadouts... once around tempo, once around with a 200m leadout sprint, each of us lead two sprints, When I say tempo I mean about 24 - 26 MPH. At the sprint the first person in the line sprints and the person behind tries to stick the wheel while the others try to pass. My first leadout I pulled the pack at 25 MPH around the first half of the course then turned it on into the wind holding about 24 MPH up front until the sprint point (slight grade into a 15 - 20 MPH wind). At the sprint point I put it into a 53-13 and pushed as hard as I could, I hit 31 MPH, no one passed me, and the guy was stuck on my wheel. The second leadout I was shot (we had been going about 45 minutes) and I only pushed to about 22 MPH before sprinting to about 28 MPH and then pulling out.

The question is are leadouts only done for the final sprints? Is the leadout person supose to stay on the sprinters wheel after the leadout or get swollowed up by the pack? The tactic seems so easy I am suprised why more teams do not try and use it.

BTW there were times that we were pushing 27 MPH in the practice and I was sticking on peoples wheels. I am so close to hanging with the pack. I am quite excited about this weekend I hope I do well...