J_J

Does it happen often? I'm guessing not so much in Cat 1/2 since everyone is basically fit. But how about 3,4,5? I know the slowest guys in the more amateur races will get lapped and pulled from the race but I've never heard of the race leader lapping the guy/pack in second place.

jrennie

its not a matter of being than much faster but if the pack wants to chase.

Chucklehead

i saw a guy lap the entire field then come out to win the sprint at the end. this was a 1/2/3 race.

Dubbayoo

It depends on the size of the course and size of the teams. Three or four 6-8 man teams chasing a break on on a 1-mile circuit and they are doomed. A couple of guys off the front of a 0.6 mile crit course have a good shot. Happens all the time at Athens Twilight. Davis Phinney lapped the field twice one year.

pelotonracer

The real question is, once the field is lapped, can the race leader sit in the field's draft? If so, that would be sweet!

rufvelo

Yes. 2 of us once lapped the field. Basically we put half a lap on the rest before they just let us go - actually joking with us as we passed them on the other side of the road, then came around to join the goofs. Problem - I had one guy to beat but never a sprinter, still lost the sprint!

SaddleBags

I saw a guy in the 1/2/3 race not only lap the field but then pulled for the pack.

DrPete 

See, stories like that make me glad I'll never have the athletic ability to do that.

J_J

Yeah, that's what I am hoping to do. I can't sprint well so even if I lead the pack the whole time up until the last lap I will probably end up with a low ranking finish. But if I can draft the pack after lapping them and they attack (with me behind them )....well, it's not like I care.

Chucklehead

where are you racing?

Dubbayoo

Pros often let the guys (if more than one) that are up a lap get back to the front so they can sprint it out at the end.

DrPete 

^^^ But what's the point? If you've lapped the field, why not just hang on the back of the peloton and fall back when the sprint heats up? Hell, fall back half a lap. It won't matter.

Chucklehead

depends on where you're racing. sometimes if you lap the field completely, they give you credit for the primes you earned in the process, but you will still be on the same lap as the rest of the field. it's strange.

oujeep1

Saw a guy at last years hotter'n hell hundred crits sunday morning lap the cat 5 field twice, the second time around two guys went with him, actually they weren't quite back to the field the second time when the race ended.

Bobby Lex

No, technically they're on the same lap as you. I.E. the race is over once you cross the finish line. The field doesn't have to do an extra lap.

But, you still are the winner.

Bob

rufvelo

Yep. For both Lap races and timed races - like LeMans 24hrs, even if you're 40 laps down, when the leader finishes just after 24hrs, you're done too and hopefully won't do something silly like get ahead of the leaders.

Mr.Mavic

At Superweek last year, a kid named brad and I think two others lapped, then passed the field. Damn good biker

merlinextraligh

I wouldn't bank on this. It's fairly rare. Partially because every team but onehas the incentive to chase I've never seen an individual lap the pack. (not saying it doesn't happen, just that's its not common. I have seen 2 and 3 man breaks lap the pack. Depends on the individuals and the team dynamics.

Also if you lap the pack with a small beak, you still have to outsprint your breakaway companions.

And, if you don't have the power to sprint, how are you planning on getting away from the pack clean in a crit?

Snuffleupagus

Don't go shattering his dreams

Bobby Lex

It's a common theme on these "first-time-racer" threads.

"I'm planning on riding everyone off my wheel and soloing to victory....Here are my Power Tap numbers....I average 20 mph solo on my 12 mile commute to work....what are my chances....blah blah blah....".

But when the actual race starts it's a, shall I say, "eye-opening experience".

Bob

J_J

I'll see tomorrow. After being kicked off for being so slow last year I decided to ramp up the training. And I'm talking only Cat 4. I'm not having any crazy dreams of lapping Cat 1/2 racers.

Psimet2001 

I've seen the pack lapped in many crits. I always thought you weren't allowed to draft off the pack when you come through though....guess you can.

San Rensho 

Its pretty common, back in my racing days I did it a couple of times.

On short, technical courses with lots of turns and hills its a lot easier to do, because a small group of good bike handlers that know how to work together can go around corners and up hills much faster than a pack of 25-50 riders.

Much more difficult on long, square, flat courses.