How to get off the front.

UncleFred

Now that I'm over my toys from the pram throwing incident this weekend. I need a pointer.

I'm desparate to win my first race, haven't been able to do so on 3 years of road racing. One of the problems I have is that I always seem to end up on the front doing all the work and everybody drafting behind me, guess that's what happens when your 6'2 and 200lbs.

I've tried slowing down and getting people to pass me, but I always seem to end up back on the front. Any tips?

andyp

You sound like a 'bunch engine' - the guy who is always keen to get on the front and tow everyone around. Every race has at least one and he never wins. There is nothing wrong with doing your fair share of work but you should be conserving energy to use it when it matters, i.e. at the business end of the race.

Someone your size should be suited to sprinting so do you include any sprint workouts in your training schedule?

Kléber

Start playing poker!

dennisn

Don't know if this is a problem or not, but don't let your ego keep you at or near the front all the time. Nothing wrong with taking a breather or two or three during the race and just
sucking wheel for a while. If you have the power to pull the pack, save a bit of it for the end of the race by hanging in the pack instead of pulling them around as much, then you'll
have more "stuff" left to get into a good position near the finish. No one cares now many
laps you "pulled". The only thing that matters is the finish. Of course there could always be a prime or two that you could get, but think finish line.

Dennis Noward

OffTheBackAdam

You need to attack and very vigorously. If you watch when the pros do it, the attack comes from ~10 places down the bunch, so when you reach the front, you're moving a lot faster than the rest, then head down and keep going! Don't start looking behind, if you get caught you'll know about it soon enough.
The first attck might not work, nor the second.
If you can't win on your own, then don't bother trying, do your fair share of the work and save yourself for the sprint at the end.
Also, do you train properly? Do you practice attacking? Or do you just go out and "get the miles in"?

LangerDan

Sean Kelly put it well - "In order to win, you must be prepared to lose". It sounds like you may be so anxious about trying to win that your tactics go out the window.
Next time, don't do any more than absolutely necessary. You'll find out very quickly how committed the other riders are to working. If a break goes without you, don't tow it back for the others. If they won't work, sit up and let it go. They'll get the message very quickly.

Moose11

It's definately all about experience and tactics... The more you race in bunches the more you'll pick up. You definately learn from your mistakes and your defeats.

The other option is just not to go to the front

UncleFred

Some sage advice, thanks all who gave it.

I think I've got to get rid of the red mist (read ego) that descends and start analysing what's going on around me. Easier said than done.

Cheers Guys.

Shavedlegs

I haven't won many races so it is up to you if take this advice or not.

I don't like sprint finishes as I find them a lottery.

I try and stay near the front, in the top ten but only rarely hit the front. If I see someone making a break I try and get on his wheel early. If the break works you're in it for minimal effort.

If it very windy or in bad weather I'll often try and break the bunch by upping the pace, eventually the packs splits and you have less peple to beat.


At some point in the final miles the race slows, some where between 10 and 5 miles out I go it alone. Attacking from about 15th in the pack, I remain seated and excelerate gradually as I find an out of saddle burst puts me into the red and I can't maintain the speed.

I try and relax, keep the cadence and ignore the pain. Remember anyone chasing will also be hurting, don't give in first! If there is a windy stretch put in maximum effort there, no one is keen to lead the pack through the wind so they will slow. Again remember everyone else finds riding in to the wind painful too, but you are willing to do it.

Yep, be prepared to lose. I always race to win and it rarely happens but I'm not happy with settling for 15th from the outset. I get caught most of the time, sometimes by a small chase group, occasionally by the whole field. But I tried and I suffered, I did my best.

andrewgturnbull

Hi there.

On the other hand - if you're 6'2" and 200 pounds then I'd wait for the sprint!

Hang on to the back of the bunch, don't get dropped and don't go to the front. It's a race and not a popularity contest - if the others can't drop you its their fault if you beat them in the sprint.

If your sprint isn't that good, then train it! Most people don't bother to actually do any level 7 neuro-muscular intervals, then say they don't have a good sprint. Go out and do some 15-30 second max efforts and you'll be ahead of most of the game.

Cheers, Andy

happybadger

I'm the same Fred - 6'5" and 86kgs and seem to have neither the sprint nor the legs to breakaway despite repeated attempts during a race.

I keep telling myself not to spend too much time on the front, but then get paranoid that a break will go without me.

So this is all good advice above - in truth, I think the specific training is the key. I once read David Millar saying to get away you need to go deep into the red for around 2 minutes, then look around and see what damage you've caused. But that takes training (and no small amount of guts).

Am hoping for better things this season.. and have hopefully done the right training over the winter for once.