PaceLines
Pacelines are essential to our team's success. They can be comprised of team members only or a mix of team and non-team members. Whatever the mix, it is important that we each do our part to make the paceline work in the most efficient and effective manner. There are a couple of critical factors for success; 1) Eliminate the Gaps The paceline must remain as tight as possible both on the move up and on the move back. This will require that you keep a close distance to the cyclist in front of you, in back of you and on your side. Always be safe, but be prepared to be in close quarters; 2) Keep the Momentum Consistent It is important to sustain the intended speed of the paceline. That means when you are pushing through to the front position on the move up that you do not accelerate the pace. As the cyclist moves over in the move back position and it is your turn to lead in the move up paceline simply keep the momentum consistent and assume the lead. When moving over to the move back paceline do not stop pedaling, but simply soft pedal to allow the natural momentum of the move up paceline to move past you at the natural speed of the paceline; 3) Accelerate on the Wheel of the Last Man When the Last Man of the move up line is approaching begin to accelerate so that you can naturally move from the move back line and grab the wheel of the last man in the move up line without having to close a gap. Having to close a gap each time you move over to the move up line takes too much energy. Better to time an acceleration of your speed to slip into the stream of the move up line; 4) Know Which Way the Wind Blows The lead cyclist should be breaking the wind. If the wind is a headwind, the lead rider will pull off and form a move back line either to the right or left. If the wind is blowing from right to left, the lead rider should pull off and form a move back line on the right. If the wind is blowing from left to right, the lead rider should pull off and form a move back line on the left.
BreakAway or Attack
The first question to answer is . . . do I stay or do I go. A breakaway or attack may be a solo or group comprised of team and/or non-team members. This is one of the most difficult decisions because you have to decide very quickly, in a matter of a few seconds. But there a few key considerations; 1) Who is Breaking Away or Attacking Not every rider will be a threat in a breakaway or attack. Or there may be sufficient distance for the overall efficiency of the peleton to catch the breakaway/attack over time; Power in Numbers If you decide to go then you need to catch the wheel quickly of the breakaway/attack or you need to quickly "team up" with a cyclist(s). If you go it alone and get caught in between you will be expending too much energy relative to the other riders.
Alternatively, you may be initiating a breakaway. If so, plan the timing of your breakaway from somewhere off the middle or rear of the peleton and take somebody with you, preferably a team member. Plan the breakaway as a surprise, accelerate quickly until you clear the peleton, then settle into an aggressive paceline operation (see above) with your breakaway members. If the peleton is cooperating, you will have to work hard to stay away. But you also may be able to take advantage of a disorganized or inexperienced peleton.
Counter Attack
If a breakaway or attack forms, it may be appropriate to plan a counterattack. A counterattack is best executed by catching the wheel of non-team cyclist(s) who are bridging a breakaway group. Instead of contributing to the effort of the bridging group, as a counterattacker you will want to simply sit in and try to be pulled up by the cyclist(s) bridging the gap to the breakaway. Upon reaching the breakaway/attack group, the initial breakaway/attack group should be tired and the bridging cyclist(s) who has pulled you along should be tired. At the point of reaching the breakaway/attack, it is time for the counter attacker(s) who have been simply sitting in to turn into the attackers. It is best to surprise the group you have just bridged. Come from the back, go around on an unexpected side (i.e. right side instead of the typical left side attack). Accelerate quickly, attack with a team member who hopefully has followed you during the bridge effort and form an efficient paceline (see above).
Blocking
Before all you ex-high school football jocks get too excited, this isn't what you think. Blocking is a primarily offensive tatic whereby one or more team members subtedly slow a rider or group of riders in support of another initiative such as a team breakaway/attack. Blocking is never about recklessly moving in front of a rider or group of riders or suddenly slowing to a pace that is a complete surprise to a rider or group of riders. Here are two examples of how we might execute this tatic: 1) Let's say two team members have decided to initiate a breakaway are are off in front of the peleton. One or more team members who remained in the peleton would assume a front position in the peleton and purposely slow the pace of the peleton. If the peleton was traveling say 19 MPH, the blocking team members might slow the pace to say 18. You might join a paceline in the peleton and ride along at the pace the non-team members are establishing and then when it is your turn to pull through to the front, you would purposely slow to say 18. The idea is to subtedly disturb the natural efficiency that the peleton is trying to establish with a paceline operation (see above). By disturbing the efficiency of the chasing rider or group of riders, you benefit your team mates who have initiated our team's breakaway/attack. So while you may not be out in front, you are a big factor in the success of the team's breakaway/attack effort. 2) Let's say that two non-team members jump from the peleton and breakaway/attack. You decide (but remember you have to decide quick or they will be gone) to jump with them. So in effect you are part of the breakaway/attack. A blocking strategy in this instance might be where you rotate with the breakaway/attack rider(s). But when it is your time to pull through to the front to lead the breakaway/attack effort, you purposely slow the pace of the breakaway/attack effort. If the breakaway/attack group is traveling say 21 MPH, the blocking team member might slow the pace to 19.5. The final word in this tatic is always be safe. Blocking is all about subtle disruption of pace/momentum. It is never about recklessly getting in front of other cyclists.