When racing, focus on getting a gap with other strong riders and then get organised quickly. If you sit on the front of the bunch simply towing everyone else up to the escapes trying to get clear, you're only playing into the hands of the sprinters in the pack (Photo: Amy-Norah Farrell)
With the numbers competing in racing or taking to leisure cycling growing all the time, well known cycling coach Paddy Doran of Peak Endurance Coaching talks us through how riders can best adapt to A4 racing. But even if you haven’t reached the racing stage in your cycling development, this piece should prove useful.
If you’ve come into cycling from another sport, you plan to start racing soon or you’ve already begun competing, let’s have a look at some of the things you need to watch for in your approach to racing and training.
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The first thing to do is to analyse the typical A4 race.
I’ve seen many A4 races and, in my opinion, there is mostly a mix of inexperienced riders in with smaller numbers of experienced competitors.
In the races I’ve seen, there were some very strong inexperienced riders who were capable of riding fast at the front of groups and swapping turns at the front of the main bunch and the speed was quite high most of the time.
This creates a fast steady speed which makes it difficult to get breakaways clear. No doubt there are sprinters sitting sheltered in the bunch looking at this scenario unfolding and thanking God for sending them the answer to all their prayers.
It often looked like a stage race where there was a team riding at the front to ensure a bunch finish.
The race pattern often involves riders attacking while others drag the bunch up to them, rather than trying to get across to consolidate the breakaway.
There also seems to be a lack of awareness by attacking riders about how to create breakaways and then keep them going.
It means a lot of A4 races finish in bunch sprints. This favours fast experienced riders who often have a lot of previous racing experience.
A lot of the A4 riders are seriously chasing points to move up to the next category which creates a competitive finish. This is not always safe as there are very high speeds achieved by groups made up of a mix of experienced and inexperienced riders.
Because the races are short, it’s hard to drop people as happens in the longer elite A1 and A2 races. In those events, weaker riders become fatigued from the increased distance and speed and the stronger ones can take advantage of that to split the race.
So unless you have a good sprint and you’re fairly fearless, it’s difficult enough to get points at A4 level to move up a category.
So how do you get the points to progress through the categories?
This will be different for riders depending on their strengths and weaknesses. However, what will make the difference in a lot of cases is tactical awareness and good planning of strategy and tactics.
Tactics consist of three main possibilities
- Attack: The strongest riders should mostly take this option and aim to get to the finish in as small a group as possible.
- Defend: This way of racing is for the not-so-strong riders or for sprinters who want to get to the finish in the lead group, while conserving as much energy as possible for the race-deciding sprint.
- Wait and see: For riders who are unsure of their own, or other competitors’, abilities, strengths and weaknesses. This will change to attack or defend as the athlete riders more events and becomes more experienced.
About attacking
The first thing that you must accept is that attacking is going to hurt you as well as the riders who might be chasing. This is particularly so in the first few kilometres when trying to open a gap on the bunch means that the breakaway group must maintain a faster pace than the chasers until the chasers either crack and ease off or catch the breakaway.
How to attack
Successful attacks usually begin from a number of places back from the front of the bunch. This creates an element of surprise and the rider is moving very fast by the time he is exiting the front of the bunch and gets a gap quickly.
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Persistence
The attack must be persisted with. I always differentiate between the rider who really attacks and never eases off until caught and the rider who sprints away and then starts to say a prayer that they will be caught because they are suffering. So when you go; you really go. And keep going until caught or open the gap.
Team up with other strong riders
Before the race or during it, communicate with other strong aggressive riders to plan some good attacks together. This will be based on trust, so honesty and fairness is required when dealing with each other on how a finish will be fought out if the breakaway is successful
The best time to attack
- Counter-attack just as other breakaways are caught by the bunch.
- Attack on hills of sidewinds, tailwinds, the final kilometre.
- Attack in the last few kilometres if there is a tailwind and the bunch stall. This is also a good tactic if in a small group that contains a few sprinters who are faster than you.
Organise a breakaway group quickly
Get organised quickly if you get clear with a gap on the bunch. Get a fast rhythm going with the stronger riders doing longer turns if required in the early stages. Keep the speed constant; the worse things to do is to go through to take your place at the front too quickly and open gaps in the group.
If you are feeling strong, just do longer turns on the front. By sprinting through too enthusiastically you will simply destroy the unity of the group, slowing it down and causing other riders to miss their turn at the front because you are going too hard for them.
Riders not contributing to the breakaway?
If there are some riders not contributing to the breakaway in the early stages of the attempt they should be ignored by the stronger riders, and encouraged to work when they are able to. Often riders who are sitting on in the early stages of breaks are just about hanging on to the group at that stage rather than deliberately holding back.
Most riders will contribute when they have recovered or when the speed of the breakaway group steadies down. However, if a winning gap is opened, then they should work or at least have the decency not to sprint at the finish
Defending
The best thing I have read on this tactic was found in a French training manual which stated: “It’s always easier to close a 100 metre gap than a two minute gap”. So maintain vigilance and stay in contact with the front part of the group at all times.
The sprint
- Before the race begins, identify and be aware of the run in to the finishing line; at least the final kilometre.
- Uphill finish: leave your final sprint as late as possible.
- Headwind finish: Get shelter as long as possible before your final sprint.
- Tailwind finish. It’s possible to lead this out and hold on to the line.
- Side-wind finish: Sprint on the sheltered side of the road and pass riders on the side where their bodies are offering you shelter, rather than out in the breeze.
- Surprise attack before finish.
To Improve
Study tactics and practise tactical moves during training sessions and races. Train with experienced riders. Listen to Sean Kelly and other ex professional riders speaking about tactics on television coverage of the big races.
www.peakperformancecoaching.com
