RChung

Depends on the type of race. In modern U.S. crit racing, you often don't know how much of a gap there is so you have to keep track of who's there, and who's where. In road races except at the top level where there are radios, the same thing: you have to keep track. That works okay for one-day races but it's hard to keep track for multi-day stage races, and that alters both tactics and strategy.

In 1947, the first post-WWII Tour, the final day on a long stage from Caen to Paris, Robic lost track of who was there and who was where, and sprinted for a hilltop prime. Sorry, Jean, there was an escape up the road and they'd already taken the prize money. Brambilla, who was wearing yellow, laughed and let Robic go. Robic kept going and offered Fachleitner 100,000 Francs to help him stay away. He rolled into Paris with enough time gained to snatch the overall. He still didn't win the stage -- the escape he'd lost track of stayed away too.

Psimet2001 

With crits in the big series we (teams) will often communicate with the riders the old fashioned way - yelling splits and info in 2 seconds of yelling from the side of the course. I typically go to the backside so the PA system and music doesn't drown me out. Best is when I can find a side street that will allow me to ride a bike back and forth and yell splits twice a lap.

I've done it for over a decade and it's been immensely helpful to racers. It's also fun to do some team tactics and misinformation that way. Fake splits, "they're sitting up", "X-team is blocking you better do something about that" kind of stuff. Knowledgeable racers know what I am doing. Newer ones figure it out and learn. Fun times.

Prime example - there was a women's 2/3 race where there was a rider off the front. Our team was chasing her down and not making up time. They came around and I was all, "She's running out of gas and sitting up! Close it now! Now's your chance". Long story but a rider who is chasing a pro dream felt the need to correct me concerning the rider off the front. "*scoff* That's _____ - she's not slowing down. You don't know anything." If I would have told her the truth she would have accused me of talking over her, etc. but the reality was in that specific situation you don't tell your team, who is worn out and most likely beaten, that they have no chance. You tell them they're closing the gap and if they push a little harder they can make it happen. Especially when they are so pinwheeling in their heads that they can't think about it for themselves and are ready to throw in the towel.

On radios in crits - I am not a fan. I get it. The pros will complain all day about how they need them for safety and whatever excuse they want to make that day. It changes the racing. Better for the racers but not as exciting for the spectators IMHO

Litespud

triples occasionally showed up during steep Pyrenean stages - like the Angliru - in the early 2000s or even earlier. Most cassettes were 11-21, and Compact cranksets weren’t really a thing, so if you were riding Campag, a Racing Triple extended the lower end. There weren’t many bigger cassettes - I remember when the Campag 13-26 and 13-29 road cassettes were introduced, they were considered to be dinner plates at the time. Now, 11-29 is normal. These days, you get a lot more bang for your buck in terms of weight and simplicity with a larger cassette and the appropriate RD rather than bodging a triple

KiwiDallas

As before: Thanks for the detailed replies to my Original Post.

This is a complicated sport, and I'm a little wiser about it.

=K

gringomojado

better than watching golf

RChung

Ashton Lambie just became the first rider to go under 4 minutes for 4K at 3:59.93. That is, he went 4K with 0.07 seconds to spare. At his speed, that was a bit more than 1 meter, or less than the length of his bike. It's pretty clear he has less power than Filippo Ganna. For Lambie to set a WR took shaved legs, deeper wheels, an aero frame, better helmet, riding at altitude, and a host of other little tricks that you consider *shrug*. But the record wasn't about who has the most power and who could kick the other riders' butts: it's about the stop watch. The stop watch doesn't care why Lambie broke 4 minutes or that he broke it by less than a bike length. The stop watch just records time, and the record still counts.

Psimet2001 

Can you imagine if he shaved that mustache?

A buddy of mine lost some TT by a small margin for some world championship title and the coach read him the riot act about how he would have won it if he had shaved. He knew it wasn't about that so he started growing his beard that day. Hasn't shaved it since and is now currently in Japan for his 3rd or 4th Paralympics

*shrug*

WhyFi

Everybody knows that the power broom actually frightens the air out of the way with concentrated manliness, significantly decreasing drag. Have you ever seen Ron Swanson ride? Awe-inspiring.

Psimet2001 

I've been having a really rough time lately and I really needed that laugh. Thank you.