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Tactics - Unethical or Fair?
Wed, 05/17/2006 - 9:41am
I'd like opinions from the experienced racers on this forum please about whether you think a particular situation I was in last night is unethical or fair. Since this is my first year of racing, and the one book on tactics that I've read can't go through all of the possible scenarios, your opinions would help to clear things up.
If you're familiar with the course, it's the Tuesday night crits put on by the San Jose Bike Club, coyote creek course. It's a little over 2 miles per lap with a strong headwind flat section, and a rolling/uphill section.
My teammate and I are second and third spots going into the hilly section. Our strategy was for the rider that's behind to slow the pack down going up the hill while the rider in front breaks with another team. This strategy works well, and I find myself blocking.
Here's the question: I would be in front on the uphill section and sit up after the hill and let the other riders pass if they wanted. Typically, there would be one or two riders in front and then my gap. The other riders didn't pass around me to fill in. So, when we got to the bottom of the hill and moved into the flat headwind, I wouldn't pull the group to the one or two riders in front. The other tactic I would use is to let one or two riders pull ahead in the paceline (if they picked up the pace). A gap would form, and the other riders didn't pass me.
One of the riders said that my tactics were unethical and that pros would never do that. He said that I should sit in the back of the paceline or at least fill in the gaps. He said it's OK if I don't pull, but I must fill in the gaps or stay in back.
The question isn't about how poor the peloton worked (or not) together. That's a given. The question is my tactics of blocking. Unethical or fair?
Thanks for your opinion.
Eric
Mako/Galaxy Granola
45+ Cat 4
I do it!
Seems to me like you were using the TRAINING race as just that.
People forget that the best training for fitness is done alone and training races are to be used to try out new tacitcs as well as learing to be pack savy. I hear more often than not about how great training races are for fitness. ACK, I hate them for fitness. Give me self induced near death intervals of pain anyday over a training crit to get fast, but thats just me.
I would say you did nothing wrong. I would add though that anytime you try a move like that remember to think long term.
How does this tactic help the team.
Can the team win if this works.
What do I do if it fails.
Ask yourself lots of questions.
If you cant answer them with on a positive note its probly not a good move to make.
Have fun out there and keep on truckin
MS
Eric,
You did nothing wrong and everything right. Of course, I benefited because I went off the front after the first lap and never looked back. Your teamate, Tom, came along with me and stayed until the eighth lap. We could clearly see the pack every lap as we started on the hill and you guys were on the headwind stretch. The gap kept growing and growing. If you were able to slow the pack down that much just by yourself, you deserve the rider of the year award.
The truth is, the pack was being lazy for whatever reason. I sensed it the first time up the hill when I was just doing tempo and Tom and I had 100 meters. We decided to go for it. It is just a training race and supposed to be fun!
If anyone in that group really wanted to put together a chase, they could have easily neutralized your efforts. All of the SJBC guys could have put the hammer down, strung the group out and rotated right around you.
Maybe there is some unwritten Tuesday Night Twilight Rule that we don't know about that says you can't open up a gap. I really doubt it.
The way you worked the hill was perfect. You rode the pace you wanted and no one wanted to pass. The road is more than wide enough for four riders to ride abreast. No one wanted to pass. The same is true for the headwind stretch.
I only wish that Tom could have benefited more. The race turned into a pretty long time trial. Once Tom rejoined the pack, I assume you acted like any other racer and did your fair share of the work.
It sounds like someone got a taste of sour grapes and you had to hear about it. Sorry.
I would not call tactical racing negative racing.
To me negative racing is pulling the whole of the pack up to a break and then everyone sitting up. Over and over and over again.
Don't interupt a coordinated chase, but if someone attacks instead of pulling through, jump on it.
It's OK if people get a little frustrated, heck they may even call you names (right Kevin?). The trick is to not take it personally and to know when the situation has changed and it's time to work.
Example: At Berkeley I was in the chase group catching a free ride, once that chase group was inevitably going to catch the semi-large lead group I assisted in the final closing of the gap. It was about to reshuffle anyway, so continuing to block or not come through would have been "unethical".
I think you have to find that point of deminishing returns.
Ron
RacerX wrote:Just 'cause somebody was pissed-off doesn't make it unethical. In simple terms, sounds like your were just letting a gap open which happens for lots of reasons (some tactical) and it's up to them to decide to come around or let the gap widen. It's a form of blocking by disrupting the chase - do it multiple times and you really wear 'em out & piss 'em off good; anybody think THAT's unethical? Is it different if done early in a race? Really, like Eric, I want to know.
Some might say this is 'negative racing', but I would NOT say it's unethical. On the other hand, if you have the juice, you might consider NOT opening the gap so that you are in better position should your team mate up the road not last.
X
The pros do it. One of the best examples I recall is in Stage 3 of the 2004 Tour over the Paris-Roubaix cobbles. USPS had Lance and a few others right at the front. 30 riders or so back were a pair of USPS riders who were clearly given the word to soft pedal a little when the front riders gunned it. It was beautiful to watch and on those narrow roads, those trapped behind the gap (including Iban Mayo) were powerless to prevent it until the roads widened again.
In the end the peleton was split into 2 with 90 riders coming in almost 4 minutes ahead of the second bunch (http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2004/tour04/?id=results/stage3).
Just 'cause somebody was pissed-off doesn't make it unethical. In simple terms, sounds like your were just letting a gap open which happens for lots of reasons (some tactical) and it's up to them to decide to come around or let the gap widen. It's a form of blocking by disrupting the chase - do it multiple times and you really wear 'em out & piss 'em off good; anybody think THAT's unethical? Is it different if done early in a race? Really, like Eric, I want to know.
Some might say this is 'negative racing', but I would NOT say it's unethical. On the other hand, if you have the juice, you might consider NOT opening the gap so that you are in better position should your team mate up the road not last.
X
Sounds like the world champs. Lighten up it's a training race. :D