"Stevio" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted message said:"Brissie" <[email hidden]> wrote
Quoted message said:You want to start the race from behind. Being in the lead out, where
you can't go behind the other rider(unless he overtakes you), is a
disadvantageBecause they can use the slipstream of the guy in front? I think I get it
now. The guy in front however, might suddenly speed away from the guy behind
if the other guy is not careful, so that's where the tactics come in. It
still seems a bit strange though.Does anyone ever just zoom away at the start and make it into a full 3 lap
race? If you're not super fast (or not as fast as the other guy) but have
good stamina wouldn't that be a good plan?Stephen
That tactic is usually only used if:
-you think your chances against a stronger opponent are very poor, so
you try a 'flyer' in the hopes you'll catch him (very) unaware - in
other words, you're desperate.
-the race is already in progress, and you do in fact notice he is
unaware or somehow unprepared to react, and you attempt to seize that
moment (for example, he reaches to adjust his shoe - attack! Again,
this is probably only if you are fairly desperate, because when this
fails, it fails miserably)
-there are more than two riders in the race, and by attacking early,
you can expect your opponents to hesitate in the hopes that the other
one will take up the chase. This is fairly common in the three and
four rider matches that make up the repechage rounds (French for
loser's bracket). In some cases (never at the Olympics), the whole
sprint tournament is three+ rider races.
Going from the start only works if you open up a big gap right away.
If your opponent gets a hold of your draft, you really can't win - the
distance is too far to hold top speed. This is what makes the event
interesting tactically.
The earlier responses to your post were mostly right - the tactical
kind of racing you are seeing is almost entirely based on the fact
that using your opponent's slipstream is an advantage. There are
other elements as well; for example, some riders may prefer a short
sprint from a slow speed, whereas others excel at a long, fast sprint
- in either case you try and make the race develop in the way that
gives you an advantage.
By the way, it is not always an advantage to try and come from behind.
Some tracks lend themselves more to winning from the front
(velodromes vary considerably in their characteristics, including
their distance for one lap - this is not standard like it is in track
and field). Some riders also prefer this tactic against certain
opponents or in certain situations. It's a quite complicated event.
-RJ