Why do 'Breakways' breakaway?

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ukdodger
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Why do 'Breakways' breakaway?

Post by ukdodger »

If it's not a silly question why do (lets take the TDF) riders race to form a Breakaway, usually very early on, when breakaways are always dragged back into the pelaton anyway and they never win. Why doesnt every rider stay with the Pelaton and sprint at the finish?
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Tigerbiten
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Re: Why do 'Breakways' breakaway?

Post by Tigerbiten »

Intermediate points.
There are normally a couple of towns where the first 3-5 can pick up points towards the green (points) jersey and maybe a cash prize.
Same in the mountain with points the polka dot jersey.

And just maybe the breakaway stays away ............. :D
ukdodger
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Re: Why do 'Breakways' breakaway?

Post by ukdodger »

Tigerbiten wrote:Intermediate points.
There are normally a couple of towns where the first 3-5 can pick up points towards the green (points) jersey and maybe a cash prize.
Same in the mountain with points the polka dot jersey.

And just maybe the breakaway stays away ............. :D


Sounds right but why do they maintain it right to the end. The last two days have seen the Breakaway rders dragged back within a few K of the finish.

Also why are Pelaton riders always fresher than breakaway riders. They are all on the same road under the same conditions. How does being a few minutes in front make you that much more tired than those in the Pelaton. I'm sure the answer is simple but I dont get it.
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Tigerbiten
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Re: Why do 'Breakways' breakaway?

Post by Tigerbiten »

ukdodger wrote:Also why are Pelaton riders always fresher than breakaway riders. They are all on the same road under the same conditions. How does being a few minutes in front make you that much more tired than those in the Pelaton. I'm sure the answer is simple but I dont get it.

Air drag.
You can save a lot of energy by riding very close behind the rider in front of you, it could be around 20%.
So once the "chaingang" forms, only the rider at the very front work hard, all the rest take it easy ...... :P

A "chaingang" is two columns of riders were one column is moving slightly faster than the other.
Once you get to the front of the faster column, you do a stint at the front before you move over to joint the front of the slower column.
You then move backwards until you can move over to join the fast column.
That way you rotate who's at the front and you all work less.
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Re: Why do 'Breakways' breakaway?

Post by PH »

You see the riders all over your screen, with their team names being mentioned again and again? That makes the sponsors very happy, it's what they pay for!
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Tigerbiten
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Re: Why do 'Breakways' breakaway?

Post by Tigerbiten »

The other reason for a "breakaway" is tactics.

If you have a teammate who is in the breakaway, you're team is not going to work hard to catch him.
But all the other teams who don't have members in the breakaway will.
So maybe you'll get to the finish a little bit fresher and win the sprint ....... :D

Which is why you'll only see certain teams chase a breakaway down.
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NUKe
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Re: Why do 'Breakways' breakaway?

Post by NUKe »

It's a moment bbof glory for riders in the lesser teams, a stage win will boost you r palmares no end and there is also that chance, but above all the smaller teams need airtime to keep the sponsors happy,
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Re: Why do 'Breakways' breakaway?

Post by eileithyia »

All of those reasons, a bit of personal glory, advertising, showing off the sponsors name, showing yourself off to other teams (contracts are often re-negotiated just after the TdF), mop up a few points to prevent a rival team getting them.
A breakaway usually has less riders in it so those riders are sharing more of the workload, the peloton is a big bunch where only a few at a time are 'in the wind' the rest are just easy spinning and being sucked along... (albeit rather faster than you or I might be sucked along), you only have to look at the way they often fool around, chat to their mates etc., that they are not going full gas.
If it is a rider's 'home' town or a birthday, they are allowed to go up the road to greet family and friends, if the town is not at a critical stage in the event.
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ukdodger
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Re: Why do 'Breakways' breakaway?

Post by ukdodger »

Thanks for all the replies. Got it. The more you know the more you enjoy it.

Have to say I like Dave Miller's commentaries. He reveals a lot of technical stuff. Often wonder what happened to the commentator who was most notable for his oft repeated phrase 'Hello what's this then'.
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Re: Why do 'Breakways' breakaway?

Post by Samuel D »

The main reason remains that breakaways are not always caught and sometimes someone in the breakaway wins. Winning at the Tour de France is a pretty big incentive to suffer for a few hours!

Most people cannot stay in the peloton and sprint at the end, because most people can’t sprint as well as the best sprinters. Therefore they’d have no chance of winning with that plan.

Innumerable things affect the tactics, so each stage plays out in a new way, with its own stories and risks and opportunities. This is what makes cycling so interesting to watch.
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Re: Why do 'Breakways' breakaway?

Post by ukdodger »

Samuel D wrote:The main reason remains that breakaways are not always caught and sometimes someone in the breakaway wins. Winning at the Tour de France is a pretty big incentive to suffer for a few hours!

Most people cannot stay in the peloton and sprint at the end, because most people can’t sprint as well as the best sprinters. Therefore they’d have no chance of winning with that plan.

Innumerable things affect the tactics, so each stage plays out in a new way, with its own stories and risks and opportunities. This is what makes cycling so interesting to watch.


You mean so they get in front and hope to stay there? Doesnt sound like a winning plan. The numbers taking part are considerable yet it's always the same dozen or so that win.

'This is what makes cycling so interesting to watch' Couldnt agree more.
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Re: Why do 'Breakways' breakaway?

Post by Samuel D »

ukdodger wrote:You mean so they get in front and hope to stay there? Doesnt sound like a winning plan.

It’s no certainty, but getting into the break is the only hope to win if you’re not a sprinter on a flat stage or a GC contender on a heavy climbing day.

ukdodger wrote:The numbers taking part are considerable yet it's always the same dozen or so that win.

Keep watching. The breaks don’t usually stay away, but they stay away often enough to make it worth a gamble. For example, Omar Fraile took a sensational win at the Giro a few weeks ago. See here and from 40 seconds in this video.

On the flat it’s harder, because the sprint teams have so much chasing firepower at their disposal. But even then, they sometimes miscalculate or don’t get organised early enough, and the break stays away. Or the breakaway riders have more speed than anyone expected, or the help of a tailwind (which helps the breakaway riders more than the chasing peloton). Or the finale has too many narrow roads, corners, and street furniture for the peloton to really wind up the speed. Or some sprint teams don’t want to work for tactical or political reasons. Etc.
ukdodger
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Re: Why do 'Breakways' breakaway?

Post by ukdodger »

Samuel D wrote:
ukdodger wrote:You mean so they get in front and hope to stay there? Doesnt sound like a winning plan.

It’s no certainty, but getting into the break is the only hope to win if you’re not a sprinter on a flat stage or a GC contender on a heavy climbing day.

ukdodger wrote:The numbers taking part are considerable yet it's always the same dozen or so that win.

Keep watching. The breaks don’t usually stay away (on non-climbing stages), but they stay away often enough to make it worth a gamble. For example, Omar Fraile took a sensational win at the Giro a few weeks ago. See here and from 40 seconds in this video.

On the flat it’s harder, because the sprint teams have so much chasing firepower at their disposal. But even then, they sometimes miscalculate or don’t get organised early enough, and the break stays away. Or the breakaway riders have more speed than anyone expected, or the help of a tailwind (which helps the breakaway riders more than the chasing peloton). Or the finale has too many narrow roads, corners, and street furniture for the peloton to really wind up the speed. Or some sprint teams don’t want to work for tactical or political reasons. Etc.


Excellent cheers. I cant get the video to play.
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Re: Why do 'Breakways' breakaway?

Post by Samuel D »

ukdodger
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Re: Why do 'Breakways' breakaway?

Post by ukdodger »

Samuel D wrote:Try this version.


Very interesting thanks.
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