Racing Tactics - Whats The Point of Breakaways?

kencoo · 10-07-2013 01:47PM #1

I’m a cyclist but don’t partake in racing.
Watching the TDF I was just wondering why small groups, or even individuals break away from the main peloton for it seems that 95% of the time they are chased down and caught just before the line? Given the technology these days the peloton seems to know exactly when to pounce. I.e. yesterday a group of 5 bust their humps for 180km only to be taken in the last 1k of the race. Is it just for the points or do they hope they may actually win a stage? I can understand that the tactic is useful on mountains but not on the flat...

Guybrush T · 10-07-2013 01:51PM

I always understood it was liked by sponsors since their brands get more TV air time when they are in a breakaway, plus once in a while the breakaway wins. If you don't have the ability to sprint or win the climb to a summit finish it may be your only chance of winning.

smurphy29 · 10-07-2013 01:51PM

To be completely honest, a lot of it is to do with sponsors getting themselves on the telly. If you're in the break the sponsor's name on the jersey will be on the telly for much of the duration of the coverage. The riders themselves know they have little or no chance, I expect, though just occasionally, as Bakelandts showed the other day, somebody can make it stick.

Later in the tour,breakaways generally have a much better chance, because guys can be well down the GC with huge time gaps and given licence to go for it, especially if it's a medium mountain stage and the spinters team's don't bother to chase it down.

ROK ON · 10-07-2013 01:51PM

If you are not a sprinter &/or on a team that is not likely to feature for stage honours then being in a breakaway while being hard is a low risk strategy.

You get some exposure and kudos. You may even with the right situation stay away.

If you remain in the peleton what do you actually achieve.

For some they are there to win, some are there to help.

The rest - no point in sitting around all day waiting for stuff to happen. Get up the road and at least make part of the race.

el tel · 10-07-2013 01:54PM

You might make it to near the finish and by the the time Cavendish has barged everyone else of their bikes in the chasing peleton, you could just sneak the win :pac:

IM0 · 10-07-2013 01:58PM

yep its all about sponsor time on TV, and then playing the lotto that the peleton will back off and let you go for the win or they mess up somehow

lennymc · 10-07-2013 02:18PM

if you don't break away you will not be in the winning break 100% of the time. If you break away, and 95% of the time you are caught, you will be in the winning break 5%.

attack attack attack (which is a helluvalot easier said than done

)

Jawgap · 10-07-2013 02:50PM

Indeed - at 99 calories you'd have to wonder what the point is.......

Roche explains it quite well in his book (plus the importance of being in the top 10) - exposure for the sponsor and the team.

I wonder which is 'worth' more to sponsors - a stage win or a rider having a few days in the 'spotty' jersey (as my nephew insists on calling it), the green jersey or the white jersey?

GlennaMaddy · 10-07-2013 03:06PM

Chavanel and Voeckler got several days in yellow after successfull breakaways in recent tours

on_the_nickel · 10-07-2013 03:20PM

kencoo wrote: »

I’m a cyclist but don’t partake in racing.
Watching the TDF I was just wondering why small groups, or even individuals break away from the main peloton for it seems that 95% of the time they are chased down and caught just before the line? Given the technology these days the peloton seems to know exactly when to pounce. I.e. yesterday a group of 5 bust their humps for 180km only to be taken in the last 1k of the race. Is it just for the points or do they hope they may actually win a stage? I can understand that the tactic is useful on mountains but not on the flat...

This is the point....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8yu797om44

colm_gti · 10-07-2013 03:35PM

Gives the rest of the team an easier day if they have a man up the road, they just have to hinder any chasers.

wotswattage · 10-07-2013 04:03PM

If the riders in the break away pose no threat to the overall leaders, there top teams (protecting the leaders) sometimes won't bother chasing them down.

Hmmzis · 10-07-2013 04:18PM

It's good fun actually, and when the break sticks it's agreat feeling after it. It's also a better workout than just sitting in the bunch.

The_Old_Grey Whistle_Thief · 10-07-2013 04:25PM

Julien Simon was in the break the other day when it went through his hometown

boege · 10-07-2013 09:34PM

on_the_nickel wrote: »

This is the point....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8yu797om44

Or this

http://www.euronews.com/2013/06/30/bakelants-wins-stage-2-of-tour-de-france/

fat bloke · 11-07-2013 12:49PM

If you had a 5% chance of winning a stage of the tour by God but wouldn't you give it a feckin' shot?!

Shedite27 · 11-07-2013 01:00PM

Must be great for the cyclist too. Usually the breakaways are by the bottom 50% of the peleton, who are virtual unknowns. Gets their names out there, and if they happen to win, I'm sure it helps their contract negotiations.

kencoo · 11-07-2013 01:40PM

I think it would be better if there were no radios - it would mix up up a little and id think those involved in breakaways would have a much higher chance of success.

Shedite27 · 11-07-2013 02:20PM

kencoo wrote: »

I think it would be better if there were no radios - it would mix up up a little and id think those involved in breakaways would have a much higher chance of success.

Remember teh Giro this year, and one lad came off the front of the peleton to chase down a breakaway and his race radio broke. He thought he had caught them all and won the stage, crossed the line with his hands in the air only to be told there was another guy already finished

AstraMonti · 11-07-2013 02:29PM

In 2011 Thomas Voeckler went into a breakaway into stage 9 and kept the yellow jersey until the end of stage 19. He finished the tour 4th if i am not mistaken. I don't think he had ever thought of such success prior to that breakaway. It was massive boost to europcar, him and whole his team.

The_Old_Grey Whistle_Thief · 11-07-2013 07:00PM

Shedite27 wrote: »

Remember teh Giro this year, and one lad came off the front of the peleton to chase down a breakaway and his race radio broke. He thought he had caught them all and won the stage, crossed the line with his hands in the air only to be told there was another guy already finished

I think it happened twice in the Giro and also in the Giro del Lazio when Kadri took a very fine win and then Pozzato thought he got it in a sprint.

theSHU · 11-07-2013 11:27PM

Sometimes the sprint teams can royally fcuk it up. Like in 2005 with Vino on the Champs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI4QfcW7qnY

GlennaMaddy · 12-07-2013 11:16AM

There ought to be a forum ban for posting clips of Vino wins

Jawgap · 15-07-2013 11:02AM

More on breakaways......

Tour de France: Brave or stupid? The art of the breakaway attempt

If you have ever seen the end of a Tour de France stage you will probably know what happens to most breakaway attempts, and it is not pretty.
With the peloton looming like a hungry killer whale behind a seal, a
small group of riders who have been clear all day are chased and then devoured
by the fast-moving main field, often in the last few kilometres.

Successful or not, escapees work much harder than if they just stayed
in the pack and almost always get no reward for their extra efforts. It begs the
question, 'why bother?'

Racing Tactics - Whats The Point of Breakaways?

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