Taking turns in a group or breakaway: how to contribute to the collective effort, and how not to overdo it to avoid burning out

On a bike, to stand out from the crowd and win races, you most often have to go in a breakaway. But alone, it’s often complicated. You then have to work with all the participants who make up this lead group. In training groups that race each other, it’s the same principle: it’s the turns at the front taken by each participant that allow you to gain speed. Why and how to take turns at the front in this group? Should you take many, just enough, or none at all? For what purpose? How to organize or disorganize the group, if that is your objective? 

By Jean-François Tatard – Photos: depositphotos.com / All rights reserved

More than a rule of courtesy, it’s a question of physical science. We know that cycling in a group reduces the energy needed to move forward and allows you to ride faster than being alone at the front. However, if you are playing to win, you will have to find the best way to take advantage of it.

The advantage of riding in a group is that you match your pace to that of others. What cyclist, even the most novice, has never felt that drafting sensation in the heart of the peloton? You can visualize this situation where the first rider in the group, exposed to a headwind, pushes like crazy, while those most sheltered in the peloton can even allow themselves to do some coasting. Indeed, sometimes well hidden behind others, your energy savings can amount to more than 30% in a small group, and up to 70% in the heart of a large, homogeneous peloton.

The right measure for taking good turns at the front

When you are in a breakaway and the group is working well, when should you take your turn at the front? It’s not easy to know when to pull through and take your turn. But it’s also a question of instinct. Is it perhaps on a particular section? Or when you feel stronger? Or by bluffing, maybe simply the opposite? But taking a turn at the front haphazardly is the best way to disorganize a group. And therefore to decrease its speed and reduce its lead over the peloton. The most difficult races to win are obviously those composed of competitors who are roughly at your level. In this case, you will have to calculate the opportune moment even more carefully to know when to take your turn at the front. This comes down to positioning in the group, or the duration of your turns at the front. And yes, cycling is also a game of poker…

What you need to know is that the majority of breakaway attempts are launched when most of the other participants are at their breaking point. And obviously all players in this game are affected by this drop in performance. You have to know how to take advantage of it. So, how do you maintain the gap with the chasing group when you are in a breakaway? And for that, you shouldn’t just rely on your strength or talent. Among the variables that best determine your chance of winning, there is indeed also your ability to take your turns at the front well.  

All cyclists agree that you should “only take turns at the front as much as necessary, no more. If you take too many, you burn yourself out for later…“. But if you don’t take any either, you also burn yourself out. The other participants will be wary and stop collaborating. That’s the dilemma. So once again, you need some feeling. You have to feel things out and observe behaviors. Sometimes, there can also be discussions. There’s no point in systematically riding at full throttle all the time. 

Major mistakes not to make

In short, if good organization in taking turns at the front is the key to a successful breakaway, taking turns at the front remains one of the technical pillars of bike racing. It also allows for the implementation of other strategies like the famous echelon attack. And among the most common mistakes when taking a turn at the front, there is accelerating when the first rider in line pulls off. Indeed, it’s not uncommon for the second rider to accelerate when it’s their turn… However, if everyone accelerates when they take their turn at the front, you quickly find yourself riding at 40, then 45 km/h, then 50, etc., and it’s the last riders who will pay the price with possible splits and thus disorganization in the group. However, that’s not the objective. The ideal is perhaps to check your speed on your bike computer / head unit when you are second, and maintain that speed when you take your turn at the front. It’s the first rider who pulls off who will slow down so you can pass. When the first rider pulls off, they should therefore reduce their speed by 1 or 2 km/h, in order to rest and go down the line. They should then remember to shift up a gear! This will allow them to spin their legs to recover while losing a tiny bit of speed. You feel strong but don’t want to disrupt the good order of the group? Take longer turns at the front, but maintain the same pace as your companions.

Next, how to position yourself, and which side to drop back on in the line? The only thing to consider is the wind direction. If you can’t feel it, rely on clues like the direction of leaves in the trees. When, for example, there’s a headwind, riders will be in single file, one behind the other in a line; the first rider will pull off to the right or left once their turn at the front is finished, but you just need to have agreed beforehand on which side the rider should pull off. Trust the more experienced riders. In the event of a 3/4 crosswind from the left, riders should form an echelon where each is slightly sheltered by their predecessor by shifting slightly to the right. The rider who pulls off will have to do so to the left of the line. And if the wind comes from the right, it will be the opposite, with the first rider pulling off to the right to shelter the other riders as they drop back in line once they have made their effort.

A good turn at the front is a smooth turn. There should be no jerks or accelerations, unless the goal is to drop the weakest riders. But in that case, be wary of how your opponents will interpret it, and also be careful not to show yourself to be too strong. Remember it’s a game of poker. And if you don’t want to participate in taking turns at the front because you are too tired or want to save energy, here’s a tip from 3bikes.fr: absolutely do not refuse to take your turn at the front, especially if it’s your turn to pull through and you forgot to stay at the back. In this position, still take a very brief turn.

To conclude, never fall asleep for too long in the heart of the peloton. To stand out from the crowd, you will have to go to the front and take some turns… Just learn how to pace them, and your turn to win will come!

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