There’s a lot of talk and race footage about very close packs in the pro field. There are many different videos where the front guys are drafting each other, which could be ok in any given video alone, but when it is filmed in different locations and also people onsite were shocked about it, it’s a bit shameful.
Specially the race winner appears wheelsucking many times. Alistair is usually at the front and we know he doesn’t like to just sit behind but push and break away, so not accusing all of them.
Apparently the group kept together and Keulen took a lot of profit out of it. IG videos from race organiser and Patrik Lange show him less than 2m away from other competitors.
Funk was very angry and accused him right after he crossed the line, with sb from Keulen’s team preventing them from fighting.
He was also too close last week in Barcelona and has been accused before.
It’s up to race officials to hand out penalties but up to each athlete’s professionalism to respect the other competitors.

There’s a lot of talk and race footage about very close packs in the pro field. There are many different videos where the front guys are drafting each other, which could be ok in any given video alone, but when it is filmed in different locations and also people onsite were shocked about it, it’s a bit shameful.
Specially the race winner appears wheelsucking many times. Alistair is usually at the front and we know he doesn’t like to just sit behind but push and break away, so not accusing all of them.
Apparently the group kept together and Keulen took a lot of profit out of it. IG videos from race organiser and Patrik Lange show him less than 2m away from other competitors.
Funk was very angry and accused him right after he crossed the line, with sb from Keulen’s team preventing them from fighting.
He was also too close last week in Barcelona and has been accused before.
It’s up to race officials to hand out penalties but up to each athlete’s professionalism to respect the other competitors.

It would make life a lot easier if you could post links to videos of the questionable drafting episodes. My google skills are normally pretty good but I can't find anything easily on IG at the moment.

you mean this?

you mean this?

Wow. 20 metres...more like 20 inches....

Go to IG account @toestebantri

the draft zone in Challenge Family races, with very few exceptions like the Championship, is 12 meters. //

If it is indeed 12 meters, then I dont seem much wrong in this video. Keep in mind that most the entire thing is at an aid station too, where things always compress and move around. I think the group did pretty good considering it was an aid station, but of course there is that pesky center line rule, or is there in this race??? If I were Marshall here, would have done nothing really, cannot speak for other parts of the course...

In that video i see the last 2 riders doing some insane drafting. Alistair is at the front and 2/3 has decent distance to alistair and no2. Number 4 and 5 are right on wheel 3.
But what is guy number 4 angry about he waves his arm, DID he get a penalty? Because if he did then things are fine right?

*This is commenting on the Skipper video, not the other one that's posted in this thread (I assume)*

I think the guy waving is Youri Keulen, and no, no penalty I believe as he went on to win the race (with a fantastic run, to be fair!).

I find it really ironic that the very same Youri K was DQ in the 70.3 Mallorca 2022 for drafting. William Mennesson made it clear on IG that Yuri was sitting right on his wheel not 9 or 10 meters away but rather 2 or 3. And when he called him on it, well, Youri gave him the finger and ended him passing Mennesson on the run and took first place but ended up being DQ. Menneson felt he had stolen from him the joy of breaking the tape for the 1st time on the big stage and said that many were outraged by his attitude.