Rules don't say that the cyclist (or the motor vehicle) have to be entered in the race for it to be a penalty:

a. Drafting. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, while on the cycling course, no participant shall permit his drafting zone to intersect with or remain intersected with the drafting zone of a leading cyclist or that of a motor vehicle. With respect to a motor vehicle (including authorized race vehicles); it is the athlete’s responsibility to move out of the vehicle’s drafting zone or to continually communicate to the vehicle to move away.

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

Thanks, I didn't realise they also mentioned vehicles.

I was stuck behind Lucy Gossage at IM UK last year and was chatting to the Marshall following her. I asked him what was stopping me drafting off the camera bike who was blocking me (there are some narrow roads round Bolton) he told me the draft zone behind a motorbike was 20m....

I was helping out at this race (well I am GUESSING the same race - Outlaw Half).

Interesting side bar item, I talked to a guy who was racing, he was commenting to me on some guys course cutting on the bike leg (eg when 4 or 5 guys all join you from another side road) and he was clear they had race numbers. Seemed too much of a coincidence to be 5 guys all going down the same side road to all go pee at the same time in the same place).

The Southern loop certainly has lots of roads where that could be done if you know the area.

It was all sufficiently in the back of the race to make no difference really.
But if true, they suck.

Then they need new rules. The strategy is simple. Get out ahead and have 2 cars behind you going very slow and blocking anyone from getting up the road.

I suspect that would also be against the rules in such an egregious way that you get yourself banned for that. I don't know for sure which rule it would be.

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

Same here; I got stuck behind the camera bike with the lead female in a race. It was blocking the carriageway and there was a Referee following behind us, who then came up to tell me I could be penalised for drafting a camera bike...I'm pretty sure he crossed the centre line to do that! It's frustrating when a cavalcade forms like that, and media bikes don't let people pass.

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29 years and counting

Glad you posted this. I never thought of the seriousness of avoiding cars in a race. This is a real problem in the last 5 miles of Gulf Coast 70.3, where the bike route finises on a vehicle major cruising route with low speed limits. There is traffic build up that is constrained by slower bikers ahead. It is almost impossible to avoid vehicle draft. Fortunately, I do not think the course marshals patrol that stretch of the course.