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Bike rules and beating the drafting call
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I'm curious as to how people go about passing others to make sure they do not get a drafting call?
Given that we get 15 seconds what do you do? Use it to your advantage or just move to the left when starting your pass?
I personally use the draft zone to my full advantage.
I ride right up on top of the person I'm passing then swing around and away from that person so they can not get on my wheel. Same in crosswinds but I alter my bike position to the L or Rt to take advantage of them blocking the wind for as much of the 15 secs as possible.
I'm not advocating drafting.

Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

Last edited by: desert dude: Sep 22, 03 20:48
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Re: Bike rules and beating the drafting call [desert dude] [ In reply to ]
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This seems to be within the rules and perfectly legal. Depending on the situation a significant gain can be had by using this leap-frogging technique. Strange that this is fine but other more benign infractions such as blocking or the discussion in the other thread (the inability to make the pass) can result in a DQ.


Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog
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Re: Bike rules and beating the drafting call [desert dude] [ In reply to ]
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The drafting rule sort of reminds me of the 3-second rule in basketball. You just have to know how to use it to its legal advantage. If someone is passing me, then it seems to me I get a 15-second draft off of him or her once their front wheel edges out mine, so it can work to your advantage both passing and being passed.
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Re: Bike rules and beating the drafting call [tri_bri2] [ In reply to ]
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Tri_Bri2:

I believe you would be called for a drafting violation if you hang onto the guy who just passed you for the 15 seconds. The rule states that you must immediately drop back out of the draft zone once you are passed. Only then can you take advantage of the 15 second rule and attempt to repass.

I know the world is not perfect and stuff happens. I typically make no special effort to drop back out of zone when I am passed - I can count on being out of the zone soon anyway. There is no real advantage to me with this waiting system because I normally get passed on hills where we are going too slow for me to gain any drafting pull. Technically I'm wrong - but damned if this BOPer is going to slow down even more when there is no real gain to be had.

I race alone.


put the mettle to the pedal
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Re: Bike rules and beating the drafting call [desert dude] [ In reply to ]
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Deser dude:

That's pretty much my strategy too. I'll use the guy in front of me to my advantage( I figure everyone does that) but I won't change my pace to get a few more seconds of drafting just because I may have time. I maintain my pace, use the guy in front, and keep on going. If he wants to suck my wheel, that's his choice and it doesn't change my strategies. I race alone.


put the mettle to the pedal
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Re: Bike rules and beating the drafting call [desert dude] [ In reply to ]
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Using the draft zone to pass is perfectly legal under USATriathlon rules. I do it myself. Do not, however, do this at Ironman Canada. Although I can find no prohibition of this practice in the Canadian rules, I have been warned for doing it, and I know of an athlete who has been penalized for it.

As for using the draft zone after being passed, brettc is correct that there is no time provision other than "immediately" under 5.10(g) Being Overtaken. In practice, though, officials I know and train do allow 15 seconds, but we also key on whether the overtaken cyclist is showing intent to drop out of the zone--that is, stops pedaling and/or sits up.

David Schoonmaker

USATriathlon Mid-Atlantic officials coordinator
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Re: Bike rules and beating the drafting call [dschoonmaker] [ In reply to ]
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Since the rule says "immediately," wouldn't that mean you should hit your brakes or something? Maybe the rule should say "expeditiously" or something like that. If I have to sit up or stop pedaling everytime someone passes me (which happens a lot since I am crappy on the bike) I may never finish. If someone is flying by me, I'm not going to let up just to "immediately" get out of his/her draft zone, because it's going to happen pretty soon anyway. What I really hate is the person who passes you and then slows down. Happens to me on the interstate all the time too. I agree in this case I have to slow down to get out of their draft zone, but it sure ticks me off doing it. Then, if you pass them back, here they come again five minutes later.
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Re: Bike rules and beating the drafting call [tri_bri2] [ In reply to ]
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Slower traffic keep right, applies, in theory, to both interstates and tris. although no one out here thinks it applies to interstates. I was just wondering if I was alone in utilizing the person in front of me to the full advantage. I often see people pulling left way before they get close to the wheel in front of them. I agree on not worry about draft zones once passed figuring that sooner rather than later I'm out of the zone.

Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

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