Dan:

I must believe that the official was mistaken. Rule 5.10(A) states that one may not enter the draft zone unless doing so "from the rear", "closing the gap" and "overtaking" for 15 seconds and, in fact continues to say that one can't enter the draft zone from the side unless also "attempting to overtake" or "making forward progress to overtake". Thus, so long as the rider is attempting to overtake, the fact that he or she does not actually pass the other rider does not constitute a penalty IF the rider gives up and exits out the rear of the draft zone within the 15 second period. In all the pre-race rules lectures given by Charlie Crawford (head of USAT officiating) that I have heard he has always stated that the rider entering the zone must EITHER pass or exit out the rear of the zone without 15 seconds.

Alan

My interpretation of the rule is the same as yours Dan: That once you pass a cyclist you put them in a "defensive" position where they must either execute a complete pass in one shot or concede to your pass and drop back. For an intelligent competitor, this is a viable tactic to do exactly what you did- torment a competitor. Asshole? No. Smart? Absolutely. There is a disconnect here though. In order for this to work the USAT offical has to understand the rules (most really don't, or at best have their own interpretation despite its meticulous vernacular) and be willing to enforce them verbatim. I have never seen that in our region. If they did I'm not sure what the real affects would be on the local level, but I think a lot of people would be confused (they already are anyway). As it stands around here, not drafting is a vague notion that includes "Don't follow a rider too close" and is based predominantly on the honor system. Then, local athletes go to a race where there is some enforcement (like Ironman) and they get tagged for a penalty. Then they're like, "Hey, I did WHAT?" Duy. Read the rule books guys. There are some interesting things in there...

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

"I must believe that the official was mistaken."

two things to consider. first, this was the head ref at USAT's world championship qualifier. so i sure as spit hope he wasn't mistaken, or one wonders, you know, what it was he was doing being the head ref at a race of that importance.

second, i really don't think he was mistaken. the rule 5.10.A says you can't enter the draft zone at all, except for the exceptions. and the exceptions are for things like safety, etc, or, "When entering the drafting zone from the rear, closing the gap, and overtaking all within no more than 15 seconds." (5.10.H)

that's it. technically, the rule does not afford for any other option than completing the pass in the alotted time.

really, one can see the logic in it, because otherwise a rider could enter the back of the draft zone, draft, then leave the draft zone, so long as it's within 15 seconds. then re-enter and repeat. so the object of entering the draft zone must be to pass, and the way you know that this is the intent of the rider is if he does in fact pass.

so i think it's fair to say that you MUST pass when you're in the draft zone. except that there ought to be another exception in the rules, and that's when the cyclist you're passing exhibits an abrupt and unexpected increase in velocity.

take monty for example. he was first out of the swim in his wave this past weekend. he swims good, and he accelerates and sprints on the bike very well. so, heck, if there's a marshall around him he could take out his entire wave by waiting for each of his competitors to show up on the bike and then half-wheeling them to disqualification. one after the other. at least according to the head ref in charge that day.

any head refs out there? any tail refs out there? any refs out there?

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

I'd at least hope that the refs out there use a little common sense when making/not making such a call. That may be a lil too much to hope for but I'll be optimistic.

This thing happened to me several times in a race in Dallas recently. I'd "wake up" someone when about to pass them. Before you know it I'm in a match sprint race in the middle of a 40-k bike ride. My plan was to ride conservatively and save my legs for a strong run. So I'd drop back when these guys would speed up. I suppose I should have been DQ'd since I didn't exucute my pass.

Now that would be something to watch, much more interesting than draft-legal triathlon. I can see it now, triathletes lining up (the legal distance apart of course) and one by one trying to have a crack at getting around Monty, knocking them out of the race one at a time and turning around and taunting the rest to have a go.

I have a very simple remedy for this issue. Swim slowly. This past weekend I had "no pass" day i.e. once I left the water no one passed me on the bike or the run. I almost never have a problem with passing because I am too far back to see most of the good cyclists and thus, I generally pass people like they were standing still, especially going up hills.

On a more serious note, during races in which this has been a problem, I have actually changed the way I ride somewhat. At the Blackwater Eagleman this year, there were about 450 men in the 30-34 and the 35-39 age groups that were separated by about 8-12 minutes. I started seeing drafting packs within the first 10 miles of the ride. Once you started passing these groups, you had to get them all at once because they were generally about a bike length apart. Unfortunately, I had to put out a huge effort to get by, after which I was toasted. In the first half of the race this was fine, but when I started to tire, the pelotons would ride me down. After about 30 miles I did not have one single individual pass me. Only groups of 3s, 4s, 5s and 6s who would merrily roll away from me while they practiced their team time trial technique.

After that experience, I changed the way I passed. If it has taken me a long time to catch someone, then I am obviously not moving at a markedly faster pace. If they want to draft, which they often do, then it is not hard if I roll by them at my previous speed. My new technique is to close on them to about double the draft zone and then recover for a few moments, perhaps even sit up and stretch quickly. When I'm ready, I execute a swift pass that would require a significant acceleration to match on their part. This works even better on hills. If I have been chasing a group for a while then I take a longer recovery, because the effort would be that much greater.

My policy on drafting is that it take two willing participants to do it. If you go by them fast enough, then you don't offer them an easy target. I'm sure this is not as efficient as an even power output, but in a perfect world there wouldn't be cheaters who justify themselves all the way to Kona by saying "everybody is doing it." This would also give you the element of surprise over the "drag racers" who might decide that holding you off wasn't worth the effort.

" run. So I'd drop back when these guys would speed up. I suppose I should have been DQ'd since I didn't exucute my pass."

as far as i can tell, yes, technically, that's correct.

don't get me wrong. when a guy comes by me that i haven't seen before, he's obviously going faster than i am and it's silly for me to repass him. he's better than me. i use my tactic when i've just ridden through a bunch of people and i don't want to have to start playing games with them.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Dan,

You have it exactly right. The relevent rule section is 5.10e, Passing. It states in part "A participant must not attempt to pass another cyclist unless adequate space is available and the athlete is confident of his/her ability to pass the other cyclist."

You pegged it exactly -- without that rule you could have an athlete bobbing in and out of the draft zone at 15 second intervals.

As for enforcement, if there was a simple failure to pass and the unsuccessful passer spends no more than 15 seconds in the draft zone, a ref might, just might, not catch it. Once. It's a hard call to spot and make. I wouldn't ride as if that were a guarantee, though. Just to be on the safe side. At a high octane race like a world's qualifier, the refs are going to be very alert to that sort of thing, and it's only fair to warn people.

As for suckering would be passers into a penalty, that's completely up to you. You certainly could do it. It's a race. You're not obligated to let someone pass you (once you're passed, you have to drop back, but that's something else again). It's OK to ride faster than the other guy, although I know that's contrary to your warm, fuzzy, "I love you, you love me" inner athlete. Not that I saw that guy at Santa Barbara...

Cheers,

Steve Blum
steveblum@tellusventure.com

Dan,

You have pointed out just one of the minute complexities of the no-drafting rules.

It's pretty obvious to me what does constitute drafting - check out any bike pack on a training ride or a bike race. But beyond that, when there is movement, when there is time( was that 12 seconds or 16?) when there is distance to be measured while moving, between two moving objects, from another moving object( the offcial on the motocycle) bobbing and weaving around other moving objects, the picture can get a little fuzzy.

In the right situation, the right offcial can make the right call - I am sure this does happen, but does this happen ALL the time? Based on the above there must be drafting DQ calls that are made that are somewhat questionable, but my understanding is that this can't be the case, because there are no appeals allowed on drafting calls - nice handwashing on the offcials part!

And what of the slow swimmer, monstor biker who just keeps motoring in and out of successive draft zones in less than 15 seconds as he/she leap frogs through the field?

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Isn't this proposed technique for Monty blocking? It's a vaguely defined rule, but basically you are failing to give way and thus blocking.

Just to totally clear up the question, I e-mailed Charlie Crawford and asked him about this issue. Here is his reply:

5.10a and 5.10g are inverses of one another. Our position rules are parts of a whole that have no loopholes. 5.10a requires that if one enters from the rear, one must exit from the front. 5.10g requires that if you enter the zone from the front (you are overtaken or passed) you must exit from the rear. If either rule did not specify those requirements, we would be stuck with a loophole which would effectively cripple the ablility of USAT officials from enforcing the drafting rules. The official at Menomonie was absolutely correct.


Case closed.

"Isn't this proposed technique for Monty blocking? It's a vaguely defined rule, but basically you are failing to give way and thus blocking."

not true. i have no obligation to let you pass me once you enter the draft zone. my ONLY obligation is to let you pass me and to drop back out of the draft zone once your front wheel edges in front of mine. i'd be called for a "position" foul if i was not riding to the right, but as long as i was riding to the right, i do not have to modulate my speed to accommodate someone who's riding up behind me. on the contrary, i CAN modulate my speed to keep you from passing me. nothing in the rules says i can't.

the whole thing boils down to this. whomover has his wheel in front, he calls the shots.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

"I hope triathlon doesn't come to this. In my opinion it just goes against the spirit of the sport."

what's my point in bringing this topic up? to point out that there's a hole in the rules. what the rules say is that (other than issues of safety which are "exceptions to the exceptions")...

"A participant may enter the drafting zone without penalty ONLY ... when entering the drafting zone from the rear, closing the gap, and overtaking all within no more than 15 seconds."

that's the rule. period. no such thing as entering the draft zone and then dropping back if one fails to make the pass.

my point in bringing up this issue is that there needs to be one additional exception, something like:

(4) When entering the draft zone from the rear, and failing to overtake the rider because of that rider's sudden, substantial and unanticipated acceleration.

maybe my syntax is clumsy, but you get the picture.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

That is almost too logical. (They'll never go for it). Obviously should be added, and easy enough to call, since the motorcycle does have a speedometer and can easily tell if the forward rider, for what ever reason, speeds up.

To me this gets back to the question of is triathlon strictly a test of whos the fastest swmmer/biker/runner, or is it a race?

Certainly for most people its an accomplishment to finish and they are not actually racing.

For others its a race. Certainly at a national championship its a race for most people.

As a race you may or may not like the rules, but their is nothing wrong with using the rules to your advantage.

Personally, I like the rule in question if its going to be enforced. I feel it adds a certain level of biking skill versus just mindless aerobic fitness.

As a secondary effect it makes the swim more important. By this I mean that most swims are a small percentage of the race. But if the current drafting rules are enforced then becoming a strong swimmer and being in front takes on more significance.

[quote]5.10a requires that if one enters from the rear, one must exit from the front. 5.10g requires that if you enter the zone from the front (you are overtaken or passed) you must exit from the rear.[/quote]

The above rules would seem to me to mean that if a rider attempts a pass and fails, then BOTH riders are eligible for a penalty. One entered from the read and did not exit from the front, the other entered from the front and did not exit from the rear.

I'll freely admit that I'm a total newbie, so there's a VERY high probability that I could be missing something here, but those two rules taken together would seem to mean that if someone tries to overtake you, you have to let them by, which means that Slowman's speed-up tactic is also illegal?

"5.10g requires that if you enter the zone from the front (you are overtaken or passed) you must exit from the rear."

5.10(g) all hinges on its first line:

"When the leading edge of the front wheel of one cyclist passes beyond the front wheel of another cyclist"

yes, you must move out of the rider's zone once you are overtaken. but you are not overtaken when a rider moves up into your zone. you are overtaken only when a rider's front wheel breaks the plane of your front wheel. until that happens, the rider in front doesn't have to do a darn thing except continue to ride to the right except when passing. all the onus is on the rider who's coming up from behind. until and unless he passes the rider he's chasing, he's in line for a penalty.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Thanks for the clarification. It makes a lot more sense now ;-)

Dan:

Ok - I will admit defeat on this one based upon the comment below quoting Charlie. I can't say I understand this position now versus what was said repeatedly at various races including IMNA events (that was "once you enter the draft zone, you have 15 seconds inw hich to complete the pass or to fall back out of the zone". I will stay 100% firm that there was no ambiguity in those statements made at the races).

More important - I think this interpretation of the rule sucks. I mean the fear of a penalty by not being strong enough to actually pass any rider you challenge will chill the sport. Think about it - who in their right mind would even dare attempt too many passes during a race when all it takes is two failures to DQ you? That can not be what this sport is about.

Drafting is violative of the spirit of triathlon. IMHO this rule is equally violative and needs reform...or simple common sense.

Alan

But isn't the draft zone solely behind the forward cyclist? What I mean is, couldn't you pass someone without ever entering the draft zone by riding well to the passing side? If someone is on the right, and I want to pass, could I not jump into the passing lane before I hit the 8 (or 10 or 15) meter point to completely dodge the draft zone?

Not having the rules in front of me (and being too lazy to find them, at the moment) is there a specific width for the draft zone other than it extends 7 (or 8 or 10) meters behind any given cyclist?

I understand that if I then do not pass, I may be in violation of the blocking rule unless I get over, but then I could safely enter the draft zone from the front and exit out the back legally, right?

ITU rules are below. Not sure how the USAT rules differ - Tri Canada is very similar.

If you do not consider sprinting to keep your front tire ahead blocking, and I will grant you that based on the literal interpretation of the rules, could you be falling afoul of failing to 'resist' someone else's attempt at drafting? In essence you are pulling that rider along and thus encouraging a draft. You should both be pulled over - he for drafting and you for pulling him - it works both ways, no?

I am not an official, but I have a friend who is an ITU guy and I'm e-mailing him this thread for his comments.

E.2.3 Bicycle Draft Zone

a) For all Age Group competitions in short/Olympic Distance event the draft zone will be a rectangle

5 meters long by 2 meters wide. The center of the leading 2 meter edge will be measured from the back

edge of the back wheel. A competitor may enter the draft zone of another competitor, but must be seen

to be progressing through that zone. A maximum of 15 seconds will be allowed to pass through the zone

of another competitor.

b) For all competitors in Long Distance Competitions Elite and Age Groups the draft zone will be a

rectangle 10 meters long by 3 meters wide. The center of the leading 3 meter edge will be measured

from the back edge of the back wheel. A competitor may enter the draft zone of another competitor, but

must be seen to be progressing through that zone. A maximum of 30 seconds will be allowed to pass

through the zone of another competitor.

E.2.4 Entry into Bicycle Draft Zone

A competitor may enter a bicycle draft zone (subject to the official’s judgment) in the following

circumstances:

a) If the competitor enters the draft zone, and progresses through it within 30 seconds, (15 seconds

in Olympic Distance for age group competitors)

b) For safety reasons

c) At an aid station

d) At the exit or entrance of a transition area

e) At an acute turn

f) If race officials exclude a section of the course because of narrow lanes, construction, detours, or

for other safety reasons.

E.2.5 Overtaking Definition

A competitor is passed when another competitor's front wheel is ahead of theirs. Once overtaken, a

competitor must immediately move out of the draft zone of the leading competitor.

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Thank you for this input.

Based on the description of the rules from the one who knows them best, I would say that there is WAY more "drafting" going on during triathlons than is being called. The pull-up-into-the-zone-but-can't-make-the-pass thing goes on ALL the time.

I also come back to my previous point: What about the water sloth who is a monstor biker, who is in and out of draft zones very quickly and legally as he/she leap frogs through the field. These people are clearly benefiting from drafting, but are not penalized for it. In large Wave start races this goes on ALL the time.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

"is there a specific width for the draft zone other than it extends 7 (or 8 or 10) meters behind any given cyclist?"

the draft zone is 7 meters from each point on two bikes, that is, from the front bike's front wheel to the rear bike's front wheel. and it's 2 meters wide. but no, you can't ride alongside, 2 meters away, and keep from getting a foul. it's just that instead of a drafting foul you'll get called for a position foul:

"5.10(f) Position. Except for reasons of safety and when no advantage is gained, all cyclists shall keep to the right of the prescribed course unless passing."

therefore, for all practical purposes, i can't see that the draft zone has any limit to its width.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman