This clip of a competitor staring down her opponents as she passes makes me laugh, partly because it happened to me:
I was pushing at close to my maximum, down in my best aero tuck.
A couple sitting upright on a road tandem blew by me like I was standing still. The guy in front stared as they passed, then yelled back at me “You LOOK really aero!”
He didn’t move his hands from the bar tops, but I’m pretty sure “LOOK” was in air quotes.
His stoker on the back laughed.
I really wanted to kick their tandem asses, but all I could do was watch stone-faced as they zoomed off over the horizon.
I was pushing at close to my maximum, down in my best aero tuck.
A couple sitting upright on a road tandem blew by me like I was standing still. The guy in front stared as they passed, then yelled back at me “You LOOK really aero!”
He didn’t move his hands from the bar tops, but I’m pretty sure “LOOK” was in air quotes.
His stoker on the back laughed.
I really wanted to kick their tandem asses, but all I could do was watch stone-faced as they zoomed off over the horizon.
The guy sounds like a dick. Jokes on them, they were on a tandem… I don’t understand wanting to ride one.
Depends. It’s OK in competition. Mind games are fair play. Or with a close competitor just prior to competition. Get yourself in their head. Psyche them out.
To random people you don’t know while training, no. Pretty lame.
I was pushing at close to my maximum, down in my best aero tuck.
A couple sitting upright on a road tandem blew by me like I was standing still. The guy in front stared as they passed, then yelled back at me “You LOOK really aero!”
He didn’t move his hands from the bar tops, but I’m pretty sure “LOOK” was in air quotes.
His stoker on the back laughed.
I really wanted to kick their tandem asses, but all I could do was watch stone-faced as they zoomed off over the horizon.
What do you care?
Point one: If you think it matters that someone’s going faster than you, be reassured that they are using two engine’s to do it. 2 against 1 is hardly a fair competition.
Point two: If you think it matters that someone’s going faster than you - that’s your problem, not the fact that they are.
Point three: If someone stares, say “Hi there”, if they say you look aero, no matter how sarcastically, pretend you missed the sarcasm and just cheerily say “Thanks!”
If someone’s being a dick don’t give them the pleasure of upsetting you. They’re the dick, why should you be the one who feels bad about that?
Me, I check on competitors as I pass them to see if they look like they are flagging, if they might be about to try to spin up and hop on my wheel, etc.
Mind games can be fun in competition too, but you gotta be able to back 'em up.
When training? Lame unless it’s a competitive ride and friends messing with each other.
Where did this take place? I’d like to see them get their asses kicked… Dicks
original poster here -
This was at San Diego’s Fiesta Island, a 4-mile loop in the middle of the bay where all the roadies and triathletes train. It wasn’t a race - just the typical smattering of cyclists going around the island.
They really did have the speed to back up the trash talk though. So much so that I thought a LONG time about what witty response I would yell at them when they would inevitably lap me.
I was pushing at close to my maximum, down in my best aero tuck.
A couple sitting upright on a road tandem blew by me like I was standing still. The guy in front stared as they passed, then yelled back at me “You LOOK really aero!”
He didn’t move his hands from the bar tops, but I’m pretty sure “LOOK” was in air quotes.
His stoker on the back laughed.
I really wanted to kick their tandem asses, but all I could do was watch stone-faced as they zoomed off over the horizon.
The guy sounds like a dick. Jokes on them, they were on a tandem… I don’t understand wanting to ride one.
Have you ever ridden one? They are a lot of fun and a good way to bring someone (like wife) along on a faster ride that they normally might not hang with. We’ve got one and it’s a blast to get out every once in a while. I used to do a group ride that sometimes included a really strong couple on a tandem. They would be dropping cat 2/3 racers on the flats when they really got rolling. Power of 2 people with wind resistance of 1. Climbing kind of sucks. Downhill is ridiculous fast.
I was pushing at close to my maximum, down in my best aero tuck.
A couple sitting upright on a road tandem blew by me like I was standing still. The guy in front stared as they passed, then yelled back at me “You LOOK really aero!”
He didn’t move his hands from the bar tops, but I’m pretty sure “LOOK” was in air quotes.
His stoker on the back laughed.
I really wanted to kick their tandem asses, but all I could do was watch stone-faced as they zoomed off over the horizon.
The guy sounds like a dick. Jokes on them, they were on a tandem… I don’t understand wanting to ride one.
Have you ever ridden one? They are a lot of fun and a good way to bring someone (like wife) along on a faster ride that they normally might not hang with. We’ve got one and it’s a blast to get out every once in a while. I used to do a group ride that sometimes included a really strong couple on a tandem. They would be dropping cat 2/3 racers on the flats when they really got rolling. Power of 2 people with wind resistance of 1. Climbing kind of sucks. Downhill is ridiculous fast.
Yeah I have ridden on one, It was fun for the first 5 minutes. I can see how they can get going fast. What I love about riding it being able to do your own thing - YOU are in control. Dragging someone along for the ride just doesn’t seem like fun imo, but to each his own.
What I really meant by the comment “jokes on them, they were on a tandem”, was that it was two people working together to drop one person. You were correct in that I was also ripping on them for riding a tandem
I thought Caroline said something at this point, something along the lines of ‘lets keep pushing lets drop them’. I wouldnt assume a stare down, they went back and forth for a while at the beginning.
I was pushing at close to my maximum, down in my best aero tuck.
A couple sitting upright on a road tandem blew by me like I was standing still. The guy in front stared as they passed, then yelled back at me “You LOOK really aero!”
He didn’t move his hands from the bar tops, but I’m pretty sure “LOOK” was in air quotes.
His stoker on the back laughed. That guy sounds like a dick. And is also pretty awesome. That’s hilarious.
I was pushing at close to my maximum, down in my best aero tuck.
A couple sitting upright on a road tandem blew by me like I was standing still. The guy in front stared as they passed, then yelled back at me “You LOOK really aero!”
He didn’t move his hands from the bar tops, but I’m pretty sure “LOOK” was in air quotes.
His stoker on the back laughed.
I really wanted to kick their tandem asses, but all I could do was watch stone-faced as they zoomed off over the horizon.
The guy sounds like a dick. Jokes on them, they were on a tandem… I don’t understand wanting to ride one.
Dudes who live near me ride one, the stoker is legally blind so its a cool move on the part of the frontman who is an elite rider in his own right. As a tandem they routinely compete and podium at worlds on the road and track. They kill it on Strava.
I thought Caroline said something at this point, something along the lines of ‘lets keep pushing lets drop them’. I wouldnt assume a stare down, they went back and forth for a while at the beginning.
Iam also pretty sure (Both caroline and daniella from switzerland) She spoke to her and turn her head to finish the sentences like “come on keep lets break away”
Or she’s just looking over to gauge her clearing so she can move right. Doesn’t look like a stare down to me but who knows, including the comment by the tandem rider. Maybe he thought the OP did have a pretty aero position.
My first thought was that Macca learned that move from Lance and passed it on to Caroline;) But in hindsight, two Swiss gals making an on the fly plan sounds way more likely.
