Say you are traveling north, and a significant (say 12 mph) wind is blowing from SE; should you position yourself on the left (Westward) side of the road or the right (Eastward) side if you are in a sprint or trying to gutter people (not that tail cross represent the best place to gutter people).
My sense is that even in such a situation, one would still benefit from having someone else to the right (Eastward) as the direction of the wind can be broken down into one parallel to direction of travel (the tail wind) and one perpendicular (the cross component), and it’s always better to stay shielded from the crosswind even if it’s a cross tail.
If you are in a sprint you would be better sitting directly behind them two inches from their rear wheel. When you kick you should go past on the left (westerly side) opposite side the wind is coming from.
Say you are traveling north, and a significant (say 12 mph) wind is blowing from SE; should you position yourself on the left (Westward) side of the road or the right (Eastward) side if you are in a sprint or trying to gutter people (not that tail cross represent the best place to gutter people).
My sense is that even in such a situation, one would still benefit from having someone else to the right (Eastward) as the direction of the wind can be broken down into one parallel to direction of travel (the tail wind) and one perpendicular (the cross component), and it’s always better to stay shielded from the crosswind even if it’s a cross tail.
Does this sound about right?
If the wind is coming from the rear-right you would want to be on the left. In the sprint you would want to sprint in the left gutter so that people following you get less draft. Tail component or not. Of course with the tail component you’ll gain less from being on the left, but there will still be some benefit.
In this scenario, it will be difficult to gutter the group because the tailwind benefits riders across the road. Provided this is not at the end of the race, a better tactic would be to position to conserve energy until an opportunity arises to gutter into the wind (assuming circuit). If this is the finishing kick, then it depends on the wind’s position. If it’s more cross-wind, then go left side; if it’s more tailwind, prepare for mayhem.
In this scenario, it will be difficult to gutter the group because the tailwind benefits riders across the road. Provided this is not at the end of the race, a better tactic would be to position to conserve energy until an opportunity arises to gutter into the wind (assuming circuit). If this is the finishing kick, then it depends on the wind’s position. If it’s more cross-wind, then go left side; if it’s more tailwind, prepare for mayhem.Riders behind you will get less benefit with a tailwind than a headwind. Better to attack with a tailwind.
The way to look at the wind is to consider the apparent wind relative to the bike. In the scenario described the apparent wind will be from the right (perhaps 10 to 20° depending on speed) so you would position yourself as described by others.
Riders behind you have the benefit of the tailwind and your draft.
Watch any pro race–the group bunches up with tailwinds. Attacks don’t stick in tailwinds–if it’s easy for you, it’s easy for everyone. You can go flying off the front at 50 km/h if you want, but you’ll get reeled in with zero effort.
Riders behind you have the benefit of the tailwind and your draft.
Watch any pro race–the group bunches up with tailwinds. Attacks don’t stick in tailwinds–if it’s easy for you, it’s easy for everyone. You can go flying off the front at 50 km/h if you want, but you’ll get reeled in with zero effort.How do they have the benefit of your draft if you’re attacking? You can’t attack with riders on your wheel. If you have a gap and they’re chasing the lead guy chasing will be working just as hard as you but the riders behind him will also be working harder than they would if you were riding into a headwind. Ideally a crosswind would be a better place to attack but if that’s not available a tailwind is better than a headwind or no wind.
Edit: And the quote you listed from the Aussie site doesn’t make any sense. As far as I know an attack is never easy (by definition), no one rolls out an attack on 300W regardless of wind direction.
If the wind comes from the tail & right you should be on the left. That said, if the rider in front of you is your team mate he should leave just enough room so you can sit on his left, but there’s not enough room for someone else to sit on YOUR left.
If it’s a rider from a different team and he sees you on his wheel, he should normally ride all the way on the left side of the road such that anyone trying to pass him has to come via the right (i.e. more windy side).
thanks to everyone for the answers! the tailwind portion of things threw me off a bit
and yes, i realize that guttering on tail cross is not as good as guttering on head cross right before it turns into a straight up tailwind as it really helps with separation.
I had this question in mind as it was what i thought to be the situation at the finish of today’s race, but made moot by the fact that a) they changed the finish line (block crosswind for today) and b) a “pothole” in the gravel section pinch flatted my front tubular. Yes, you read that correct, my tubular got a pinch flat.
Riders behind you have the benefit of the tailwind and your draft.
Watch any pro race–the group bunches up with tailwinds. Attacks don’t stick in tailwinds–if it’s easy for you, it’s easy for everyone. You can go flying off the front at 50 km/h if you want, but you’ll get reeled in with zero effort.
Attacking with a tail wind for an individual or small group is much more likely to stick compared to attacking into a head wind. The pack has a huge advantage in a headwind, not as much with a tailwind. A sucessful solo attack into the wind is really unlikely unless the pack has zero interest in chasing it down.
Same principle applies to “hurting” the pack when you are on the front. You can be hammering at 400 watts into a 20mph headwind and people will be soft pedaling in the pack. When you are hammering with a stiff tailwind, the guys in the back can be working almost as hard as the guy on the front.
Riders behind you have the benefit of the tailwind and your draft.
Watch any pro race–the group bunches up with tailwinds. Attacks don’t stick in tailwinds–if it’s easy for you, it’s easy for everyone. You can go flying off the front at 50 km/h if you want, but you’ll get reeled in with zero effort.
Agreed, attacks don’t stick with tailwinds; but it can make an established break harder to reel in. The guys in the break end up being fresher towards the end.
Another note about sprinting from the gutter. It makes it harder for someone behind to “echelon” off of you and come around; it also increases the chances that the rider in front of you will “close the door” by shifting over just a touch (not so much that they get relegated for changing lines).
I have an opposite view. I my experience, a well timed fully committed attack downwind can be very effective because the drafting advantage the chasing peloton gains in a tailwind is significantly neutralized.
I have an opposite view. I my experience, a well timed fully committed attack downwind can be very effective because the drafting advantage the chasing peloton gains in a tailwind is significantly neutralized.Exactly. Attacks work in tailwinds for the same reason the work on hill - less drafting.
That said, more riders are willing to at least try chasing in tailwinds since they’ll feel good.
A lot of whether attacks in head/tail winds survive comes down to the skill level/maturity of the pack, not just when the attack is made.
In our local races it is pretty typical that the pack does not want to suffer. Unless you are in a 1/2+ race it is somewhat rare to find a team willing to sacrifice its riders for the sake of chasing the break (that is to say, the every man for themselves attitude is prevalent). It is not uncommon for the pack to slow up significantly in a headwind while they fight over who (if anyone) is going to take up the chase. Meanwhile the break can plod on nice and steady.
If you know a wind change is coming up, and you can get a jump on someone, you can use the high speed in the tailwind to open a good gap, then use the headwind phase to consolidate it and expand your lead while everyone else messes around.
This is not universally applicable, just my experience. Highly dependent on who is racing and what the individual and team goals are for the day.
Not sure if you are being sarcastic. Certainly works better than attacking into headwind when everyone is fresh.
Best is to attack a few minutes just before you turn onto tailwind section. Crosswind gutters people, tailwind maintains separation
Otoh, at the end of a race in a smAll group, headwind attack isnt so bad as no one wants to do so much work only to lessen his/her chAnces in the finale
Riders behind you have the benefit of the tailwind and your draft.
Watch any pro race–the group bunches up with tailwinds. Attacks don’t stick in tailwinds–if it’s easy for you, it’s easy for everyone. You can go flying off the front at 50 km/h if you want, but you’ll get reeled in with zero effort.
You will need to explain that to Philippe Gilbert because that guy is clueless about racing with a tailwind. Imagine how many races he might have won if only he had your understanding.
You will need to explain that to Philippe Gilbert because that guy is clueless about racing with a tailwind. Imagine how many races he might have won if only he had your understanding.
Not the best example, because the dominant course feature there is the climb, not the wind. Gilbert is kind of reaching for excuses there. The big difference wasn’t the wind, but the fact that his climb wasn’t a knockout punch as it was in the past.
You will need to explain that to Philippe Gilbert because that guy is clueless about racing with a tailwind. Imagine how many races he might have won if only he had your understanding.
Not the best example, because the dominant course feature there is the climb, not the wind. Gilbert is kind of reaching for excuses there. The big difference wasn’t the wind, but the fact that his climb wasn’t a knockout punch as it was in the past.
yes and no
It’s easier to sit behind someone in a headwind. Even more so when Gilbert was attacking on the hoods while Matthews was holding on to dear life and trying to get as aero as possible. Would it have made a difference? Who knows. Last year people got bambozzled and Gilbert attacked unmarked; this year Matthews was smart to sit on Gilbert’s wheel from the very beginning.
What is sure is that the tailwind certainly helped once Gilbert had crested the climb with a slight advantage.