Sprint Leadouts: How to Setup Your Leadout Train (Ask a Cycling Coach 263)

TL;DR

Legion's cycling team discusses the importance of different positions within a team, race strategy, and tactics for controlling the pace and preventing attacks.

Transcript

it's funny because when we're going up to speed I'm sitting behind Cory like go faster go faster so those who don't know Cory is your brother and he was doing like I'm thirteen or fourteen hundred watts and you came by it like sustain seventeen hundred watts yeah and then it just burst people's dreams all around the internet video because there's n... Read More

Key Insights

• 😤 Different positions within a cycling team, such as sprinters and high FTP riders, play crucial roles in race strategy.
• 😫 Controlling the race and setting the pace can prevent attacks and conserve energy for the team.
• 👾 Taking up space on the road and controlling corners can limit opportunities for other riders to attack.
• 🐎 Recognizing the race line and developing race sense is a skill that comes with experience and learning from teammates.
• 😤 Team culture and cohesion are essential for executing effective race tactics.
• 😤 Legion's strategy involves riders working together as a cohesive unit, with each member supporting the team's overall goal.
• 👻 Having a mix of different types of riders allows for flexibility in various race scenarios.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why does Legion have a high FTP rider at the front of the race well before the sprint even starts?

Having a high FTP rider at the front allows the team to control the race and set the pace, preventing attacks and conserving energy for the sprinters.

Q: How does Legion control the race at ten laps to go?

Legion gathers at the front as a team, takes up space on the road, and controls the corners to prevent riders from attacking on the inside and to maintain momentum.

Q: What happens if someone attacks during the race?

Legion's strategy is to maintain their pace and control the road. If someone attacks, one of their high FTP riders will slightly increase the pace to discourage the attack and maintain the team's control.

Q: How do riders learn to recognize the race line and take up space?

Recognizing the race line and taking up space is a challenging skill to teach. Legion selects riders with experience and fosters a culture of teamwork and learning, where riders can quickly adapt and learn from more experienced teammates.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Legion's team consists of different types of cyclists, including sprinters, all-rounders, and high FTP riders.

• Team members gather at the front and start controlling the race with about ten laps to go, ensuring their team takes up space on the road and control the corners.

• The team's high FTP riders set the pace, allowing the sprinters to conserve energy and prevent attacks from other riders.