New Mexico Cyclocross State Championship Race Review

The New Mexico Cyclocross State Championship course was somewhat hard.  It included a lot of tight switchbacks, patches of sand, leaves banked in the corners and a set of stairs.  Overall, a somewhat challenging course, but a lot of fun.

I did several warm-up laps and found where I could pass some people as well as areas where I would have issues.  I also had no flats or mechanical issues before the race started.  So, I finally got set in a place where I wouldn’t have to work my way up from the back of the pack.  That is what I thought, at least.

When the race started I stayed in the pack where I started and thought this was going to be my best race of the season.  That quickly fell apart because of several different factors.  I was towards the front of the pack when we hit the first turn and stayed there untill we hit the first small uphill with a switchback at the top.  This is where everything started to fall apart.  The four or five guys in front of me tried to ride the turn but didn’t have enough speed or space.  They fell over and I was stuck behind them.  Next thing I knew, I was in the back of the pack and watching almost everyone flying by me.  I quickly tried to gain back the distance I lost, but since I am not a pure cyclist this was hard.  Before I knew it, I was second to last.  So, I set in and started to work my way through the pack.  I passed one person within the first lap, but the next two laps were a dry spell.  No matter what I did, it didn’t seem like I could gain any ground.  But, since I live higher up than most people in the race my lungs felt better for longer, as well as, me being a distance racer.  Within the next lap, I passed another person and the lap after that I passed two more.  The final two laps where like playing cat and mouse.  There was a guy about 100 yards in front of me and I was slowly gaining on him.  I thought I would be able to catch him by the end of the race, but he looked back when I was about 10 yards back.  He started to pick up the pace and to pass people.  I slowly lost ground to him, but I passed everyone he passed.

I finished fairly well and I feel if there were another lap I would have caught several more people.  For my final cyclocross race of the season and final race of the year, I feel like I had a great race year.  I started a new sport and I never finished in last place.

Time to start training for next year!

Oh yeah, Wonder Woman was there too.

Drafting

Drafting is a very useful tool when done properly.  It can also be used in several different sports, cycling being the main sport.  But, drafting can be used in swimming and even running as well.

In cycling, drafting can be used in all disciplines.  If done properly, drafting can save up to 40 percent of exertion used by the rider that is drafting.  The benefit you will receive from draft depends on your position in a group and to the cyclist you are drafting from.  The main discipline that drafting is used in is road cycling.  If you watch any professional road race, whether it be criterium or stage races, you will see a peloton form as well as some groups.  All riders within a group use the group to save energy and ride at much higher pace for longer period than a cyclist alone will be able to achieve.  Also, drafting can be used very effectively in cyclocross.  The same concept as in road cycling applies to cyclocross; a cyclist can conserve energy in the group.  Mountain biking can also use drafting, but with the technical nature of the course it is normally harder to properly draft to get the full benefit of drafting.  Not to say that benefits are not achieved by drafting in mountain biking, it is just more complicated and risky.

 This photo is from bikereviews.com. bikereviews.com

There are also many dangers in drafting, whether on the road or off.  It is easy for cyclist to get too close to one another while drafting and touch wheels.  This can cause one, if not both riders, to go down.  If this happens in a group normally the surrounding cyclist, that are also drafting, don’t have time to react, causing a large pile up.  Watch the Grand Tours in road cycling and you will see what I mean.  Also, since cyclists are following each other so closely they cannot see road hazards ahead.  This can lead to cyclist hitting potholes and debris in the road if not informed of the hazards ahead of time with enough time to react; this also can cause large pile ups.

 This photo is from complex blog Complex Blog

The best way to avoid crashes in group while still getting the benefits of drafting is to stay towards the front of the group.  This is not a guarantee that you will avoid crashing while in groups, but it does help.  Staying towards the front of a group allows you to see what is ahead and there are less people to crash and cause large pile ups.  Taking the Grand Tours as an example again, the big names in cycling tend to try to stay towards the front in areas that can be considered dangerous.  The downside to staying towards the front of a group is that you will receive less benefit from the draft.  If you do decide to draft, you will every once in a while need to make your way to the front and do some of the pulling.  This is the payment to the other cyclist in the group for drafting off of them.  If you don’t do this people will not want to ride with you and will try to drop you.

 This photo is from cyclinginfo.co.uk Cycling Info

There are also some rules in cycling about drafting.  The USA Cycling Rulebook has specifics on when and how drafting can be used in the different disciplines.  The major rule is not drafting off of a vehicle.  Not only is this not allowed, it is extremely dangerous.  Also, drafting is not allowed off of a cyclist that is not registered in the event you are competing.  Drafting is also not allowed in an individual time trail.  (a) The qualifying round is a time trial in which no more than two riders may be timed simultaneously on the track. Any rider who is caught must finish the distance to have his or her time recorded [disqualification for drafting or re-passing the other rider]. (USA Cycling Rulebook)USA Cycling Rulebook

In the bicycle leg of triathlon drafting is also not legal for USA Triathlon sanctioned events, look below for the exact ruling.  I believe that in ITU, International Triathlon Union, sanctioned events drafting is legal.  I can’t confirm this because the ITU’s rulebook would not pull up from their Webpage and I don’t participate in ITU sanctioned events.  From the ITU races I have seen, people I have talked with, and ITU bikes that I have help outfit at the bike shop where I worked, I am very certain that drafting is legal in ITU races.

5.10 Position Fouls. In accordance with the Rules as set forth in this section, a participant is not permitted to position his bicycle in the proximity of another moving vehicle so as to benefit from reduced air resistance. While on the cycling course, participants shall not work together to improve performance, efficiency, or position by teamwork or other joint conduct. A variable time penalty shall be imposed for any violation of this section. This section shall not apply to off-road triathlons and duathlons and shall be excluded from enforcement at those events.

a. Drafting. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, while on the cycling course, no participant shall permit his drafting zone to intersect with or remain intersected with the drafting zone of another cyclist or that of a motor vehicle. With respect to a motor vehicle (including authorized race vehicles); it is the athlete’s responsibility to move out of the vehicle’s drafting zone or to continually communicate to the vehicle to move away.

b. Definition of Drafting Zone. The term "drafting zone" shall refer to a rectangular area seven (7) meters long and two (2) meters wide surrounding each bicycle. The longer sides of the zone begin at the leading edge of the front wheel and run backward parallel to the bicycle; the front wheel divides the short side of the zone into two equal parts. With respect to a moving motor vehicle, the "drafting zone" is a rectangular area extending 15 meters to each side of the vehicle and 30 meters behind the vehicle. (USA Triathlon)USA Triathlon Rulebook

I believe the reasoning behind USA Triathlon not allowing drafting is for the safety of the participants and because triathlons are an individual sport at the age group level.  The average triathlete is not an incredibly experienced cyclist and does not normally know how to draft correctly or safely.  This does not mean that triathletes are not capable of drafting, I am a prime example.  I was drafting in training rides before I decided I wanted to do bicycle races.

 This photo is from Triathlon Training Blog Triathlon Training blog

Drafting in swimming is similar to drafting in cycling.  One swimmer gets behind another to decrease the exertion needed to swim faster for extended periods.  This is not normally practiced in competitive swimming in pools because there is only one swimmer per lane and races are relatively short.  If you watch Olympic distance races, you will see swimmers hug the lane rope to try to get some sort of draft in longer races.  But, drafting in swimming is normally used in open water and longer distance races.  It is most effective in open water because swimmers can get directly behind each other.

There are no rules that I am aware of that don’t allow drafting in running.  I am also not sure of the benefit of drafting while running, but there has to be some, especially on windy days.  I have read that there is a belief that drafting will save you around 2 seconds per quarter mile.  This is not a lot, but in longer races this can be a big benefit.  Another thing that has to be considered while drafting is are you going fast enough for benefits of a draft?  I will explain more about how fast you need to be going to get a draft later.  Drafting while running looks goofy and is an extreme annoyance to the runner in front.  Drafting is not a commonly practiced technique in running and I am not recommending that you practice it.  I have seen it done and I know people that swear it works.  I have also had some people try to draft on me while running.  I assure you, it is extremely annoying to have someone you don’t know that close to you while running.  It also made me speed up in order to drop them.  Also, to get the benefit of the draft the second runner has to be so close that they will occasionally kick the runner in front.  If you and a friend are out for a run and want to try it be my guest, just don’t do it to a stranger unless they draft off of you first.

If you are going to draft in any sport here are a two things to consider: is it safe and is it beneficial?  The slipstream off of another athlete is a teardrop shape, to get the benefit of a draft you need to be within the tear drop.  The tail of the teardrop gets longer at higher speeds and may be not directly behind the athlete in front depending on the weather conditions.  If the wind is blowing 90 degrees from the direction you are traveling it will be behind and to the opposite side of the athlete in front.

Drafting properly takes lots of practice and technique, so practice while training before trying it in a race.  Drafting is a very useful tool to have in your toolbox, but make sure to do it safely and by the rules.