These skills are applicable during races and during training rides:
- Be predictable with all your actions.
- No passing down the inside of a corner.
- Staying up while passing slower riders or group when corning.
- DO NOT cut down.
- Maintain a steady straight line and avoid braking or changing direction suddenly, especially if contesting a sprint. Remember that there are riders following you closely from behind.
- Point out and call out any road hazards ahead. These include broken glass, potholes, drain grates, stray animals, opening car doors, sticks or stones, parked cars, etc.
- Do not overlap wheels. A slight direction change, or gust of wind could easily cause you to touch wheels and fall.
- Take turns on the front of the bunch. If everyone does their share of the work, it gives everyone a fair chance. If you are unable to do turns due to fitness or injury don’t contest the sprint.
- Be smooth with your turns at the front of the group. Avoid surges unless trying to break from the bunch. A group will travel quicker when turns are completed smoothly.
- Avoid leaving gaps when following wheels. Cyclists save about 30% of their energy at high speed by following a wheel. Each time you leave a gap you are forcing yourself to ride alone to bridge it.
- Also, riders behind you will become annoyed and ride around you, especially if the bunch is working together to break away or catch a break in a race.
- When climbing hills, avoid following a wheel too closely. Many riders often lose their momentum when rising out of the saddle on a hill which can cause a sudden deceleration. This can often catch a rider who is following too closely, resulting in a fall from a wheel touch.
- If you need to get out of the saddle during a sharp rise, be sure to change into a higher gear to maintain the same speed and avoid the “dropkick” so you do not collide with riders behind you.
