# Why does the break away leader swerve across the road?



## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

I've noticed that in the last few hundred meters of a race, the lead rider in the break away will often swerve to the other side of the road and sometimes back again. The others typically follow his line. Is that a tactic to try and drop the other riders in the break away out of the leaders draft? Seems like it would waste a lot of energy at a critical moment and that it would be better to put all energy in to going as fast as possible in a straight line.


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

You don't want to start the sprint from the front, too easy for the others to stick to the wheel, stay in the draft and pull away just in time to win the sprint. The rider in front is just trying to force others to get ahead, that's why they often slow down so much.


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

nonsleepingjon said:


> Is that a tactic to try and drop the other riders in the break away out of the leaders draft?


Yes.

If you simply accelerate in a straight line, it's much easier for other riders to draft.


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## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

pretender said:


> Yes.
> 
> If you simply accelerate in a straight line, it's much easier for other riders to draft.


Muchas gracias.


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

nonsleepingjon said:


> Muchas gracias.


Keep in mind, it usually doesn't work. You'll see a guy swerve up the road, and the rest dutifully follow. Most successful attacks come from third or fourth position and have much more of an element of surprise. But sometimes you find yourself at the front of the pack, and rather than drag everyone to the finish, you have to try to separate yourself somehow.

Today's stage really split the difference between the climbers and the sprinters. I thought the finish was great.


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## jswilson64 (May 20, 2008)

It's called the "shake -n- bake" move. Don't believe me? Just watch that 100% accurate 1985 movie about bicycle racing, _American Flyers_.


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## Sylint (Jul 27, 2009)

jswilson64 said:


> It's called the "shake -n- bake" move. Don't believe me? Just watch that 100% accurate 1985 movie about bicycle racing, _American Flyers_.


 

wheelsucker.





I don't know why, but I always love when they weave to one side and someone launches from the back on the other side and has a 5-7 sec gap before anyone notices him. That's my favorite type of attack for some weird reason.


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