# What happens if you get lapped in a crit?



## TehYoyo (Sep 16, 2012)

What should you do if you get lapped in a criterium?

Do you just pull over to the side? That seems like the right thing to do, but it kinda sucks that your race is now over. Would it be improper to gather a group of guys and just form a paceline off to the right/to the side and move at the same (albeit slightly slower) pace as the racers?


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## Poncharelli (May 7, 2006)

If it's a USAC sanctioned race, most times you get pulled. (I've been there). 

If they let you stay, then it's all up to you. But if it's me then I would stay out out of the way of the top ten for sure. Top three are going for placings, and a few more after that have potential for earning points. 

But best to stay at back end of peleton and situp during sprint. I mean, you lost your chance already if you've been lapped.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

Depends on the race and the officials. When I was in Cat 5, there was a guy on a mountain bike and Discovery Channel jersey and we must have lapped him 5 times. I've also been in a few crits where the group I was in got pulled a lap or two before we could get lapped. During a stage race about 2 years ago, I was in sorry shape and got lapped several times hoping I'd get pulled. 

Don't worry too much about it. Ride smart. Do what the officials say.


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## AdamM (Jul 9, 2008)

Unless the course is narrow you'll probably be allowed to keep riding - sometimes the officials will pull riders a few laps prior to the finish. The safest position for all when being passed by the bunch is hold the same line you've been riding on the previous laps. It's much safer for the passing riders to see your line and they do the adjusting.


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## scottzj (Oct 4, 2010)

More than likely, you will be pulled the next time you cross the finish line, at least that is what happened in the crits I have raced. One good thing is, even though I was only lapped in one but from all that I have seen, you still get some sort of placement and not a DNF. I guess it just depends on how many laps in and are left too.


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## Daren (Jul 25, 2008)

I have, on a occasion, either gotten dropped or, rarely, off the back trying to pace a team mate back on, and just took it easy and recovered until the field caught me. Then I employed rule 3D4:

Riders on different laps may work with each other except that no rider may drop back to assist rider who has broken away from the field [disqualification for accepting such assistance].

Thus, you can help a team mate, or a friend, in the field to chase down a break, but you can not help the break. If you know beforehand that you will not be pulled and you are out for some team work instead of personal results, it can be a great way to introduce fresh legs into a chase mid-race


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## Ghost234 (Jun 1, 2010)

Take the hard lesson. 

Use as motivation for training harder. 

Train Harder. 

???

You start lapping the field.


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## TehYoyo (Sep 16, 2012)

Daren said:


> I have, on a occasion, either gotten dropped or, rarely, off the back trying to pace a team mate back on, and just took it easy and recovered until the field caught me. Then I employed rule 3D4:
> 
> Riders on different laps may work with each other except that no rider may drop back to assist rider who has broken away from the field [disqualification for accepting such assistance].
> 
> Thus, you can help a team mate, or a friend, in the field to chase down a break, but you can not help the break. If you know beforehand that you will not be pulled and you are out for some team work instead of personal results, it can be a great way to introduce fresh legs into a chase mid-race


OK. I assume that that's official USAC rules.

That rule means that you can ride w/ the peloton, but you can't let yourself be lapped by a breakaway in order to help them.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

TehYoyo said:


> OK. I assume that that's official USAC rules.
> 
> That rule means that you can ride w/ the peloton, but you can't let yourself be lapped by a breakaway in order to help them.


Correct.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

If it's me, I'm at a training crit and I hop back on the back when they come back around. It took me a couple to be able to do the whole race without dropping off the back once.


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## Sonomasnap (Feb 10, 2010)

Go home. Train harder.


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