Cycling is a team sport
It may come as a surprise to learn that cycling is a team sport. Few riders can win a race as long as the Amgen Tour of California on their own. Even Lance Armstrong depended heavily on the strength of his team to win his seven Tour de France titles.
In a typical pro race, teams have 8 to 12 riders on the starting line. Each team has its own game plan for winning, and like pieces on a chess board each rider plays a different role in that plan.
Most teams have one leader. His teammates play the role of domestiques, who sacrifice their own chances of winning in support of their team’s leader. A domestique is the “worker ant” of the team, protecting the leader from the wind, chasing down breakaway riders, fetching food or clothing for the leader, and even sacrificing his or her bike’s parts if the leader has a mechanical problem. (Source: Amgen Tour of California.)
Cycling etiquette
In professional cycling races, an unofficial code of etiquette exists among teammates. For example, if a rider falls during a race, teammates will slow down and wait for their fallen comrade, helping if need be. Because of headwinds, riding near the front of a pack is more strenuous. Riders will therefore share the load by rotating positions.
Katherine Hamilton of the Northern California Nevada Cycling Association said that although cyclists are fierce competitors a premium is put on winning fairly.
“The great thing about pro-cycling is that they still have a win with honor, not because someone fell or had to go to the bathroom.” In fact, toward the end of a race, when a winner seems apparent, the rest of the riders will sometimes pull back and allow the leader to make a clear ride to the finish line, she said. (Sources: Lynn Menard and Katherine Hamilton, NCNCA.)
Cycling communication
A bicycle race is far from silent. Hamilton of the Northern California Nevada Cycling Association said that a cycling race is a “big social scene” filled with chatter and gossip. Competitors use the first half of the race as an opportunity to catch up with old friends and rivals and to exchange information. Teammates offer each other words of encouragement and instruction.
In major professional races, the team leader is in constant contact with the team’s coach and the rest of the team, no matter how far apart they are, thanks to high-tech communications. (Source: Katherine Hamilton, NCNCA.)
Cycling health and safety
Bicycle races can be perilous. The rules of USA Cycling — a national association for cycling organizations — require securely fastened helmets to be worn at all official events. Riders suffer disqualification and a $20 fine for neglecting to wear or removing a helmet during a race.
The most common health issues among cyclists are “road rash” (skin injuries caused by contact with road surfaces, often complicated by infection), broken collarbones, shattered shoulders and fractured hips, according to Hamilton, vice president of the Northern California Nevada Cycling Association (NCNCA) and a registered nurse who often provides first aid at races.
Riders are often discouraged from sharing food and water bottles with other racers because of fear of germ contamination or even sabotage. However, Hamilton reports that cyclists will sometimes share their provisions with a teammate in need. (Sources: USA Cycling; Katherine Hamilton, NCNCA.)
Cycling history
The first recorded bicycle race in the United States took place on May 24, 1878, in Boston, Mass. All of the racers were amateurs. Bicycle racing became a professional sport in 1894.
Eventually, riders from foreign countries were brought in to compete, and they soon became the best riders in the world. It was not until America’s Greg LeMond — who won the World Championships in 1983 and the Tour de France in 1986, 1989 and 1990 — that the U.S. produced one of the dominant racers in the world. LeMond was the first American to win the Tour de France (1986).
Now, American Lance Armstrong has won the Tour de France a record seven straight times from 1999-2005. (Source: Amgen Tour of California.)
By Karla Kane