Wheel sucking debate

[New2tri]

Robbie,

 

Wheelsucking is a strategy employed by those who are unfit or unsure of their capability to stay with the top okes in his/her bunch.

 

Drafting or slipstream is an effective strategy by the professionals or seriaas age category racers in the interest of their team plans.

 

Subtle difference

Great way to differentiate the two. Well said.

[Gen]

So, after watching Paris-Roubaix, I now have a healthy respect for the okes who ride road.

 

As for the debate about wheel-sucking, I was watching Zdenek Stybar sit comfortable behind Greg van Avermaet and Sebastian Langeveld for the last 30 or so kilometers. It became very apparent to me very quickly that Stybar intended to just park in the back of this queue and have a lekker easy tow, without having to contribute at all, into the velodrome, where he intended to take the sprint finish.

I must be honest and admit that I rather enjoyed his flimsy tantrum he had crossing the line in second place, as now I too understand how wheel-sucking "sux"...pun intended.

 

Greg even took a dig at Stybar not contributing, and how glad he was to take the sprint finish.

They pick an choose when to complain about riders sucking wheel, have seen GVA benefit on many occasions by not doing a lot of work or stop contributing from about 8km/6km/3km to go[emoji6]

['Dale]

SNIP

 

Still thinking some form of damping should be used at this race? Not sure if it allowed....

Most of the major bike brands have a modified frame choice (that includes subtle geometry change, shock absorbing systems, etc.) for the cobbled classics especially PR.

Some of the professionals opt for it and some stay on conventional road bikes.

[Gen]

Stybar was also instructed to not contribute for the main part of that 30km in the hope that team mate Tom Boonen might reconnect to group and go for his last win in his last race.....

So as said above by Dale....tactics and strategy is key for the pro's.

Lastly, IMO the Paris - Roubaix is not a pure road race. One of a kind (nearly). Super tough without a doubt. Still prefer my mtb.

Still thinking some form of damping should be used at this race? Not sure if it allowed....

Indeed he was.. he only started to pretend to do work inside 10km to go.. you know that "look but I am working bit"..and then nothing again lol..

 

Up until then they still had hope that Boonen would rejoin..but he had the same problem chasing..no one was contributing much as they had riders up the road so really nothing wrong with that.

[Robbie Stewart]

Robbie,

 

Wheelsucking is a strategy employed by those who are unfit or unsure of their capability to stay with the top okes in his/her bunch.

 

Drafting or slipstream is an effective strategy by the professionals or seriaas age category racers in the interest of their team plans.

 

Subtle difference

 

I hear you, and thanks for clearing that up for me. I am not a roadie at all, and only trap around on my mtb. Besides, I am of the physical disposition that would make wheel-sucking and drafting a distinct impossibility, so my observations are from a very uneducated perspective. I am very at home on some single-track somewhere remote. I do find it very entertaining to watch these road races though.

['Dale]

I hear you, and thanks for clearing that up for me. I am not a roadie at all, and only trap around on my mtb. Besides, I am of the physical disposition that would make wheel-sucking and drafting a distinct impossibility, so my observations are from a very uneducated perspective. I am very at home on some single-track somewhere remote. I do find it very entertaining to watch these road races though.

 

The Classics & one day races are very entertaining, yes.

 

The Grand Tours are more for those who like Test cricket - it's the loooong game, wearing the opponent down, using the terrain for strategic moves, mental games and overall ultra-endurance slow poison stuff.

[Robbie Stewart]

Stybar was also instructed to not contribute for the main part of that 30km in the hope that team mate Tom Boonen might reconnect to group and go for his last win in his last race.....

So as said above by Dale....tactics and strategy is key for the pro's.

Lastly, IMO the Paris - Roubaix is not a pure road race. One of a kind (nearly). Super tough without a doubt. Still prefer my mtb.

Still thinking some form of damping should be used at this race? Not sure if it allowed....

 

I very distinctly recall the commentator make reference to the front-shock on Tom Boonen's white bike. I even paused and rewound to see what he was on about...I saw nothing different, but I am guessing he was speaking of some type of damper system built-in to the fork?

 

Again, I am really just shooting in the dark here. Road bikes are alchemy to me.

[Robbie Stewart]

Indeed he was.. he only started to pretend to do work inside 10km to go.. you know that "look but I am working bit"..and then nothing again lol..

 

 

 

I found that "break-away" of his at about 10 - 12 km to go rather amusing. Even GVA was asking him what he thought he was on about...

[Patchelicious]

They pick an choose when to complain about riders sucking wheel, have seen GVA benefit on many occasions by not doing a lot of work or stop contributing from about 8km/6km/3km to go[emoji6]

At one point, GvA became very frustrated at this and blatantly swerved at Stybar as he came past, attempted switch in my opinion, but I might be biased as I was cheering for the Floor Team yesterday.

['Dale]

I very distinctly recall the commentator make reference to the front-shock on Tom Boonen's white bike. I even paused and rewound to see what he was on about...I saw nothing different, but I am guessing he was speaking of some type of damper system built-in to the fork?

 

Again, I am really just shooting in the dark here. Road bikes are alchemy to me.

 

 

Just read up here on the white bike

Cool tech

 

https://cyclingtips.com/2017/04/cobbled-classics-tom-boonens-specialized-roubaix/

[Gen]

At one point, GvA became very frustrated at this and blatantly swerved at Stybar as he came past, attempted switch in my opinion, but I might be biased as I was cheering for the Floor Team yesterday.

I have to admit at having a chuckle at that point.. ja see its not lekker when they just sit on

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Robbie,

 

Wheelsucking is a strategy employed by those who are unfit or unsure of their capability to stay with the top okes in his/her bunch.

 

Drafting or slipstream is an effective strategy by the professionals or seriaas age category racers in the interest of their team plans.

 

Subtle difference

I beg to differ, thats not always the case, sometimes they sit on to disrupt the momentum of the group, sometimes they sit on to ensure the group has little chance of success, especially in a break away situation, and sometimes I guess, they sit on just because they are also tired.

 

Its often an ugly part of cycling.

['Dale]

I beg to differ, thats not always the case, sometimes they sit on to disrupt the momentum of the group, sometimes they sit on to ensure the group has little chance of success, especially in a break away situation and sometimes they sit on just because they are also tired.

 

Its an ugly part of cycling.

 

It's still a strategy, GOG.

Sometimes negative. Mostly positive. But strategy in their team interest, nonetheless.

[Patchelicious]

I beg to differ, thats not always the case, sometimes they sit on to disrupt the momentum of the group, sometimes they sit on to ensure the group has little chance of success, especially in a break away situation and sometimes they sit on just because they are also tired.

 

Its an ugly part of cycling.

Not ALWAYS but mostly, and even the disruptive behavior is for their teams benefit.

 

Ai, why must things always turn into arguments....

[GrumpyOldGuy]

It's still a strategy, GOG.

Sometimes negative. Mostly positive. But strategy in their team interest, nonetheless.

Hmm, fair enough, I took you more literally, however I see it as a negative and I find its often the same teams who use this strategy over and over, its a case of "if I cant win then you cant either" Sagan and Cancellera, maybe even Boonen will attest vociferously to that.

 

As I said, I find it ugly.

['Dale]

Hmm, fair enough, I took you more literally, however I see it as a negative and I find its often the same teams who use this strategy over and over, its a case of "if I cant win then you cant either" Sagan and Cancellera, maybe even Boonen will attest vociferously to that.

 

As I said, I find it ugly.

Quickstep

 

Guilty as charged ☠️