Spending most of the day in the break guarantees valuable air-time for teams, sponsors and the rider himself. But there are also other reasons why a rider might want to get into a break, both commercial and tactical. Some riders – FDJ’s Jeremy Roy is a notable example – make their reputation as breakaway specialists. So why bother?įor many riders who are not exceptional climbers or sprinters, a break may be their only chance of victory. Being in a break also uses up more energy than sheltering in the comfort of the peloton. The odds of a breakaway succeeding, particularly on a flat stage, are relatively small. Roy was constantly on the attack during the 2011 Tour de France (image courtesy of Wikipedia) Why do riders put themselves in breakaways? It’s more efficient: think of it like running a marathon at a steady pace as opposed to a succession of short sprints separated by slower recovery runs. Better to allow a small number to get away and then mount a controlled pursuit. Repeatedly chasing down every attack that occurs creates a quick-slow-quick tempo which is physically and mentally draining. Why does the peloton allow breaks to get away, thereby committing themselves to a long pursuit? Simply because it is the least strenuous way to get from A to B. No matter what, however, the rhythm of break-chase-(no) catch is embedded into the DNA of all road races as surely as the sun rises and sets. The advantage they gain vary from a handful of minutes to 20 or more. Some form the moment the flag drops or it may take several failed attempts and an hour or more to make a break stick.
They can be initiated by one or a large group of riders. Flat or mountainous, wet or dry, long or short – all road races will invariably feature a long breakaway.
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