"Getting organized"

[Ian]

I was thinking about this after the ride this morning. Often when I'm in a chase group, it's been said that we can't "get organized" i.e. get the team working together to chase down the lead pack. I've never really figured out how to do that. Is there typically a better way to chase down a lead pack, or does it mostly depend on the circumstances? Or is it simply a matter of HTFU and hurt until you get back on??
Can anyone give some advice??

[sylvan]

Or is it simply a matter of HTFU and hurt until you get back on?

No, this is what usually happens and you'll almost never get back on that way. You have to get a rolling paceline going and frequently riders in the chase are too amped up, trying to get back on fast. They pull too hard 'til they're cooked, then flick an elbow, but now everybody else is cooked, too, and it all stalls out. Then somebody says "we have to get organized". And by then somebody else has recovered a bit, takes a monster suicide pull, and it happens all over again.

[Lister Farrar]

Or is it simply a matter of HTFU and hurt until you get back on?

No, this is what usually happens and you'll almost never get back on that way. You have to get a rolling paceline going and frequently riders in the chase are too amped up, trying to get back on fast. They pull too hard 'til they're cooked, then flick an elbow, but now everybody else is cooked, too, and it all stalls out. Then somebody says "we have to get organized". And by then somebody else has recovered a bit, takes a monster suicide pull, and it happens all over again.

+1

I'd add, say to your partners, "Take short pulls, smooth accelerations (kinda a weasel word , but usually conveys the idea of not jumping through) till we see who feels good. Then pull longer if you feel good." (This suggests the single paceline might be better if the group is not equal strength.)

Tell the eager beavers who pull through too soon before the front guy swings over, 'be patient', 'save it for the pull', not showing up the guy who's pulling now.

Also, someone has to tell the rider who pulls too slowly and holds up the line. I think saying "Good" or "Short pulls" is positive, but suggests that everyone behind can handle more. "Steady" also says "Easy, big boy" in a positive way.

You might need to suggest pulls based on individual strengths. Bill and Pete discovered this in a VCL break. Bill (the grimpeur) was cracking Pete (the rouleur) on the hills. So, counter-intuitively, Pete pulled the climbs and Bill the descents so Pete could pull at his own pace and then recover on Bill on the flats and descents.

[Lister Farrar]

One more thought. Chasers might want to recognize that riders who may not be able to pull now, can pull later. Goes for weak and strong. Give recovering riders a minute or two to feel they can pull.

And don't give up if all you can do is sit on for the first 5 minutes of the chase. It really helps inspire confidence in those working to say, "I'll pull in a minute". And whatever you do, don't jump them later. It might be your last chance to sit-on and recover!

[Josh.E]

This morning was probably a bad example. The break group ended up being six strong, with shawn, bob cameron, gavin, peter, dylan and myself. We had a good hard rolling paceline going from pretty much caddy bay on, aside from when shawn would decide he wasn't quite redlined enough and hang on the front by himself with noone wanting to (able to) pass. It would have been a tall order to catch that break whether or not you had been able to get organized.

Smaller. less organized breaks are much easier to reel in.