After reading yesterday’s blog post about the Tuesday Night World Championships, some may question why I was attempting to bridge up to the breaks. Didn’t the entire race end with a field sprint? Wouldn’t it have been better tactically to sit in and have more power for the end? That is a valid observation, but isn’t what I was trying to learn. Been there. Done that. What I don’t have much experience with is making it into the break.

Yes, I have been in breaks before. The first race I ever won was a solo break. I still remember the evening out at the BMW Performance Test Track when I got in my first ever winning break. However, most times I have been in a break it has been times when I “made the break.”

Making the break is when during the course of attacks and counter-attacks you manage to land yourself in a group that gets a gap on the field. You are really working in concert with other riders to get away. When this happens to me now days it is a matter of luck. For more experienced racers it is a science and they know how to force the break to their advantage. Knowing who is who and when is when is the key.

What I mean by “getting in the break” is to bridge from the field into an already established break. This takes timing, guts, and a little luck. I’ve never done it in a race.

It is made up of three challenges. 1) getting away from the field. 2) crossing the gap between the field and the break. 3) integrating into the break when you catch them.

Getting away:

I’m learning the mechanics of attacking the field. You must be positioned in such a place that you can react to the riders in front of you while at the same time causing confusion to those behind. If you are too close to the front then you are giving away your intentions immediately. If you are further back then there could be a split second of indecision by the following riders as to what you are attempting. Are you attacking or are you just improving your position in the field?

In my second attempt Tuesday, I waited for a number of riders to come around me. I watched them until I could tell they were settled in to a pace on the front. I first made a move as though I would slowly move to the point, but then punched it. I formed an immediate gap and the field let me go.

Now, what I still need to learn is to know which breaks to go after. What would be a winning break? The first break I chased had power in it, but I knew it was a little early in the evening. The second break didn’t seem to have the power, but it was later in the race. Again, knowing who is who and when is when is so important — and only comes with experience.

Getting across:

Oh, the pain! This is what I was trying to experience during this TNWC. Exactly what kind of effort does it take to bridge the gap? Knowing the course is an important part of this. For me it is best to do this where there is some elevation involved. That plays to my strength (what there is).

Other than knowing the course, it is a matter of slipping into that zone of being just on the edge. You’ve got to go fast enough to leave the field behind while gaining on the group in front of you, but at the same time you must not totally explode. Where is that edge for me in a race scenario? Knowing my limitations and abilities, what is the proper distance to try to bridge?

On my first attempt I made it to the break. Granted, it appeared to me that they had slowed somewhat making it possible. I knew I had given a lot of effort because I had to will myself to close the last 30 meters or so. On the second attempt, I just didn’t make it. The distance was a little farther and I may have gone out too hard in the beginning.

Getting in:

So, what do you do when you get there? My intention was to get to the break and latch myself onto the last wheel. The next step was to recover from the effort to get there. This would mean that I would not pull through the pace line until my heart rate went down a bit. Once I was recovered enough, I would then begin to work to help the break stay away.

Granted, in this instance I was bridging up to a break of four riders from the same team. Proper tactics would dictate that I shouldn’t be helping them. Being outnumbered I should let them do the bulk of the work.

Problem is, I never got the chance. Almost immediately after getting on the last wheel the four Hincapie riders spread across the road. Part of this was due to the fact that my “Getting across” was more of a pull of the field. Very soon after I got across we were joined by two other riders. Then the field swallowed us up.

Who knows what might have happened had the break swelled to seven riders and we made a more concerted effort to stay away. Perhaps we could have lasted for another lap or so. More importantly, I would have had an opportunity to practice working in the break.

Now, if you are reading this as a new racer, understand that I am not an expert! What you have just read is MY take on all of this. That does not mean it is the proper one!

If you are an experienced racer, I’m VERY interested in what you think about this aspect of racing. Where am I going wrong? Can you fill in the gaps where us less experienced riders are lacking?

One thing is for sure, you can count on me watching how you work at getting into the break — and maybe someday I’ll join you.