Find the sweet spot

How to get a free Ride in a criterium Races - Discover the secret sweet spot in the bunch and get a free ride. One of a series of Criterium tips from Cycling-Inform's cycling training and coaching information website.

Riding at the back of a criterium race is hard Work. The reason for this is to do with the concertina effect that happens to the bunch when going around corners. Here are some cycling Criterium tips to help you ride better.

As the bunch enters into the corner it slows which compresses the bunch together. Then as the front riders leave the corner they accelerate away causing the bunch to expand again. The effect on the rear of the bunch is profound with a prominent yo-yo’ing effect. As the back of the bunch slows into the corner the lead riders are already through and accelerating away in a thin long line. By the time that the rear riders get through the lead riders have already reached their top speed up the road. The bunch behind accelerates after them as they leave the corner and they start to regroup from a thin line of riders back into the bunch. This results in speeds at the back of the bunch to be in excess of the lead riders speed. And… If you are on the back suffering you are in for a roller coaster ride of deep surges of speed that require more power than if you were riding near the front.

So what you’ll be looking for is to find the sweet spot. This is the spot that is just behind the riders that are pushing the pace and attacking off the front. This group will be a group of riders that are holding position in the sweet spot. You want to be part of this group.  At the start of the race join into the bunch in what you think is the sweet spot and adjust your position until you get it. Try to hold your position in the sweet spot for as long as possible. When you loose places use the periods where the bunch is slow (like after an attack) to move back into the sweet spot. When finding your new position move up the right hand side of the bunch (usually never on the left unless it’s really safe and especially never on the inside of a corner) and look for a small break in the group ahead and move up into it. Remember to get your handle bars in front of the person who has left the break and use body language to communicate that you want to move in. In most cases if you are assertive enough the person will yield their position and you can slip in. It does take practice. The most important thing is to ride safe. Don’t force your way in or ride in a dangerous way. Ensure that you are not overlapping wheels. If you totally loose your position and end up riding at the back try to wait to a lull in the group and then move back into position. Don’t continue to sit on the back and have a break when things get slow. This is your signal to move back up to the sweet spot.

You can also practice marking a rider that is holding a position in the sweet spot and see if you can stay on their wheel.

IMPORTANT – While riding in the sweet spot you’ll need to hold the wheel in front of you; whether it is going around corners or when the bunch is accelerating. If you start to drop wheels you will find the riders behind you will pick up on it very quickly and fill the gap you create by coming around you and getting you to yield your position! This is natural as most people riding in the sweet spot do not want to get caught behind a rider that will drop them off the main bunch when a big acceleration comes. 

REMEMBER - always ride safe and have fun. Everyone likes to go back to work on the Monday. So it's not worth taking risks in club races only to come off or worst, bring someone else down as well and ruin both your days.