Training etiquette when pros pass

Just wanted to say great posting all.......enjoyed the feedback immensely. I think I would fall of my bike rubbernecking... lol

Hookyrider said:

I was just in Mallorca, and got the opportunity to ride with T-Mobile and specifically Jan Ullrich. First thing after we caught up was to ask permission from at the team car that was following. I specifically asked to ride with Jan, and was told no, but I persisted and was given a short reprieve. After my time with Jan I went to the back (they were riding in two groups that morning), where the rest of the team stated we could stay on as long as we wanted as long as we didn’t interfere with their ride. Basically you can draft, but don’t overlap wheels, and do not enter the rotation. My two friends and I stayed with the team for an hour and a half exchanging in quite an interesting discussion. It was a great experience.

I think if you are respectful and courteous teams will be okay with “stragglers” – I’m going to guess they are used to fans and fanatics wanting to get their brush with fame.

HR

Just read what has been a very interesting thread.

HR, your post is superb - what a great opportunity to get to ride with JU.
That's one for the grandkids.

Etiquette is important - these guys livelihoods depend on their being able to train/race.

I'm sure that in principle they have no problem with being in contact with the public, just so long as it doesn't interfere with what they're trying to do on the road.

Back in Aus, Baden Cooke and mat wilson have been known to frequent the saturday morning hell ride (100 riders plus average 45-50k/ph). As for danger, this ride is certainly the worst in Melbourne (if not Australia) due to crazy cyclists, crazy motorists and the regular police convoy who speed down the road, press the pedestrian crossing buttons and wait to fine cyclists who run the red. Point being that if these pro's come out and ride in such a crazy bunch it seem ridiculous that you couldn't simply tag on the back of them.

I would just shut up, hunker down and HANG on! Dont get into the rotation, Just sit back and watch. If there is a team car that might be a different thing. It also depends on the pro. Just like everyone else, some are really nice, some are not.

Hypnospin said:

i have tagged along with some notables, the approach i use is to ask,
"mind if i try to hang for a while?"
the usual outcome is i am on the rivet as they cruise on at pace for them as conversational.
the best thing to come out of this for me was when i followed
(name dropping alert)
horner and klasna over a slight rise and they looked back to see i was still on,
barely.

limerickman said:

Just read what has been a very interesting thread.

HR, your post is superb - what a great opportunity to get to ride with JU.
That's one for the grandkids.

Etiquette is important - these guys livelihoods depend on their being able to train/race.

I'm sure that in principle they have no problem with being in contact with the public, just so long as it doesn't interfere with what they're trying to do on the road.

here is the picture I did mange to take and have turn out. Riding 22mph up hill into the wind no hands... The dude with the silver hair is my good friend and training partner Ralph.

it was very cool! The guy hanging off the back of the front group is jan.

HR

Hookyrider said:

here is the picture I did mange to take and have turn out. Riding 22mph up hill into the wind no hands... The dude with the silver hair is my good friend and training partner Ralph.

it was very cool! The guy hanging off the back of the front group is jan.

HR

Nice photo, HR and doubly lucky that you had the digital or mobile phone to get that shot too.

That looks like Guerini just ahead of JU.

Great photo.
22mph uphill ! Very impressive too.

limerickman said:

Nice photo, HR and doubly lucky that you had the digital or mobile phone to get that shot too.

That looks like Guerini just ahead of JU.

Great photo.
22mph uphill ! Very impressive too.

it was more of one of those long sloping grades, it was enough several other riders had to hang it up. The camera was one of those "snappy-crappy" disposable jobs. I think it's time to break down and get on of those slim-line digitals. When I go on a cycling "vacation/training camp" I always have a camera in the jersey pocket - just never know what you will see. Micheal Rogers was in group 2 at the back where we spent most of the time. I probabaly coul dhave stayed up front with Jan longer, but felt there was no need to push my luck. It was the whole men's pro team on the first team training ride of the season - cyclingnews.com had a nice story about what went on at their hotel that morning. Meeting up with the team was pure luck!

HR

Hookyrider said:

Meeting up with the team was pure luck!

HR

You lucky bugger. We are all jealous!

Hookyrider said:

I probabaly coul dhave stayed up front with Jan longer,

HR

Staying up there with JU!
I love it.

It's nice to get alongside the pros.

I've been fortunate enough to have ridden with Stephen Roche back in the early 1980's (he was a member of our climb and used train at home during the winter with us).

Been on the bike beside Sean Kelly too on a number of events. It's hard to concentrate when they're about.

So the guy on the outside at the back is JU in your photo? Amazing.

limerickman said:

Staying up there with JU!
I love it. So the guy on the outside at the back is JU in your photo? Amazing.

They were just out cruising so the effort wasn't killing us, plus being in the draft was helpful. Really my friend Peter, not in the photo, gets the credit for even catching the team. Without Peter to draft, catching up would have been impossible.

Jan is in the front group - distant, small, and hard to make out in this photo. I waited till I had drifted back and out of the way before I tried this stunt - the only guy I would have hurt was me.

HR

Dang, doesn't get much more fun than that. Thanks for the photo HR. Perhaps the best bit of persuasion I've seen to entice me to become telephonicly digital. Great stuff !

Hookyrider said:

They were just out cruising so the effort wasn't killing us, plus being in the draft was helpful. Really my friend Peter, not in the photo, gets the credit for even catching the team. Without Peter to draft, catching up would have been impossible.

Jan is in the front group - distant, small, and hard to make out in this photo. I waited till I had drifted back and out of the way before I tried this stunt - the only guy I would have hurt was me.

HR

You lucky, lucky [censored]. Where I live I'm flat-out finding another cyclist to train with let alone a group of pros.

DOUGEG said:

Dang, doesn't get much more fun than that. Thanks for the photo HR. Perhaps the best bit of persuasion I've seen to entice me to become telephonicly digital. Great stuff !

being an analogue guy these days is getting tough, I think Iºm about the only person I know sans cell phone...

I have the Power Tap file of the ride as well, without the photo to accompany it it's not as cool either. 🙂

HR

If you ask me all this talk about what to do is crazy. You are on a road, they are on a road. If you can keep up with them then go ahead. If they have a car blocking where you can ride (on an open road) then I say that is pretty dangerous and not to mention arrogant.

No I wouldn't let the janitor sit in on a board meeting. Totally different. I hire the janitor to come and do a job after hours. He isn't supposed to be there when I am there. If I decide to hold my board meeting in front of the office then anyone who wants to sit in is welcome. It is what you get when you do something where other people can go as well.

mitosis said:

You lucky, lucky [censored]. Where I live I'm flat-out finding another cyclist to train with let alone a group of pros.

I am paying my dues now, stuck on one of the Cape Verdian islands - that looks a lot like the freaking moon. Sans bike...

HR

I say ride with em, your a cyclist and so are they...they are not better than any of us because they get paid to ride etc...

if they get mad ask them if they have fun biking like they should be. Isn't that what biking is supposed to be, fun?