DRAFTING!
Much has been said on the topic of drafting in triathlons over many years and there are a range of views on the pros and cons surrounding this aspect of our sport.
The recent Worlds event ignited the debate again! There have been numerous stories of large bunches of riders forming during the bike and many of us witnessed the effect this had on the race overall, both from a time perspective (it was a quick course anyway) and with regard to safety.
I’ll deal with these issues separately, starting with the issue of “unfair advantage”.
As mentioned above, it seems that many of the people that The Tri Bar has spoken to (both athletes and spectators) witnessed large bunches of riders forming during the bike. According to them this seemed to go largely unpunished by the officials, although The Tri Bar has heard that one Team GB athlete was ping’d twice!
What was also apparent was many athletes’ apparent disregard for the rules and a “well if they’re doing it then so will I” attitude which seemed to permeate large parts of the field in many waves across all of the age groups. This led to bunches growing bigger and bigger by the kilometre as more and more riders were swept up in the swarm and they tagged on the back for a free ride. The fact that 50% of the riders in these bunches could also be ping’d for blocking is another story…
What did this lead to? Well, in terms of competition, it was unfair. But perhaps more importantly was the issue of safety.
The Tri Bar noted at least 4 major crashes on the bike course that had ambulances in attendance. That is a lot! Now, this might not be due to drafting alone but it would have to be a factor. The other issues are the usual suspects including road surface, pot holes etc. but largely the course was free of these obstacles, except through the building site, which although narrow and not ideal, work had been put on hold for the day and largely swept clean prior to the race.
So, was drafting a major factor in these crashes? We can not be sure but whatever the reason some people’s race was ruined and probably a whole lot more in the process.
It would be interesting to compare the injury stats for the Gold Coast race with similar events around the world. How would it stack up? Would the athletes involved attest the fact that drafting caused their downfall?
The other question is whether age group level at the Worlds is actually a level at which drafting can be introduced. Of course, the size of the field and waves affects the answer to this question, but are the people who have managed to qualify for this event sufficiently capable bicycle riders to draft their fellow competitors from a safety perspective? Should the dynamics of races that are played out in the elite field be allowed to happen in the amateur categories, especially if it’s going to happen anyway? Should triathlon be an individual sport for amateurs but not for the elites?
What can be said for sure is that the Aussies were the worst offenders! This could be due to their sheer numbers (they were everywhere!), but when 4 Australian riders go barrelling past at 45km/h+ in a Team Time Trial style formation one has to ask the question: “Where are the officials?”. Or, perhaps you need to be thinking: “I need to get on the back of that!!!”.
Drafting: Should we be allowed to do it? Or is The Tri Bar just a whinging POM?
