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Bike change question (like stage 19 Giro today)
Last Post 05/31/2014 10:06 AM by Michael Carbajal. 5 Replies.
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mtnbkr

Posts:16

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05/30/2014 10:55 AM
Watching today's Giro stage 19 and they showed a couple of bike changes from time trial to road. The ones I saw showed the rider stopping and the team car driving up, the mechanic getting out, removing the trade bike, changing bikes and pushing off -- about 3-4 people involved with the new and old bike.

Is there a rule about team cars not passing their rider? (I tried to find such a rule but couldn't find one).

If there isn't wouldn't it make sense for the team car to pass their rider by 15 seconds or so and everyone get things ready while the rider approaches -- so the bike is off the rack and ready to jump on, etc.?

If there is such a rule that makes it understandable that the rider stops and waits.
zootracer

Posts:835

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05/30/2014 05:08 PM
They don't like using time trial bikes for climbing as they don't handle well. The team cars are always behind the riders during time trials. As for the rest of the stages, depends on the riders position in the peloton and the course itself..
Orange Crush

Posts:4499

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05/30/2014 05:34 PM
I would think there would have to be such a rule; otherwise there's the possibility of drafting.

The commentators posed the question, if you make a voluntary bike change, should you be allowed a push from your mechanic? Majka's lasted for a really long time as he was fumbling to clip in.
mtnbkr

Posts:16

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05/30/2014 05:37 PM
Right, so today was the uphill time trial, one rider at a time with a couple of minutes between them. The bike change was after only a few k so no worry about competing riders.

Is there a rule that says that the team car must stay behind their rider on a time trial like today's race?

If not, when they're just about at the bike switch location, why not have the team car pass their rider a couple hundred meters, stop, get the switch bike (in this case the road bike), and then when the rider gets there make a 5 second switch instead of having the rider wait on the team car at a loss of 15 to 20 seconds?
mtnbkr

Posts:16

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05/30/2014 05:38 PM
Ok, I couldn't find the rule in my google search. I suppose that makes sense related to drafting, thanks.
jookey

Posts:200

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05/31/2014 10:06 AM
Switching bikes is dumb. It should not be allowed. What type of bike you start with is the type you must ride the entire TT.
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