Intervals off the Blue

Get riders on the blue traveling at 30 km/h in a pace line. On the whistle the lead rider dives down to the black doing a maximal effort with maximal jump. The effort continues until the rider approaches the back of the group on the blue. The effort should be shut down just in time to be able to rise comfortably to rejoin the group without either leaving a gap or approaching so fast as to have to pass over. This will take most riders 9-10 seconds. As riders tire, they will tend to ride up the track too soon, leaving a large gap between themselves and the rest of the group. Remind everyone before the drill starts that, however tired you get, riding up to the blue too soon will only prolong your effort because it lengthens the distance away from the group. The more exhausted you are, the longer you should stay on the black before rejoining the group. Conversely, riders who shut it down too late should be instructed to ride higher on the track to pass above the group. As always, taking the longer, steeper line up track is the way to slow down. Riders who make the mistake of passing underneath the group take too fast and too short a path to get behind. They must drop down to the coté and stop to rejoin the group. Be sure the riders in the pace lines do not pick up the pace in anticipation of their efforts. Blow the whistle at random intervals so they cannot anticipate when their effort will come up.

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