A |
Attack
A sudden attempt to get away from another rider. |
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| B |
Big Ringing It
The chain on the big chain ring, going for maximum speed. |
Blocking
When a rider tries to get in the way of other riders, usually done as part of a team strategy to slow down the main field when other team members are ahead in a breakaway. |
Bonk
Known as "hitting ht wall" in marathon running, this is when a rider completely runs out of energy caused by lack of sufficient food during a long race or ride.. |
Bonus Sprints
On each stage, race organizers designate several intermediate points along the route where bonus points are given to the first three riders that cross the line. These sprints are a “race within a race” during each stage. |
Breakaway
When a rider or group of riders is attempting to leave the rest behind. |
Bridge the Gap
When a rider or group of riders is attempting to reach a group farther ahead. |
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| C |
Cadence
Cadence is the cyclist's pedaling pace, or how many revolutions one leg makes in a minute. |
Caravan/Race Caravan
The official and support vehicles in a race. |
Chasers
Riders who are attempting to "bridge the gap" to catch the lead group. |
Circuit Race
A one day race that laps around a circuitous route. |
Classic Race
A one-day race in which the route travels between two separate points. |
Criterium
A multi-lap event on a closed short course usually a mile or less in length and of medium total distance, usually 25-75 miles. |
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| D |
Derailleur
The mechanism that moves the chain from one gear to another. |
Director Sportif
Pronounced "Director sporteef" this is the manager of the team. |
DNF
Did Not Finish. |
Domestique
A rider who sacrifices any individual honors to the team leader who is in contention to win. Duties can include giving up one’s bike for another rider, supplying refreshments to teammates, and catching breakaway riders. French for “servant.” |
Drafting
Riding closely behind another rider, which creates a slipstream, or air pocket. The lead rider expends up to 30 percent more energy than the following rider does. |
Drop
Leave a rider or riders behind by attacking. Losing contact with the group in which they are riding will drop fatigued riders. |
Draw
A method of determining the start order for an Alpine race. Because a course becomes more difficult as racing goes on, the top 15 ranked skiers are always the first group to go. Their start positions are determined randomly. In events that require two runs, the start order is reversed in the second run. |
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| E |
Echelon
A staggered, long line of riders, each downwind of the rider ahead, allowing them to move considerably faster than a solo rider or small group of riders. In windy sections where there are crosswinds, a large peloton will form into echelons. |
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F |
Feed Zone
A designated area along the race route where riders can grab “musette bags” filled with food and drinks as they ride by. There is an unwritten rule in the peloton that riders should not attack the field while the riders are going through the feed zone. |
Field
The main group of riders, also known as the "pack," "peloton," or "bunch". |
Field Sprint
The final sprint between the main group of riders, not necessarily for first place. |
Force The Pace
When one rider goes harder than the pack to increase the tempo. |
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| G |
Gap
The distance or time between individual or groups. |
General Classification (G.C.)
The overall leader board in the race, representing each rider’s total cumulative time in the race. The rider with the shortest time is number one on the G.C. |
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour is the third week of a major cycling stage races: Tour de France, Giro d'Italia (Tour of Italy), and Vuelta a Espana (Tour of Spain). |
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| H |
Hammering
Very steady, hard pedaling. Also called "jamming". |
Hanging On
Barely keeping contact at the back of the pack. |
Hook
When one rider, uses his/her rear wheel to hit the front wheel of the rider behind him/her. |
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| I-J |
Jump
A quick acceleration, usually at the start of the sprint. |
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Kick
The final burst of speed in a sprint. |
KOM
King Of the Mountain. The award for the Best Climber. |
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| L |
Lead Out
An international and often sacrificial move where one rider begins a sprint to give a head start to another rider (usually a teammate) on his rear wheel, who then comes around at an even faster speed to take the lead. |
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| M-N |
Mechanical
Slang for a mechanical problem with the bicycle.
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Mountain Climb Classifications
Large mountain climbs are normally classified according to their difficulty. Category 4 is the easiest, followed by Categories 3, 2, 1, and the Hors-Categorie (which is the hardest). Mountain climbs are classified according to their length and the average gradient of the roadŒs incline. |
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| O |
Off The Back
When a rider or riders lags behind the main goup of riders. |
Off The Front
When a rider is part of a breakaway. |
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P Q |
Paceline
A string of riders that moves at high speed with each individual taking turns setting the pace and riding in the draft of the others. See also Train. |
Pack / Peloton
The main field, or group, of riders in the race. Peloton is French for a group moving forward. |
Prime
Pronounced "preem." A race-within-a-race where riders sprint for prizes on a designated lap or at a certain point in a race, i..e., the "sponsor" Teamwork Challenge. |
Prologue
A beginning of a stage race, with a short time trial. |
Pull
To take a turn at the front and break the wind for the other riders in the pack. |
Pull Off
To move to one side so that another rider can take a turn at the front. |
Pull Through
Move to the front of a pace line, from second spot, after the lead riders swings off to the front. |
Puncture
A hole in a tube causing a flagt tire. |
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| R |
Rim
The Rim is the side of the wheel, where the tire lip rests. (The part that the brakes grab on to.) |
Road Rash
Skin abrasions caused by a fall or crash onto the road. |
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| S |
Saddle
The seat of the bicycle. |
Sitting In
When one rider refuses to take a pull and break the wind for the group in which he/she is riding. A derogatory term is "Wheel Sucker". |
Sitting Up
Up right posture when the rider is no longer tucked, or riding in the most aerodynamic fashion.. |
Slipstream
The pocket of air created by a moving rider, just as in automobile or motorcycle racing. See "drafting". |
Soigneur
A slipping motion straight down the fall line with skis pointed across the hill. |
Sprint
A sudden burst of speed for the finish of a race involving more than one rider. Also a 1000-meter event on a bicycle track called a "velodrome". |
Stage Race
A bike race held over successive days, on a different course each day. Stage races can last anywhere from three to 25 days. The rider with the lowest total time (or accumulated points) after completion of all the stages wins the overall race. |
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| T |
Take a Flyer
When one rider goes off the front of the pack, usually alone. |
Team Leader
The rider for whom the team rides in order to help that rider win a stage or race. |
Time Cut
On each stage of a Grand tour all riders must finish within a certain percentage of the winnerŒs time to remain in the race. Those racers unable to make the cut are disqualified from the race. |
Time Trail
A race against the clock over a set distance in which riders start individually. The fastest racer is the winner. Riders can pass each other on the course but they are not allowed to draft off of each other. Also known as the –race of truth.” |
Train
A fast moving paceline of riders is refereed to as a "Train". |
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| U |
UCI
Union Cycliste Internationale, the international governing body of cycling. |
USA Cycling
America's governing body of cycling. USA Cycling supervises the activities of all cycling disciplines (road, mountain, track, cyclo-cross), and establishes criteria for the US Olympic Cycling Team. |
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V |
Velo
Velo is the french word for bicycle. |
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| W X Y |
Wheel
The wheel is the metal frame consisting of the rim, hub, and spokes, that the tire sits on. |
Wheel Sucker
A derogatory term, referring to a rider who always sits in and never expends any energy by taking a pull at the front. |
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