Road captain?

[grizzlee]

So as the title says, what exactly is a road captain?
what duties does he have, is he a protected rider, is he the back up plan if the leader pulls out or is it just an old name in cycling that doesn't really have any meaning or use any more?

 

[LaFlorecita]

http://rouleur.cc/journal/racing/role-road-captain-professional-cycling

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Basically, road captain is term coined to make riders think that they're more valuable than they really are

 

[DFA123]

So as the title says, what exactly is a road captain?
what duties does he have, is he a protected rider, is he the back up plan if the leader pulls out or is it just an old name in cycling that doesn't really have any meaning or use any more?

My understanding is that he is the rider that understands the tactics and nuances of racing the best. So he makes the decisions out on the road in events where there are no race radios (i.e. not on the World Tour). Basically replacing the role of the DS for those situations.

For example, he could decide to send team-mates to the front to reel in a break, or on a climb he would let the team know what watts to put out. In most cases the leader will also have a big say, but some leaders are useless tactically, so need someone to make decisions for them.

I think the role is made out to be a bit more important than it really is nowadays though. The teams train together and race so much that everyone pretty much knows how to react to a situation - even more so now that they all have power meters and know, more or less, the capabilities of other riders.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

My understanding is that he is the rider that understands the tactics and nuances of racing the best. So he makes the decisions out on the road in events where there are no race radios (i.e. not on the World Tour). Basically replacing the role of the DS for those situations.

For example, he could decide to send team-mates to the front to reel in a break, or on a climb he would let the team know what watts to put out. In most cases the leader will also have a big say, but some leaders are useless tactically, so need someone to make decisions for them.

I think the role is made out to be a bit more important than it really is nowadays though. The teams train together and race so much that everyone pretty much knows how to react to a situation - even more so now that they all have power meters and know, more or less, the capabilities of other riders.

It still matters in races with no radios. Arguably even more than it used to, as riders who are used to radios often don't have the inbuilt understanding of what the hell is going on at any given time that used to be a requirement for any pro.

 

[Netserk]

The role is important in classics, which in general are a bit more chaotic than stage races. Paolini is excellent for this, both with Bettini, the Italian world squads and for Kristoff.

 

[DFA123]

It still matters in races with no radios. Arguably even more than it used to, as riders who are used to radios often don't have the inbuilt understanding of what the hell is going on at any given time that used to be a requirement for any pro.

Yeah, that's true to an extent. But also nowadays it's a lot easier to understand what's going on. If a guy is hammering off the front, any rider can look down at their power meter and know that he can't sustain it. They can set a pace using the exact number of watts to reel him in.

In the past, they would have needed a good road captain to reassure them that they weren't just having a bad day, and to prevent them from blowing up on the chase.

I guess the biggest role is in crosswinds where positioning and organisation are so important; but riders are very well briefed before each stage, with detailed weather reports, so will more or less know what to do. The preparation of all riders is so much more professional now than even 15-20 years ago.

 

[Jspear]

Yeah, that's true to an extent. But also nowadays it's a lot easier to understand what's going on. If a guy is hammering off the front, any rider can look down at their power meter and know that he can't sustain it. They can set a pace using the exact number of watts to reel him in.

In the past, they would have needed a good road captain to reassure them that they weren't just having a bad day, and to prevent them from blowing up on the chase.

I guess the biggest role is in crosswinds where positioning and organisation are so important; but riders are very well briefed before each stage, with detailed weather reports, so will more or less know what to do. The preparation of all riders is so much more professional now than even 15-20 years ago.

I do believe it was Michael Rogers (their road captain) in the 2013 Tour who organized the echelons on stage 13...

 

[sam171]

Basically, road captain is term coined to make riders think that they're more valuable than they really are

 

[Pricey_sky]

I do believe it was Michael Rogers (their road captain) in the 2013 Tour who organized the echelons on stage 13...

It was also Rogers who organised the HTC crosswind stage in 2009 where they got all 9 riders in the leading group of 25 or so, Cav obviously won and I think Lance made the split but Contador never.

 

[movingtarget]

I guess the road captain is the boss on the road. He reads the race, makes sure the leader is looked after and is on the lookout for hazards, dangers and tactical changes in the racing that might effect his leader while marshaling the team and giving instructions. The right hand man for the team leader.