AI 速览
- The last man in the leadout is rarely the fastest sprinter; he is the one with the cleanest exit and the shortest throw.
- Position at 2 km to go matters more than raw sprint wattage — once you are boxed in, you cannot recover.
- Wind decides which side of the road the train forms on; the windward lane is shelter for the leader's rivals.
- The launch is timed to a wheel, not a distance — the leadout man's exit slipstream gives the sprinter an extra 2–3 km/h for free.
/ 01
What a leadout train actually does
A leadout train is not a celebration; it is a wall. Five riders in a line, each working at threshold for ninety seconds, create an aerodynamic block that lets their sprinter sit at roughly 60% of the wattage the rider at the front is producing. The train exists to do three things: shelter the sprinter, control the speed so nobody can jump early, and deliver him to the 200-metre mark with a clear lane. Everything else is theatre.
/ 02
The ramp — 3 km to 1 km
From 3 km to go, the speed rises from 45 km/h to about 60. Each rider in the train pulls until they hit their limit, then peels off — never backwards, always sideways into the slipstream of the rider behind. The sequence is choreographed: the biggest engine pulls first, the most agile rouleur takes the middle kilometre, and the dedicated leadout man covers the final kilometre. The sprinter sits second wheel the entire time.
Leadout train positions — role by distance to the line
| Position (front to back) | Primary role | Typical pull window |
|---|---|---|
| 1st — pilot | Sets the base pace; pushes to 55 km/h | 3 km to ~1.8 km |
| 2nd — engine | Holds the pace when crosswinds hit | 1.8 km to 1.2 km |
| 3rd — recovery | Cover for late jumpers; rest the sprinter | 1.2 km to 800 m |
| 4th — leadout man | Final acceleration to 65 km/h | 800 m to 250 m |
| 5th — sprinter | Never pulls; waits for the 200 m mark | 0 m — final throw |
/ 03
Wind, laning, and the box
The single most important read in a sprint is wind direction. If the wind comes from the right, the train forms on the left side of the road — the windward lane is for the sprinter's rivals, who must choose between sitting in dirty air or riding into the wind themselves. The sprinter's job is to never be boxed: a rider pinned against the barriers cannot jump, and even a 200-watt deficit becomes permanent if he has to brake.
Positioning at 2 km to go is worth more than 200 watts of sprint power. Once a rider is boxed, the only way out is backwards — and backwards in a bunch sprint is the end of the result.
/ 04
The launch
The launch is the moment the leadout man swings off and the sprinter opens his sprint. The mechanics are unforgiving: out of the saddle, 1,300–1,500 watts for ten seconds to get on top of the gear, then a seated grind at around 900 watts for the remaining 150 metres. The launch is timed to a wheel — usually the leadout man's exit — because the slipstream he leaves gives the sprinter an extra 2–3 km/h for free.
/ 05
When the train breaks
Trains fail for two reasons: either the pilot goes too hard and the train shatters before 1 km to go, or the leadout man peels too early and leaves the sprinter at the front with 300 metres still to race. The first error is more common — young teams treat the last kilometre like a time trial. The good trains treat it like a slingshot: a controlled build, a single peak, and a clean exit.
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