The fascinations of the cycling peloton

* The author is part of the community of readers of La Vanguardia.

Oliver Thansan
Oliver Thansan
26 March 2023 Sunday 06:43
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The fascinations of the cycling peloton

* The author is part of the community of readers of La Vanguardia

The passage of the Volta a Catalunya by Gavà, which I portray in Las Fotos de los Lectores de La Vanguardia, has been spectacular. Elite cyclists circulate as fast as a Formula 1 car. It has generated great expectations, which no one wanted to miss.

The "peloton" refers to the main and largest group of cyclists in any road cycling competition. When traveling very close to each other, as we see in the photograph, the resistance to the wind decreases, achieving energy savings.

Each cyclist must be aware of the runners around them and react to their movements to avoid falls, which occasionally occur, especially when the finish line is approaching.

The one who makes the most effort is the cyclist who is in the lead. While the runners in the front are exposed to wind resistance, those who pedal in the center are "protected" by the cyclists who precede them, for this reason, the former do not stay there for long and usually take over in that position.