Graphic to show impact of descending with supertuck versus low watts in races (not the same in freerides).
It’s a bit silly when a whole pack are descending with supertucks. Especially when pack descending speeds are already a problem. Give an onus to a breakway rider over the top of a climb.
Simple proposal, add another rule to supertuck - must have 0 draft.
Descent >0-3% AND speed > 56km/h AND drafting = 0.
That was actually a rule and I had to enforce it, among others. The main one I had to enforce was the bad hand/arm positions on the bars in criterium races. They see the pros doing it and think it’s awesome for the local tiny criterium track of about 1.5km length. With everyone so close together one mistake and the whole bunch goes down. But it wasn’t allowed under our regulations anyway.
Look at this one me (96kg) against 4 riders (68kg to 74kg), and before someone say it is the weight look at the power difference and the little attack (+500w) over the bump down. I averaged 280w down that hill.
Image showing power downhill, From top to bottom (Me, Nissen, Born again Christian)
Well as a combination of weight and the fact that you are doing quite big power, that’s logical. The whole point of the supertuck is that it allows you descend fast whilst recovering.
BTW this is where I think TD is a bit rubbish (I’m one of those 100% guys, don’t @ me) you’re not doing 280w IRL that’s for sure.
Also volcano descent rewards pedalling, it’s never quite steep enough for long enough.