I don’t know who was the first person to think that riding a bike really close to the back of something was a good idea, nor do I know who was the first to actually perform the drafting maneuver…
But, this drafting thing has been around for quite a while…
Yes, drafting pre dates NASCAR…
The whole motor-paced racing thing started back in the 19th century…
One of the bigger races ‘back in the day’ was Bordeaux – Paris, a nearly 600 kilometer race that first ran on 23 May 1891, and last in 1988…
Perhaps it was this motor-paced racing that led Mile-a-minute Murphy to make his attempt at 60mph drafting a train…
Notably, in 1899 when Murphy went 60 mph on his bike, cars didn’t go that fast…
Naturally, technological progress marching on and all, the current record is 167.044 mph, held by one Fred Rompleberg who drafted a dragster on the Bonneville salt flats…
Motor-paced racing still exists today, though it seems mainly confined to track disciplines…
Derny Racing at the Gent Six Days…
Kerin racing…
From a training perspective, there have been many pros whom have used motorpacing in their training, and many that still do…
After Breaking Away came out, the non-cycling public, if they didn’t already, probably thought cyclists were nutters…
What with chasing trucks and all…
Funny that… Trucks really aren’t that easy to catch…
Not that you’d want to…
Personally, my motorpacing was limited to the sprint variety, as demonstrated so ably by Mr. Farrar…
I’m not sure of the benefits of this type of motorpacing, other than race simulation…
No idea why, but here’s Theo Bos going really fast…
If you’re interested in the whys and wherefores of this lunacy, you can read Cycling Tips, and John Verheul’s take, as well as the Inner Ring…
Ask the Pro: The benefits and techniques of motor pacing…
John Howard, you know, Mr. 152 mph, has some tips as well…
Lest this come across as all fun and games…
Best not to draft someone who doesn’t know you’re drafting them…
*Yes, I know that Phinney wasn’t trying to draft that team car, but I thought it was a good visual for the hazards of motorpacing…
