There's only 1 day each year where they race in a team time trail. Every rider is part of a team. Teams were in their own group for the whole day for the time trial; today's course was around 67 km (41.85 miles). Each team has 9 riders, and they ride in a straight line to minimize wind resistance. The guys take turns leading for brief stretches, then pull out to the side and slow gradually, allow everybody to pass them, and they then hook on to the end of the line.
Teams leave 5 minutes apart so they almost never catch up to the team ahead of them. When the team crosses the line, as long as there are at least 5 riders from the team left in the group, they all get the same elapsed time. Some riders slow down and can't stay with the group, and they their own actual total time. Some teams will let 1 or 2 guys drop off if they can't handle the pace. It's a trade-off, because everybody that's left has to then spend more time in the lead, and that's what uses up a lot of energy.
Lance's team finished in 1 hour, 10 minutes 39 seconds today, which set a record average speed (for a team trial) of 35.54 mph.
Teams leave 5 minutes apart so they almost never catch up to the team ahead of them. When the team crosses the line, as long as there are at least 5 riders from the team left in the group, they all get the same elapsed time. Some riders slow down and can't stay with the group, and they their own actual total time. Some teams will let 1 or 2 guys drop off if they can't handle the pace. It's a trade-off, because everybody that's left has to then spend more time in the lead, and that's what uses up a lot of energy.
Lance's team finished in 1 hour, 10 minutes 39 seconds today, which set a record average speed (for a team trial) of 35.54 mph.
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