One of the best parts about cycling is how open and accessible the pros are. They are out there training on public roads, mixed in with traffic and other cyclists. Because of this, it\u2019s quite common for amateur riders to spot them out in the real world. Think of how crazy it would be to see Connor McDavid playing shinny at your local rink. That\u2019s why it\u2019s so special, but a small group is putting it at risk for the rest of us.<\/p>\n
You may have seen a lot of social media posts recently of fans behaving badly while out riding with pros. Most recently, a fan allegedly caused Jonas Vingegaard to crash<\/a> while training in Spain. Or when Vingegaard had to remind a fan not to ride into oncoming traffic<\/a> for a video.<\/p>\n It\u2019s actions like these that will make interactions with top riders more and more rare, so here are a couple of pieces of etiquette to follow and things to avoid if you spot one out riding. Otherwise, they might build a moat around Girona.<\/p>\n Do: ask for permission<\/p>\n If you find yourself on someone notable\u2019s wheel, come around for a second and ask if they mind you tagging along. If not, fantastic, stay out of their way and enjoy the draft. Maybe engage in some light small talk if they aren\u2019t chatting with teammates or focused on their efforts. But in all cases, be mindful of the situation and know when you\u2019re being annoying (masters riders take note). And of course, ask before taking a photo or video.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t: be more focused on getting clips than riding safely<\/p>\n We\u2019re all guilty of whipping out our phones while riding to grab an Instagram story of a nice sunrise or of our friends doing a heroic pull on the group ride. But try to refrain from this behaviour when you\u2019re around people who make their livelihood riding a bike. It puts both of you at risk. So wait until you can pull over to grab a picture, or at the very least put your phone away on the descent.<\/p>\n Do: read the room<\/p>\n If it seems like they want to be left alone, leave them alone. If they try to drop you, let yourself be dropped. How would you feel with someone breathing down your neck at work all day? If there\u2019s any doubt on whether or not they are up for fan interactions that day, then err on the side of caution and leave them alone. After all, if you\u2019re a mid-pack finisher at your local crit, you\u2019re basically colleagues, so pay them no mind.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t: break the rules of the road or pull any sketchy moves<\/p>\n I promise you Tom Pidcock won\u2019t be impressed by your super-tuck, so don\u2019t try to drop him on a descent with it. The same goes for mixing it up with the pros during uphill efforts. At the very least, you\u2019ll mess with their efforts; at the worst, you could cause a crash. And don\u2019t put yourself in danger by riding on the wrong side of the road trying to establish a gap (you won\u2019t).<\/p>\n Do: use common sense<\/p>\n Really just think about what you\u2019re doing before you do it. These people are professionals and deserve the same respect as anyone in any other job. So just use some common sense and follow the golden rule.<\/p>\n