Ask a pro: Ben Perry on how to stay at the front of the pack

In a big pack, riding near the front at the right time is crucial. It’s not always easy either, or simply about the final kilometres to the finish. If there are obstacles, hills, corners, or key sections of the race, you need to make sure you’re with the front ranks of riders or it could hinder your chances of making the front group or being there in the finale.

And it’s not just a question of sitting in the second row either. The peloton is a living organism, with riders constantly circulating. Which means if you aren’t paying attention, you’ll get swarmed and end up at the back.

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Ben Perry, from Human Powered Health, has plenty of experience in staying at the front. He says that part of knowing when to be at the front depends on what’s coming up. That’s why it’s key, he says, to be aware of various aspects of the route.

“It is important to know when to ride near the front,” the 29-year-old pro says. “Make a strategic decision on when you need to stress, and when you don’t need to stress. It’s based on what’s coming up on the course, such as a hill, narrow roads, or a windy section.”

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He also says that riding in Europe means you have to learn how to be good at moving up, or you’ll have problems doing well.

“In North America, it’s a very different question than in Europe,” he says. “You see guys who are successful in North America as they are physically strong. They see a climb and use their power to end up at the front. But some of those guys can’t really do much in Europe as they don’t have the skillset to move up.”

Part of those skills means to be constantly in motion and never being complacent.

“I always tell people, If you’re not moving up, you’re moving back,” Perry says. “If it’s a fight, you’ve gotta keep fighting. You can’t just sit somewhere and think, ‘I’m safe here.'”

That means being aware of what corners are coming up too.

“Move up on the inside before a corner,” the Tour of Korea stage-winner says. “Or move up immediately when the road widens because the road will very quickly fill up, you can’t just sit where you are as you’ll get pushed back.”

It’s important as well to gauge your efforts. You only have so much fuel in the tank, so use it wisely.

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“Moving up on the inside of the group can be really hard. Depending on how good you are at moving and what level you’re at,” he says. “The safest way is always up the outside, but obviously, it demands much more energy. In a perfect world, you can always move up bit by bit in the middle of the group.”

The closer attention you pay to the movements and circulation of the peloton, the better chance you’ll know when to move up. Perry says that by being aware of the flow of the group, you’ll know what to do when the opportunity arises.