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Unique among athletes, the domestique's own performance (finish time) is considered unimportant as long as he/she can help his/her leader achieve a better position in the race. They do not share the fame of the cycling leaders such as Eddy Merckx , Bernard Hinault or Lance Armstrong , but are vital to their efforts and can attract praise and attention from media and fans alike. Occasionally domestiques achieve fame of their own, such as Lucien Aimar who supported the renowned Jacques Anquetil , but ended up winning the 1966 Tour De France . BASIC SUPPORT Some general important tasks carried out by the domestiques include retrieving water and nutrition from team cars and bringing it back up to the rest of the team and shielding teammates from aggressive opponents. They are also vital in helping teammates cope with mechanical disasters – should the leader suffer a puncture, the domestique will shield him as they pull over, wait with him until they have replaced the wheel, then cycle in front of him to create a Slipstream allowing them to quickly reclaim their position. A domestique may also be called upon to sacrifice his or her bicycle if the leader crashes, although this is very rare nowadays. TACTICAL SUPPORT Domestiques are also important for racing in a way that is in the tactical interest of their own team, or against the tactical interest of the opposing teams. By putting themselves in a breakaway they force other teams to chase the given breakaway. In turn, they may have to get to the front of the Peloton to chase a breakaway that threatens their team's goals. Domestiques will help Sprinters by giving them a 'lead-out' - racing at a high tempo with the sprinter ' Drafting ' behind and conserving energy until the last few hundred metres. The formation is called the ''lead-out train''. The sprinter will then launch him- or herself at high speed into a rapid dash to be first across the finish line. Similarly, the better Climber s help their team leaders by setting up a pace up the climbs, or thwarting attacks from other riders by following their wheel. HIERARCHY AMONG DOMESTIQUES There is a kind of hierarchy among domestiques; the more accomplished riders among them, often called "lieutenants," are called upon during especially critical times in a race. Generally, the lieutenant(s) will stay with the team leader as long as possible during especially demanding periods in a race. For example, Armstrong typically used two or three teammates to set a vicious pace during key mountain stages of the Tour De France before a late and often decisive attack. |
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