What Is A Domestique? How Do Teams Use Their Riders?

[@dansawyer1199]

I love that the section about domestiques keeping the leader's morale up and having a close relationship with him shows lots of pictures of Froome and Wiggins at the 2012 Tour!

[@geuros]

It worked didn't it haha

[@MagliaNera]

In Japan, Domestique called “Assist”. Leader is “Ace”. I think that is derived from tactical word of airplane fight.

[@veganbonnie]

Excellent video. Domestiques deserve more credit than they get from the cycling media.

[@ClockCutter]

GCN at its best. Vids that explain the sport to newbies, but are also interesting for more experienced fans/am racers. At one time or another, I've heard of or seen on TV all of these myself. I've even done of few of these things in races. But, it was enjoyable to see them all identified at one time. Gives the fan a bit richer appreciation of all the things the domestique does. Thanks.

[@BreakthroughPM]

Every video you guys put together is excellent! As a relatively newbie in the sport of cycling I have learned a TON of stuff from your videos. Keep it up!

[@gcn]

... you'll have to wait and see!

[@gcn]

Thanks, we're blushing! :)

[@cyka4075]

Gold

[@MoreKevinLiang]

Pretty sure Dan is the super domestique of all super domestiques

[@georgegilles9008]

Domestique - servant.

[@saucy05]

Gloabl cycling might be the best channel on youtube. They are informative, entertaining and very professional. Are they sponsored by uci or something? cause this looks way to professional for just a random you tube channel.

[@fpcrsrbe]

Great video!!! Could you Guy's make a video of the top 10 best climbers, puncheurs,... in the peleton ?

[@MichaelScott261]

sky 2012 had many super domestiques in frome,porte,Rodgers,boassan hagan and cav all of them are champions

[@ronanmccloskey7639]

I don’t understand the early break away domestique? How can they set the pace when the other riders know that he/she is not the rider to be concerned about ?

[@dude2106]

They actually do go uphill at quite frightening speeds. Of cause it depends on how steep the climb is, but I am certain that the draft also helps them uphill.

[@daphnegrass9579]

They are all kinds of Awesome !

[@Webgkil]

Photo at 3:57 is priceless !!

[@tinglydingle]

This video is going to be invaluable for explaining cycling to the British public.

[@Adoniram1986]

Fabian Cacellara is a monster.

[@Raglandguy]

I love these videos.

[@samanthaoaklandcd]

Well done. Excellent video. Cycling is a team sport. The stars get all the attention, but in order to win a major race, they need all sorts of help during the race. And before and after each stage or race, they have help from their seigneurs, team chefs and team managers. Mike Neel, originally from California (El Cerrito, also the origin of Creedence Clearwater Revival) was a major factor in the first Americans' successes in European racing. Look up the stories behind George Mount, Andy Hampsten, Tangential issue: It's a doggone shame that Lance Armstrong represents the face of American professional cycling. However, many riders, Europeans among them, did a lot of doping before, during and after Armstrong's career, and they are not accused of wrongdoing. Does not sound equitable to me.

[@Joeypouls]

Should have used HTC Columbia back in the day to demonstrate sprinting domestiques but other than that, good vid

[@jarediannudalo6074]

fascinating .. great video I'm a begginer, I don't think I'll ever be a pro but man, I'd love to bike with a team

[@superpogs]

So many roles for a domestique. I would like to see how all of these falls into place in a successful stage win.

[@Isaillasers173114]

great video, chapeau

[@rafamarch102]

"Jens Voigt in all the races." hahaha. so true.

[@tymbrimi0]

What physical benefits, aside from a mechanical, is provided to a GC contender when a domestique is helping on a serious climb? I can understand the psychological benefits of encouragement and perhaps even pacemaking. In short, are pros going uphill so quickly that they can still get the benefits of a draft, or is it something else I'm missing entirely?

[@DiegoTelmo]

The pros ride 6 or 7% climbs at more than 20 kph, and at these speeds there is significant drag. Even at 15kph there is drag. There's not many climbs where being on the wheel is no advantage. There's the Andgliru and some others at the Vuelta where Horner used that to his advantage

[@gracci01]

great video but the audio is over modulated.... the boss is too powerful for the mic!

[@TenTegens]

Jens " the fucking soldier" Voigt :)..........his a legend

[@Spekka]

More videos like this! :)

[@TheBluesLlama]

Yeah Jensie :D

[@StealthElectronVIP]

I'm looking at hiring some domestiques to follow me on my weekend rides. Any takers?

[@Luffy-fw8id]

StealthElectronVIP meeeee

[@fjoa123]

you got it wrong, it is you who follows the domestiques! (Up until the last 150 meters when they die of exhaustion and you take all the glory)

[@EvanChristenson080]

Is it fair to classify Richie Porte as a super domestique?

[@devilgloom]

So, only the leader can get the glory of wearing the yellow shirt while a lot of the sacrifices came from the domestiques. I don't think this is the best way to find the best rider in the world. let them ride individually not in a team.

[@nessie6219]

There is sprinter,climber and ace according to Yowamushi pedal anime

[@perwiratempur]

In my language, domestique = brother!

[@TheBluesLlama]

How do you know?

[@TheCanadianroots]

Do many big names ever really try to get into a break early on, e.g. not on climbs? I would have thought they know they will be reeled in by other teams and tire themselves in the process so don't waste energy.

[@wardieleppan8443]

What I don't understand is how they control the peloton and who gets into the breakaway.

[@jacksonwilliams5024]

I'm a lead out man time trail person and a domestique to I do a lot for my team and I'm one of the younger I'm 13

[@banglevision8207]

How does riding with people save energy??

[@steevcook]

Love your videos GCN!I do think, however, that it is a bit of a double standard the way you tend to glorify Pantani and completely ignore Armstrong & Hincapie. Hincapie was one of the best domestiques of his era. Not mentioning him is a great disservice. Yes he was doping and so was the rest of the peloton. The only difference was he was winning.

[@KandiKlover]

Also bullying and ruining others. No mention necessary. Good ole American excuse makers.

[@Thekidisalright]

Fuck Lance Armstrong and everything he represents, he can’t win shit without doping.

[@JoeBakerUK]

Many cyclists have one leg stronger than the other. Each of Jens Voigt's legs is stronger than the other.

[@luclemmer6868]

Daniel Loyd??

[@ciclismoJames]

Richie Porte?

[@RooseveltTruong]

You forgot Richie Porte "super domestique" .

[@krischapornreianthipayasak2582]

yeh yeh Thai CC thanks GCN & Ducking tiger

[@Quickdraw811]

Yeah we can include Danny boy. He does well

[@chefjonsf]

Who is the greatest domestique of all time

[@daniellopez9622]

Gregarios in Spanish :)

[@djdom121]

How exactly can a cycler make sure that opposition cyclers can't gain a lead? By cutting them up?

[@TheCanadianCyclist]

Go bike racers go!

[@isimpforaerith1069]

yowamushi pedal brought me here

[@shanecollins3911]

What. Does the fox

[@UnlimitedXII]

Good Thai CC :)

[@gcn]

We have our friends over at www.duckingtiger.com/ to thanks for those :-)

[@wenyong1902]

+Global Cycling Network are you guys going to do a video on puncheurs?

[@soundninja99]

Another example of a superdomestiqe. Every dometique at team sky.

[@dura112]

LOL... aaand, Jens Voigt at almost every other race of the season...

[@tatterdemalio]

you will be always second to jens voigt

[@badgersmasher13]

THE god

[@jtuds]

What a shitty job....they better pay these guys very, very well. Kind of lame that you’re in a race and aren’t trying to win it. I’d rather be the main guy on a lesser tour than be expected to bust my ass so someone else can get the credit, glory, and salary...

[@MrPeperoni79]

The most close most will ever to come to a domestique is being a domestic abuser.

[@9cookie2monster]

wow this whole time I thought every person was doing it on there own but they have a whole team to do the work for them and win :/ ......what!?

[@Max_Mustermann_]

They should prohibit domestique's. Every rider should do their own shit.

[@lucamenna8208]

How can someone sprint after 250 km without any domestique to take him to the last kilometer ? the last sprint shows if a domestique has done a good job. I don't know if you are a rider or not, but i urge you to ride more than 100km and sprint or to see if you have still energy to sprint or make enything else, without someone to "help" you as a domestique.

[@Max_Mustermann_]

Luca Menna After 250km without domestiques they sprint slower, BUT that counts for everyone (no rider should get a benefit = equal fairness). And yes I was in some (c-class) road races. There were no domestiques. The rider with the best overall performance wins.

[@lucamenna8208]

Max Mustermann So if on 200 riders there is 1 which is better than anyone will always win. Nice equality. Cycling is both an idividial and squad sport, and i think it's beautiful how it is, but i respect your point of view even if i don't support it.

[@daviddang82]

Max Mustermann they have that, it's called time trials

[@MexicanBambinos]

Max Mustermann Key word, C-Class.

[@jasonfjordlund2338]

It's difficult to understand what you are saying because your enunciation is poor. The video was surprisingly uninformative overall because of how often the 'what' was not followed up with the 'how'.