Cyclists, commentators, and fans spend endless amounts of time talking about climbing and time trialing, but very little talking about sprinting. The sprint finishes in top-level races like the USA Pro Challenge are one of the most technical, explosive, and exciting parts of the entire event! But since high-speed sprinting is not something many amateur cyclists get to do, it's a part of cycling they sometimes struggle to relate to. I think that's a shame, because understanding what it takes to get into position for the sprint makes you appreciate what you're watching, and developing skills for sprinting helps all riders in all pack-riding situations. 

Getting through traffic is essential if you want to win races or simply enjoy group rides, but beyond skill it takes a combination of confidence and steady nerves. The top sprinters in the world make it look easy, but there are a lot of things that can go very wrong very quickly. All it takes is a touch of wheels or a tangle of handlebars and you'll be on the ground before you can even get your hands off the bars. Here's how the best riders stay upright in tight situations and get into position to win:

1. Use your upper body to protect your handlebars.
In races there are always riders who want to move you over so they can take the wheel you're on. Sometimes there will also be a surge of riders moving up one side or the other - maybe even both sides at once. To stay upright you have to protect your handlebars and front wheel. You can do this by crouching down a bit to bring the full width of your shoulders closer to the front end of your bike and making sure your bent elbows are just a little wider than your bars. If someone closes in on you anyway (and they will) you can lean into a rider who is encroaching on your space. The key is to maintain your own balance as you move your upper body to the side. If you put too much of your weight onto another rider and he moves away, you'll swerve in that direction and possibly crash.

2. Look for diagonal lines.
It's one thing to defend the space you're in, but in order to win you have to get to the front and leave everyone behind. Riding straight up in between two riders is almost never a good option because the risks of getting wheels and pedals tangled is very high. There's just no room that way, so you have to look diagonally forward. These lanes open and close quickly as riders accelerate and fade, so when you see the opportunity you have to move quickly.

3. Get your bars ahead.
Diagonal lanes work because once you get your handlebars ahead of the rider next to you, you can pretty well control where the two of you go. With your bars slightly ahead, the rider next to you risks getting his bars hooked in yours or hit by your knee as you move to the side. Out of self-preservation, the best options for him are to let you through or slow down.

4. Make contact if you absolutely need to.
There's a lot of contact between riders fighting for position in the final kilometer, but almost none of it involves hands. With the risks involved in high-speed finales, riders primarily keep their hands on the bars when they're in tight quarters. The exact opposite is often the case in amateur races, where riders are way too quick to take a hand off the bars to move someone over. This leads to a lot of crashes, and I prefer to see riders learn to use their bodies instead of their hands if they have to make contact in the final kilometers of a race.

When you have to make contact, your elbows and shoulders are best. When you keep your upper body loose you can absorb bumps from riders coming in on you, or you can push with your elbow or shoulder if you tighten up a bit. The areas on another rider you want to aim for are shoulders and hips because these areas are relatively stable to push against. Avoid thighs and hands if possible because contacting these areas is more likely to make one of you crash. 

5. Take off like a rabid monkey.
If everything goes your way, you'll rub shoulders successfully as you battle to stay near the front, find the diagonal lanes and get your bars ahead so you can move through the lanes before they close. If you time it perfectly, you'll break out into open air with just a few hundred meters to go and take off with every last bit of power you have. Just be sure to maintain a relatively straight line. Once you launch your sprint, you can be relegated to the back of the pack if you significantly deviate from a straight line toward the finish. And if you obviously move over to block another rider's advance, you'll definitely be relegated.

Sprint finishes at the USAPCC are not just straight-up drag races, and the top sprinters in the sport have proven they can hold their own in the chaotic environment of the final kilometer of the world's biggest races. You may never have the opportunity to sprint against the giants of the sport, but learning some of their skills can help keep you safe in a pack and maybe help you win the next City Limit Sprint!

Carmichael Training Systems is the premier destination for personal coaching, training camps, and life-changing adventures! Visit www.trainright.com or call 866-355-0645 to get started with CTS!

Follow CTS on Twitter at www.twitter.com/trainright, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/carmichaeltrainingsystems.