Is It Allowed for Amateur Cyclists to Draft Behind Pros During Training?

The crash of Jonas Vingegaard during a training ride was accompanied by reports of amateur cyclists who followed him and (wanted to) ride along with him. On social media, it is increasingly common to see a training group of professional cyclists being followed by some non-pros. Is that acceptable? Or is it a serious no-go?

Before Vingegaard’s crash was confirmed by Visma | Lease a Bike, there were already discussions on social media and Strava. Amateur cyclist Pedro García Fernández said he was riding in the slipstream of the Visma | Lease a Bike rider just before he went down.

"Jonas crashed after he tried to shake me off on the descent of the Fuente la Reina. I then stopped to ask how he was doing, but he was angry because I was trying to follow him. He decided to accelerate on the descent to leave me behind, but then he crashed himself. I’m just an amateur, like most people, so I don’t understand where his anger came from," explained the Spaniard. Other eyewitnesses also said that Vingegaard reacted angrily when they approached.

Visma | Lease a Bike took the opportunity to address amateur riders and cycling tourists alike. "As a team, we urgently ask cycling enthusiasts to always prioritize safety. For your own safety and that of others, we ask you to give cyclists the space to train and to grant them as much peace and room as possible," the team wrote in a brief statement.

Spain is becoming busier and more popular
In recent years, Spain has become increasingly popular for cycling tourists, especially during the winter months. That is exactly the period when many pro teams hold training camps there. Voices from the peloton already mention that it’s very crowded on certain climbs, such as the Coll de Rates, where many teams conduct tests and training sessions. More and more young riders and cycling tourists are also discovering these spots. Photos and videos of this frequently appear on social media.

Now the question is: can an amateur rider just jump into the wheel of a pro cyclist? Or is that a no-go? Should you ask politely first, or wait until the rider in question responds? Is the pro doing a training ride or a casual ride? Can you as an individual join a training group of strangers? What if an accident or crash happens during training? Could it come across as awkward or intimidating?

There are no official rules regulating this anywhere, but cycling is full of unwritten rules.