Beyond Drafting: Why Team Support Matters in the Mountains

You’re climbing. The gradient is 12%, your legs are screaming, and your lungs feel like they’ve been replaced with rusty pipes.

There’s sweat in your eyes, your bike computer keeps lying about how much farther you have to go, and somewhere behind you, a TV helicopter is catching every second of your slow-motion demise.

Now imagine you’re not alone. There’s a teammate just ahead, pulling you along, setting the pace, blocking the wind when it’s there.

Another one drops back to grab bottles, so you don’t have to. A third yells at you to get your sorry ass moving. Suddenly, you’re still suffering, but it’s controlled, structured—maybe even strategic.

This is why team support in the mountains isn’t just nice. It’s survival.

1. The Pacing Effect: Your Brain is Weak, Your Teammate Knows Better

Science says humans are lazy. Your brain will always convince you to slow down before your body truly needs to.

But if you have a teammate in front, setting the pace, your job is simple: hold the wheel. No second-guessing, no “should I push harder?” nonsense. Just suffer in silence and follow.

It’s the same reason pacers exist in marathons. When someone else takes charge, your brain stops trying to sabotage you.

2. Drafting Still Matters (Even on Climbs)

Yes, the wind is real even when you’re crawling up a mountain at 15 km/h. Studies show drafting still saves a few watts on climbs—tiny, but in a three-week race, tiny is huge.

And then there are the false flats—the sections where the road isn’t steep enough to crush you completely but still ruins your life. In those moments, a teammate can tow you along, letting you recover before the next wall of pain.

3. The “1-2 Punch” Strategy

Here’s how you destroy someone in a mountain battle:

• Teammate attacks.
• Rival chases, wastes energy.
• You counter-attack while rival is still wheezing.

Classic. Simple. Brutal.

It’s why team leaders don’t ride alone. You need someone to throw the first punch so you can deliver the knockout.

4. The Human Bottle Service

Ever try to grab a water bottle at 10 km/h while on the verge of passing out? It’s not fun.

This is why teammates drop back to the car, grab bottles, and bring them up to the leader. It saves energy, saves time, and prevents you from turning into a shriveled-up raisin before the final climb.

5. Morale, Or Why Screaming at Your Teammate Helps

There’s a reason Dani Martínez once yelled Egan Bernal back into life at the Giro. When your legs stop working, when your vision is going blurry, and when your will to live is fading, a teammate screaming at you can be the difference between cracking completely and holding on.

A lone rider suffers in silence. A rider with a teammate suffers, but at least there’s someone there to tell them they’re still in the fight.

6. Emergency Backup (AKA, “Here, Take My Bike”)

Puncture? Broken derailleur? Cracked frame? If you’re alone, your race is over. If you have a teammate, they might hand you their wheel, their bike, or at the very least, drag you back to the group so you don’t lose minutes.

Chris Froome once ran up Mont Ventoux because his bike was wrecked. Would’ve been nice if a teammate had been around to help, huh?

7. You Think You’re Fast? Pros Climb Like Cars

Here’s the thing about pros: they climb fast. Like, 20+ km/h fast on the steeper stuff. That’s car speeds for normal humans.

At those speeds, everything matters. The tiny aerodynamic advantages. The pacing. The ability to chase down attacks without completely exploding. That’s why the best riders always have someone with them until the absolute last moment.

Summary Table: Why Team Support Matters on Climbs

Reason	Why It’s Crucial
Pacing	Stops your brain from quitting early
Drafting	Saves watts, even uphill
1-2 Punch	Helps break your rivals
Water & Food	Keeps you alive without wasting energy
Morale Boost	Screaming teammates = more watts
Mechanical Help	Someone can give you a wheel or bike
Pro Speed	At 20 km/h, every little advantage helps

Conclusion: Suffer, But Suffer Smart

Climbing alone is like getting punched in the face by reality. The road never ends, the air gets thinner, and the pain builds with every pedal stroke. You can be the strongest rider in the world, but if you’re isolated at the wrong moment, you’re screwed.

Team support isn’t just a luxury—it’s a weapon. It’s the difference between attacking or getting dropped. Between winning the Tour or losing it on some godforsaken Alpine road.

So next time you’re watching a mountain stage, and you see some poor fool alone while their rival has two teammates pacing them—start counting the seconds. Because that guy?

He’s already dead.