Drafting 101: What NOT to Do During a Triathlon
Drafting. It’s one of the most controversial topics in triathlon.
Whether we’re talking about a pro being hit with a penalty at a big race, or packs of age-groupers on course, everyone has an opinion about drafting.
What’s drafting? Drafting is “riding in an area of reduced air pressure created in the wake of a leading cyclist or vehicle.”
Now drafting isn’t inherently bad. In fact, it’s a great way to get a little reprieve during a group ride! While riding in a pace line, the rider in front takes most of the wind and those behind benefit from the draft, which can result in as much as 50% in wind reduction. While it’s fun during training, it’s not allowed during a race (unless it’s a draft-legal triathlon).
The topic of drafting came up on a recent training ride when my friend asked me to explain drafting and how to avoid getting a penalty. That conversation inspired this post!
Today we will cover:
Drafting rules and terminology
What to do if you get a penalty
My tips for dealing with drafting on course
BONUS for Triple Threat Life Club Members is an interview with Ironman Head Referee, Chris Ricittello, about drafting and insight from pro triathlete, Tamara Jewett.
Drafting 101: Terms to Know
Draft zone- The area behind the bike of the athlete riding in front of you. 12 meters long or 6 bike lengths of clear space.
Pass- Occurs when the front wheel of your bike matches the front wheel of the bike you’re passing.
Overtaking athlete- the person doing the passing
Overtaken athlete- the person being passed
Slipstream- Riding in the draft zone prior to making a pass
Blocking- Riding side by side, or not completing a pass within 25 seconds
Yellow card- 30-second penalty in 70.3, 60-second penalty in Ironman
Blue card- 5:00 minute time penalty
What are the rules about drafting during a triathlon?
Note: This breakdown of drafting rules applies to the races that most age-group triathletes do- Ironman and USAT. This is my own explanation of the rules and in no way serves as a substitute for the official rule book.
According to the Competition Rules for Ironman, the definition of drafting means staying with the draft zone of another athlete for longer than 25 seconds. What’s the draft zone? It’s 12 meters long, which is measured from the leading edge of the front wheel and extending towards the back of the bike. Essentially, this means you must stay 6 bike lengths back from the athlete in front of you.
Sounds easy, right? Well, it’s a bit more complicated than that…
Let’s say you want to pass an athlete who’s in front of you. You must “continuously progress through the draft zone” within 25 seconds. If it takes longer, you could receive a 5:00 minute time penalty. *There’s a caveat for professional athletes. They must move to the side of the athlete being overtaken (meaning they can’t slipstream) or they could get a 5:00 minute penalty.
The “pass” begins when the front wheel of your bike matches the front wheel of the bike you’re passing.
Also, once you enter the draft zone, there’s only one way out and that’s the front. You can’t back out of the draft zone after entering it. This means you better be pretty confident in your ability to pass within the 25-second window. (ie. why I don’t pass on hills). You can also receive a 5:00 minute time penalty for not completing a pass in the time allowed.
Ironman Head Referee, Jimmy Riccitello, says drafting is by far the most common penalty given by referees. But there are multiple facets to drafting than simply riding closer than 6 bike lengths for longer than 25 seconds. What’s more common is people riding at 4 or 5 lengths and thinking they’re following the rules.
“That’s when they say, ‘I thought I was 6 lengths! I wasn’t trying to cheat. I just want to finish. I don’t want a Kona slot,’” Jimmy says. “We’re not mind readers, and we don’t know what an athlete’s intention is. We have to use our judgment and determine if we feel like they’re getting an unfair advantage. That means they might get cited for a rule violation, whether they meant to get an advantage or not.”
There’s also rules for athletes being overtaken. When someone passes you on course, you must immediately drop back and continue to make rearward progress until you’re out of the draft zone. If you attempt to re-pass an athlete before dropping out of the draft zone, you can receive an overtaken violation (30 or 60-second penalty).
Inevitably, this also means that if someone passes you, and you remain in their draft zone for more than 25 seconds, and don’t drop back, you can be given a drafting penalty (5:00 minute penalty).
There’s one more type of drafting penalty to discuss, and that’s blocking. During a race, you have to ride single file on the far right side of the road, except when passing. You can’t ride side-by-side, and you can’t impede the forward progress of another athlete. This can result in a 5:00 minute time penalty for drafting, or a 30 or 60-second time penalty for blocking, whichever applies to the situation.
All things considered, there are a few exceptions that allow you to enter the draft zone without penalty. These include: when passing within 25 seconds, for safety reasons, entering and exiting an aid station or transition, an acute turn, or specific instructions by a race official due to road safety.
With Ironman, we’re talking about triathlon distances of 70.3 and 140.6. For USAT sprint or Olympic distance triathlons, the draft zone is 10 meters, or 5 bike lengths, and you have 20 seconds to pass. The accompanying penalties are a bit shorter as well: 2 minutes for an Olympic and 1 minute for a sprint.
What happens if I get a penalty during a triathlon?
Let’s say you get a penalty during a triathlon. Don’t worry. It’s not the end of the world, and it’s not the end of your race. I remember interviewing Tamara Jewett for Triathlete Magazine after she received a 30-second time penalty at 2023 70.3 Oceanside and went on to win the race! Check it out here: How to Deal with a Penalty (Like a Pro).
At the time, here’s what she said, “The situation in which I got the penalty was a bit chaotic as the top pro women caught up to some slower pro men on an uphill. It was a bit tough to keep track of everything going on. In my anxiety that the women’s race not get broken up, I made a move that I think turned out to be a bit too aggressive. I knew that I had made a mistake that could warrant a penalty, and I felt even in the moment that it was basically a fair call. I think that helped me feel pretty even-keeled about it right away.”
There are few things to know if you get a penalty on the bike course. You must serve it at the next available penalty tent. In a 70.3, there might only be one penalty tent at the entrance to transition, but in an Ironman there might be a few.
If you don’t stop at the penalty tent, you will be disqualified. They might not get you until the run, but they will certainly tag you before the finish line, and nobody wants that.
At 2024 70.3 North Carolina, there was quite a lot of drafting. After my husband finished, he saw an official standing at the entrance to the red carpet. He was pulling athletes off course that hadn’t served their penalties… You’re wearing a number, remember.
While you’re in the penalty tent, you can drink and eat, but only what you have on your bike. Don’t steal a volunteer’s banana, or you can be disqualified. Also, you can’t use the restroom or make any adjustments to your bike. A penalty can’t be used as an advantage. However, you can stretch, talk to volunteers, lower your heart rate, ect.
My tips to deal with drafting on course
While the official rules make it sound complicated, drafting rules are really very simple.
Don’t ride into the draft zone of another athlete unless you’re passing.
If you want to pass, be sure you can complete it in time. Don't start to pass and then back off.
Always ride on the right side of the road, unless you’re passing. Then, pass on the left. (unless instructed by officials)
Now, the bottom line is that drafting is hard to police. During a 70.3, there might be two referees on motorcycles on a 56-mile bike course. That’s compounded on an Ironman course. They can’t be everywhere.
So, if you do an Ironman race, you’re going to see drafting. Some athletes are very blatant about it, while others are newcomers and just don’t understand the rules. Nevertheless, seeing obvious pace lines of 8-10 athletes riding together can be infuriating. But here’s the thing. You’re not responsible for how others race. You’re only responsible for yourself.
Is it fair? No, but life isn’t fair, my friend. You simply have to make a decision about what type of athlete you’re going to be. Also, there can be thousands of athletes on a bike course, and you might find yourself in a big bunch through no fault of your own. Occasionally, I will get hooked up with an athlete who’s riding the same pace as me, and that can get tricky.
I refuse to draft. That just goes against everything I believe as an athlete. So I have two choices. Either back off my power to let that athlete gain some space so we can separate, or I can put in a big push to pass, clear the rider, and make up some ground so I can stay in front. Be careful. You can’t make too many of these big moves, because it will hurt your legs.
You can also use changes in the course to gain space, like pushing a downhill, taking tighter turns, or through aid stations. It’s just about riding smart.
Today’s BONUS for Triple Threat Life Club Members is an interview with Ironman Head Referee, Chris Ricittello, about drafting and insight from pro triathlete, Tamara Jewett.