Whether you're a neophyte ultra rider looking to get your feet wet in a big event or an old hand looking for a fun break, team ultra events may be for you. But the contests between relay teams confront competitors with an array of challenges not seen in solo ultra events. They range from the procedure for sending teammates, along with their bicycles and gear, ahead of the rider on the road to the length of riders' turns when presented with such obstacles as mountain passes.

The basics
Team ultra events consist most often of races among four-person teams, although some events feature two-person teams or tandem teams. ``It's important to have four riders who are committed to riding and will not back down on ride day,'' says Mark Newsome, whose Team Tibia finished fourth among five men's teams at FC 508 in 28h 29m 21s. Newsome says Furnace Creek requires team members to be able to handle a hilly double century comfortably.

Experienced riders recommend a crew that consists of at least two vehicles, preferably vans - one to follow and one to ferry riders forward. A crew of at least four members also is recommended - two per vehicle, one to drive and one to navigate. The two vehicles should have radios to communicate with each other. Teammates can lend a hand in such chores as food preparation that often require the help of crew members in solo events. The vans should be big enough to carry bicycles plus all the familiar equipment to support the riders - spare parts, wheels, tools, tubes, tires, food, fluids, batteries, clothing and medical supplies.

The riders
Each team member typically takes a half-hour turn, although that varies depending on terrain, temperature, fatigue and skills as climbers or descenders. A rider ``exchanges'' when he or she draws even with the next rider in the rotation, often from a rolling start. Teams sometimes use such obvious landmarks as stop signs on flats and descents to mark exchange zones.

The tactics
Teams plan their rotations to allow them to go all out and recover during their off period - riding only one-quarter of the total distance assures that each rider is able to ride at near maximum every time they're on. ``You can go all out knowing that you have a rest coming up,'' Newsome says.

"You can go all out knowing that you have a rest coming up"

On Team Lemmings, a mixed team that finished in 28h 13m 35s, Muffy Ritz said two riders would trade 30-minute pulls for three hours before switching off to the other two team members, who would then trade turns for three hours. This necessitated keeping the on-the-road duo in two separate crew cars. One car would shadow the rider on the road, while the other car would drive ahead to set up the exchange.

As roads or temperatures climb, the turns are trimmed back to as little as one mile, and the team's best climbers may be hop-scotching up the road. Mark Patten, another Team Tibia member, says he soloed up the last four or five miles of 3,800-foot Towne Pass at FC 508, while another team made more frequent hand-offs. ``I was wasted by the top and couldn't keep my speed up. Plus, I wasn't a very happy rider. Another team near us put out five riders in the same distance and beat me to the top,'' Patten says.

In the 100-degree desert conditions of Furnace Creek, Team Tibia's turns were trimmed back to just three miles each. At other times, rotation intervals were dictated by crew chief Ben Miller, brother of teammate Tom Miller, based on how well the teammates were riding. Exchanges prove to be one of the trickiest parts of ultra team events. Rolling exchanges are necessary to maintain momentum, but because it's a tiring rider catching up to a set of fresh legs, some coordination and communication are necessary. ``It's an area to practice on before the race,'' Patten says. The driver of the car leapfrogging ahead must be able to estimate how long a 30-minute pull will be, while using such obvious landmarks as stop signs as the exchange point. The rider leaving the exchange must ride slowly enough that the preceding rider can catch up. Newsome says it was useful for the follow vehicle to radio ahead with the rider's speed. Patten also suggests using an auxiliary light on follow vehicles to help identify which bicycle/van combination belongs to the same team in the dark hours of ultra races.

The extras
Because of the frequency of the riders' turns, many experienced team riders recommend using a full-size or mini-van as the race vehicles. Cars can require the use of roof racks, and it can be tiring to retrieve bicycles from a rack dozens of times during a team event. As in all ultra events, a second bicycle per rider is recommended, one set up with low gears for climbing and a time trial bike set up for mashing big gears on the flats and descents. For bumpy sections, a shock-absorbing seat post also is recommended. The vans should be equipped with an overhead rack for speakers to communicate to the rider and, in some instances, help keep the rider awake. The overhead rack may also have auxiliary lights to help guide the rider in the nighttime hours. Riders also mention putting a bed in the vans for riders on break to nap on and get massage should they be so fortunate to have a massage therapist on their crew.

The human touch
The team, of course, is made up of humans who must communicate with and understand each other. ``Try to meet and practice once before the race,'' says Patten. ``Little issues become big in the middle of the race.'' Also, Ritz says, riders need to remember it's a team and that everybody has to pitch in. ``We're not prima-donnas out there. We're all in it together.'' And most importantly, enjoy the experience. ``We enjoyed the camaraderie and cheered for other racers and one another,'' Newsome says. Teammate Patten adds: ``Remember why you are doing this. Have some fun, enjoy the people who are around you, the country that is around you, by doing your best. That's all someone can ask of you.''