Quote Originally Posted by Penny4 View Post
I'm watching today's race now...

So, I am still learning about how each rider on a team has a different job, and they are all supposed to protect their leader, or perform a function etc...but still confused as heck

Why is Jens riding so far up ahead by himself and not with his team?
Because he's Jens!!

Although in most cases breakaways are caught by the peloton before the finish line, sometimes they manage to stay away and then one of the riders in the break will win the stage. For guys who are not sprinters and not great climbers, it's their best chance to win a stage. Equally as important, being in a break gets TV time for the companies that sponsor the teams that the breakaway riders race for. So even if they're caught, they accomplish something positive.

Some guys really love being in the break. Jens is one of them, Thomas Voeckler (sp?) is another.

If someone on Jens' team was leading the GC, he would most likely have stayed in the peloton to protect that rider. If his team had a good sprinter, he would probably also have stayed behind to help set the pace so the peloton could bring back the breakway.

Sometimes a rider from the yellow jersey's team will go up in a break, especially on a mountain stage. That would be to give him a chance to win the stage, but it he's caught, he would be at the front ready to help his team leader when most (or all) of their other teammates have been dropped.

Another reason for a rider to be in a breakaway is to win points in the King of the Mountains competition. Or, they might have the current leader in the KOM or green jersey competition on their team, and they want to win the on-course KOM or sprint points to prevent his teammates' competitors from winning them.