Breakaway specialist

[2] While many riders will occasionally take part in breaks, the most prominent breakaway specialists are known for the frequency of their attempts, the long distances they cover in small groups or even alone, and for the (relatively rare) wins which can gain them great prestige in the peloton and with fans.

[3] Robert Chapatte, a French ex-professional cyclist turned TV commentator, calculated that a speeding peloton takes 10 km to gain back one minute on a breakaway, though with advances in bike technology and rider fitness it’s now more like 90 seconds.

Anything less and the break would fail, as when Rolf Sørensen was caught a few hundred metres before the line when he held 56 seconds rather than a minute on the Gap stage of the Tour de France in 1996.

At the 2004 Tour de France, after escaping with five other riders during the fifth stage, Thomas Voeckler gained significant time against the peloton, and earned the yellow jersey (French: maillot jaune).

History repeated itself at the 2011 Tour de France, when in the ninth stage of the race, Voeckler led a breakaway, survived a collision caused by a media support car that injured two other riders,[4] and crossed the line second, taking the overall time lead and therefore wearing the yellow jersey.