Arrière du peloton: From French, literally the "rear of the peloton" (main group of riders).
Attack: To quickly accelerate while riding in a pack, or in smaller numbers, with a view to create a gap between yourself and other riders.
Autobus: A group of riders in a stage race (typically non-climbers and suffering domestiques) who ride together as a group on the mountain stages with the sole intention of finishing within the stage's time limit to allow them to start the next day. Also known by the Italian term gruppetto.
Á bloc: Riding or going "à bloc" means giving it all you've got, going all out, riding as hard as one possibly can (which can be dangerous for it leaves one in a state where recovery is needed, and therefore vulnerable to being attacked).
Blocking: Riders of one team who set a relatively slow tempo at the front of a group to control the speed, often to the advantage of one of their teammates who may be in a break.
Breakaway: Breakaway, or break in short, is when a small group of riders or an individual have successfully opened a gap ahead of the peloton.
Bridge: When a lone rider or smaller group of riders closes the space between them and the rider or group in front of them. This term is often used to describe when riders catch up with the main pack (or peloton) of riders or those who are leading the race.
Caravane: The team cars following behind the peloton in support of their racers.
Chicane: A sequence of tight turns, often s-shaped, usually most important near the finish of a road-race or during a criterium.
Counter attack: An attack that is made when a break has been caught by chasers or the peloton.
Crack: When a cyclist runs out of strength or energy, they are said to have cracked. Compare with hit the wall.
Descender: A cyclist who excels at fast descents, often using them to break away from a group, or bridge a gap.
Domestique: A rider whose job it is to support and work for other riders in their team (literally "servant" in French).
Drafting: To ride closely behind another rider to make maximum use of their slipstream, reducing wind resistance and effort required to ride at the same speed.
Fred: An unskilled racer with aspirations to appear more capable than they in fact are, usually through expensive/high-end gear. The female counterpart is a Wilma. Another commonly used definition is a person who has outdated or mis-matched gear, doesn't care about technology, fashion or racing, etc.
Half-wheeler: A rider that rides half a wheel in front of another on training rides and group rides. No matter how much the pursuer speeds up to keep up with him/her, s/he stays that distance ahead. Usually these people are frowned upon and less desirable to ride with.
Hors catégorie: The French term primarily used in cycle races (most notably, the Tour de France) to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs are designated from Category 1 (hardest) to Category 4 (easiest), based on both steepness and length. A climb that is harder than Category 1 is designated as hors catégorie.
Jump: To aggressively increase speed without warning, hopefully creating a substantial advantage over your opponents. Also (more usually) denoting an attempt to bridge a gap from the peloton or gruppetto to a breakaway. For example: "he is trying to jump across".
Lanterne rouge: French for "red lantern", as found at the end of a railway train, and the name given to the rider placed last in a race.
Leech: A rider in a small group who does not share some of the workload by riding in the front where wind resistance is greatest, but instead conserves their energy by riding in the slipstream of one of the other riders. By analogy with leech an animal which feeds on the blood of other animals.
On the rivet: Describes a rider who is riding at maximum speed. When riding at maximum power output, a road racer often perches on the front tip of the saddle (seat), where the shell of an old-style leather saddle would be attached to the saddle frame with a rivet.
On your wheel: Phrase describing the condition of being very close to the rear wheel of the rider ahead of you. Used to inform the rider that you have positioned yourself in their slipstream for optimum drafting. For example: "I'm on your wheel".
Paceline: Group of riders riding at high speed by drafting one another. Riders will take turns at the front to break the wind, then rotate to the back of the line to rest in the draft. Larger group rides will often form double pacelines with two columns of riders. Sometimes referred to as "bit and bit".
Palmarès: A list of races a rider has won. (French, meaning list of achievements or list of winners).
Prologue: A short individual time trial before a stage race, used to determine which rider wears the leader's jersey on the first stage.
Pull: To take the lead on a paceline or echelon.
Queen stage: The most difficult stage of a multi-day road race, typically involving multiple low- or beyond-category climbs.
SAG wagon: Support motor vehicle following long races or recreational rides to pick up riders unable to complete the event. See also: food stop and SAG station. In racing events, typically the main group of riders will ride as a peloton and can be served by one or more SAG wagons trailing behind. In large recreational rides, there may be thousands of riders spread over much of the course, so ride organizers may employ roving SAG wagons to locate and assist stranded riders. In bicycle racing, another term for SAG wagon is broom wagon.
Sit-on and sit-in: To ride behind another rider without taking a turn on the front (thus tiring the lead rider), often in preparation for an attack or sprint finish. "Sitting in the wheels" is to take an easy ride drafted by the peloton or gruppetto. Often a strategic decision to save energy in 21 day stage race.
Soigneur: A non-riding member of a team whose role is to provide support for the riders, possibly including transportation and organization of supplies, preparation of the team's food, post-ride massages and personal encouragement.
Tête de la course: From French, literally "head of the race" - the leading cyclist or group of cyclists, when separated from (in front of) the peloton.
Wheelsucker: A rider who sits on the rear wheel of others in a group or on another rider, enjoying the draft but not working.
