That’s what I understood World Tri rules to be. But Ironman definitely always describe it differently, and there is a requirement to pass the whole line.
As @joex says below, I guess they’re prioritising the athlete already ahead on the road, and saying that unless they’ve lost the wheel in front to crest a legal gap to drop into, why should they be penalised
well, yes. just overtake one at a time rather than a whole line unless you can judge that you can do that within the time constraints. at pro level it’s very unlikely a rider could overtake a string of fast riders in one easy go so pick them off one at a time.
I can’t comment on Ironman rules as I’m not totally familiar with them having never been a TO at an IM event.
It doesn’t say it as specifically as I have outlined, but there is a pro only additional rule
I’m guessing that is interpreted as being breached if you were to then drop into the line if there wasn’t sufficient space to do so.
Ie. If riders are 12m apart, then if you pass the rear rider, you are now closer than 12m to the rider in front, and so have entered his draft zone, and so must complete that pass too. You can’t slot into the line as you’ll have breached that pro only element
Yeah, but to my mind the guys I’m passing have no idea what 12m is, unless I’m flying by I’ll cut in front - not dangerously - and expect them to drop back as I ease off from passing pace. As long as I think I’m not in the zone of the next guy I’m happy.
not quite. If you pass the rear rider then they have to make all effort to drop back to maintain the draft gap, and the overtaker must ensure they keep the draft gap to the rider in front of them- until they are ready to have a go at them (or they can do another pass in a continual movement) Experienced motos should be aware of the dyanmics of overtaking so can keep eyes on and warn or penalise as needed. Warnings can often ensure gaps are kept without the need to penalise - penalties should only be applied as the last resort.
I’ve been a moto TO at draft illegal World Champ events and it’s not a simple job but if approached correctly then you can keep control and have happy athletes. I use warnings a lot and keep eyes on potential bunches to break them up. It ain’t easy as motos can’t be everywhere but technology is on the horizon to help (being trialled in Oz).
Thanks. Nothing but bones there. Ah well.
Agreed in practice for AGers.
But this all stems from a comment about a pro, right? And for them, if the rider they are passing is sat exactly (or considered to be) 12m behind the rider in front, my understanding of how the rules are enforced at that level is that the passing rider cannot have overtaken them without having got to within, say, 11.5m of the rider in front. At which point they’re now inside the draft zone of that next rider, and so now must pass them as well inside another 25s, otherwise they will get a drafting penalty.
Strangely I am struggling to find anywhere official that states this. I guess from my other sports officiating experience, this must be an established interpretation of the ironman rules, rather than explicitly spelled out in the rules themselves.
https://team-marsh.com/updates/triathlon-updates/pro-draft-rules-a-tutorial
The final sentence in that article does say the same thing, and that’s nearly a decade old. Ironman drafting rules haven’t changed as far as I’m aware.
The onus is on 2 riders - the one being passed and the passer.
The rider being passed MUST drop back once passed to stay outside the draft zone of the rider who has just passed them. They can’t just sit there, they have to ensure the draft distance is kept or they become guilty of drafting. Anyone who has been passed must ensure they keep the draft zone.
The passer must now stay outside the draft zone of the rider in front of them until such time as they feel as if they want to overtake them - if not they can get pinged for drafting. Obviously if they are going much quicker than the one now in front, they can go for another pass. And so on.
The “sufficient space” comment doesn’t apply - there should always be sufficient space once the race has settled down from the initial bunching and grouping, or everyone is then guilty of drafting. Keep the gaps!
Of course this isn’t perfect in reality so some common sense needs applying in races.
2 other things:
Finally - that article is from 2013 and WT drafting rules have changed in the intervening years. Don’t know about IM though
The pro specific clause you referenced above can be used to make this interpretation. As the pro is not allowed to draft to overtake, they cannot cut back infront of the rider they have just passed. As you say, once they pass the first rider, they are automatically in the draft zone of the next rider, so must then make the next pass.
It does make you wonder how any position change happens, unless a rider loses the 12m draft infront. Not sure what happens if the overtaking rider decides the gap in 13m and they have the right to slot in, but the passed rider disagrees!
Yes - but they MUST ensure the draft distance is kept so that means either attempting another pass immediately, or stay behind the rider in front but outside the draft zone.
This is all well and good, and useful clarification for WT races, but we’re talking about different things. We’re all talking about something that happened in an Ironman 70.3 where they do apply what I have written.
I acknowledged that article was a decade old in my original post, and stated that IM rules had not changed in that time as far as I’m aware.
I’m not meaning to be fussy, but we’re arguing apple’s and pears. You always provide really helpful insight into WT/BTF rules but in this instance you posted something about a pro athlete not knowing the rules, when he was in an IM race and the rules you’re referring to are enforced differently for Pros.
yes, you are correct - I am getting mixed up with the events and thinking we are talking about Challenge Salou and not the IM 70.3
I will graciously back out
[bows humbly]
Well, I’m lost 
Serious question (I don’t watch pro IM racing) - does it always tend to be that riders from the back of the pace line try to overtake the pack to push things on, or do you get riders on the front “flicking the elbow” and letting riders behind come through to take a turn?
I guess if you’re in a pace line of 5 or 6 riders you don’t necessarily want to be at the back in case someone drops the wheel and you find yourself detached from the front group and having to make up a lot of ground to get back on.
You’ll often see someone leading look back as if to say “someone else’s turn”. Like after they’ve been at the front for an hour or two. It’s nothing like bike racing.
If there’s a large train, then often someone in the middle loses touch and the person behind decides to overtake. Sometimes they don’t see the gap open up until it’s too late to bridge and the train splits in two.
Sometimes an uber biker or three left behind in the swim just steams past them all.
Do you guys really watch this 
?
Yeah, it’s boring as fuck. Apart from different colour swim caps it’s just wetsuits swimming - guys will sit in and do nothing for 180kms if they can get away with it - some even draft the moto - it’s only the marathon that’s interesting!
ETA - saying that, I quite like having it on while I’m cooking!
