They're part of every race – the attackers, the escapees, those riders who are never content to sit in the bunch and while away the kilometres before the climbs start or the sprint trains come to the fore. Breakaways have to get started somewhere, though, and the attacks that launch the moves are as full-fledged as a rider sprinting for the win.
Powerful moves on short, punchy climbs or across punishing cobbles are a staple of the early season Classics, and the panache required for riders to lay down their cards with so many kilometres still to ride is the main ingredient in building legends.
Accelerations in the mountains when everyone appears to be already going full tilt can blow a race apart and earn the winner's laurels for the aggressor, but they can also lead to disaster if the timing is off and the rider loses valuable time to his or her GC rivals.
No matter the terrain or circumstances, there's never a dull moment when the pedals are turning over in anger. inCycle has compiled this video of their top-20 attacks of 2019 for us to relish while we wait for racing to resume.
From Jakob Fuglsang's group-imploding attack at Strade Bianche to Katarzyna Niewiadoma's winning move at Amstel Gold, check out the best after-burning moves of last season.
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