The peloton (from French, meaning little ball or platoon and related to the English word pellet), field, bunch or pack is the main group of riders in a road bicycle race. Riders in a group save energy by riding close (drafting or slipstreaming) near (particularly behind) other riders. The reduction in drag is dramatic; in the middle of a well-developed group it can be as much as 40%.
The term is also used to refer to professional cyclists in general.
Read more about Peloton: Riding in The Peloton