Training & Nutrition - Use of the Group Ride for Race Training

So how often do you group ride as race training?
Do you use it in base, build and peak?

For me it is great to have the challange during a hill climb or sprint. However, when I look at my time in zone versus a tempo + intervals session, the workout is not as hard.

I am thinking that one group ride a week is probably the most you would want to do?

I do them twice a week most of the year. I can motivate myself to do hours of tempo climbing by myself but it's harder for me to do all-out sprints by myself... I need someone to chase. There's also pack riding skills to hone. And it's more social.

Its not base, build, or anything. Unless it is a very specific group ride, it's not much of anything.

Note: IANAR (I am not a racer), but I've been doing all my LT and sprint training in a group ride once a week. I usually get 1-1.5 hrs. in and around LT and as many sprints as my legs can stand during that one ride . Plus the accelerations, wheels, attacks, fast descents, etc., all in good fun. So it depends on the group. Helps a lot if they are mostly faster than you, but everyone has their own skillset to demonstrate, and you get to attempt to respond to those skills as well as demonstrate your own, so it broadens one. Because it's a group ride and not a race, there should be regroups, and everyone gets to have at each other again.

I was never interested in doing group rides as other than race simulations. Base and drill type rides I do solo. I use the group ride all year. Most folks tend to vary the intensity with the season. IMHO, LT and over work is appropriate year 'round, though the quantity will vary with your goals. It's not necessary to respond to every attack, or to give it your all on every hill.

As often as I can. On a good week, I can hit the Tuesday and Thursday night rides after work and the Saturday morning ride. Like CFB says, use it for your purposes: go off the front, do monster pulls, or sit in the back, whatever.

Depends on the particular ride you do... are you the strongest rider there, moderate, weak?
Do you tow everyone along, sit in, attack the hills?

I personally use our Tuesday night race series as my spring training... it works for me, and I'm quite ok with not being competitive in February.