Originally Posted by
Hermes
I do watch a lot of pro racing and observed same. You need to spend some time reading rules.
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My point is that if one rider gets material benefit from another due to contact that could affect the outcome of a race, it is clearly an infraction and probably would be called.
I probably know the rules better than you do...
but I also am well aware that there are many situations (and I gave examples) where they are visibly ignored and no penalties are issued. The issue of using other riders for their brakes was apparently well known and probably accepted behavior, particularly for safety in groups on fast descents (I've been on both ends of riders using each other as brakes). As is supporting riders for bathroom breaks. It's quite different from what Renshaw did to Farrar, or from using team cars to get back after being dropped (riders still use team cars-- watch carefully how bottle handoffs are done).