Originally Posted by
carpediemracing
With bike racing, don't think in percentages. "Top half" etc. It's basically "in the money" or not. Top 3 (podium, even if it's just imaginary), top 6 or so (points for upgrades on your license, more places for certain qualifying race traits, less for others). Everyone else is The Pack, i.e. "I finished in the pack" or "I was off the back".
+1 Look at the results for a stage of the Tour de France. Most of the people (the pack) have the same finishing time.
Originally Posted by
carpediemracing
Bike racing is much less a measure of strength/fitness and much more a measure of tactical skill.
The one caveat being that there is still a base fitness required that is well above what the average recreational cyclist has.