Originally Posted by zzzwillzzz
+1
it's rider vs. rider, these guys aren't a team just guys wearing the same uniform. if they've got 8 guys 4 of them will barely be able to hang on and won't be doing any other tactic than trying not to get dropped. if they do any team tactics it will be at the beginning of the race when the pace is slow and will ride at the front together to look like they know what they're doing, which will fall apart at the first acceleration.
Assuming this is a cat 5 race we're talking about, that pretty much sums it up. From my observation, cat 5 races play out in 3 ways. 1) (most frequent) ride around in a ball with folks being dropped out the back until field sprint; 2) a couple riders will ride away from the field, the field doesnt know it and rides around in a ball waiting for the field sprint while the race is up the road; 3) crashfest and chaos. If you can get out of site on this course, you and your teammate should try scenario 2, but assume that scenario 1 is the way the race will unfold, and hope it isnt scenario 3.