Originally Posted by joshalope
It wasn't so much throwing elbows, as gently persuading riders to let me in. .
^that's the ideal way to snag a wheel....if you can just sorta move sombody over (as in, in a 5 race people aren't too good at staying close to a wheel and tend to move over without any contact if you just get a little close). also, on sweeping descents or turns if somebody lets even a small gap open up or moves over a little through a turn you can easily get in without throwing elbows.
-the only times i've honestly 'thrown elbows' is when someone is physically trying to bump me off a wheel (which can sometimes get them disqualified if they are really bumping around being dangerous) or if someone crosses the yellow-line to move up and then tries to squeeze in next to me.