Worlds : Mens Elite *spoiler*

Ringo 68

As a bit of a newbie to all this road racing malarky (I have always watched tdf but this is the first year I have been really interested in everything else) I have a question about the race and tactics.

We all know that Team GB did an incredible job to bring back all the breakaways without much help at all from anybody else. My question is simple, if GB had not worked their bollocks off at the front, what would have happened?

Would no other country have taken up the chasing and the first breakaway group fought it out between themselves?

Or would the pellaton have organised themselves and chased down any breaks?

If the answer to the second question is yes, of course that is what would have happened, couldn't Team GB just have sat in the pack and let everybody else do the work and then taken over on the last lap?

Sorry if these are silly questions but I find the tactics of road racing very complex and confusing at times.

Turfle

No question is a silly one. (Apart from the one about why isn't Cavendish winning the TdF if he's won 4 stages.)

It really could have gone two ways if GB sat back. With no strong pace at the front there would be attack after attack from the nations without sprinters, possibly creating a number of different breaks on the road with no significant peloton. More likely is that eventually the likes of Germany, Australia, America would have put some more men into pulling back the break.

There really was very little point in GB trying to bluff the other nations into riding though. What really would be gained from it? Maybe Wiggins, Millar etc would have come to the line a little fresher, but I'd say using the entire team to make 100% certain of a bunch sprint was the safer tactic.

Someone had to chase the break down. so let's just do it.

Ringo 68

Makes sense. Thanks.

Ringo 68

Makes sense. Thanks.