Quote: GIANT DAZ "So why didnt our guys just pedal faster to start with and get everyone to chase us instead of us trying to chase them if there werent enough of us to do it ?
i thought it was just a case of the bloke who rides fastest wins the race.....obviously am way out here ...also why would we expect another team to help us out to win a medal, surely you're racing against the other teams and shouldnt expect help from them ?'"
Mate, i used to think exactly the same until i started working with some serious bike enthusiasts, basically the guy at the front works 34% harder than anyone else, so to be at the front means doing the most work, the guys work in teams to keep the energy reserves up, basically taking it in turns to lead, usually the lead cyclists gives a little throw of the elbow and that's the signal to say "im knackered can someone else have a go". Being in the pelaton puts you in a stronger position as a 1 minute lead is nothing if you have a few km's left.
The trouble is if you let too many riders brake away, and they work together, you have no chance of catching them.
If the Germans had helped the British they would have caught the lead pack easily, the Germans also knew though that if they did that they'd still lose to Cavendish, so they selfishly came to the thought, sod it. What makes it worse is that 'i think' the Germans and Brits had worked out before the race joint tactics to beat the Spanish riders.