The mental apsect of riding in a pro peloton is

[bronk]

underappreciated.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/t4gxszTvOkc

[Mike V]

Looks like normal crit antics that happened in 90% of the racing I did. Nothing much has changed.

[superbowlpats]

Its why I dont race on the road

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by Mike V

Looks like normal crit antics that happened in 90% of the racing I did. Nothing much has changed.

I agree. Its not like every moment of every race is like this, but its common enough to be considered part of normal racing.

[GregL]

Originally Posted by Mike V

Looks like normal crit antics that happened in 90% of the racing I did. Nothing much has changed.

Yup, pretty tame compared to some of deliberate, malicious stuff I saw while officiating at pro crits. Pro bike racing is NASCAR on two wheels. Both are forms of entertainment where rubbing is racing. If seen by the officials, the offenders are relegated. Otherwise, no harm, no foul.

Greg

[Nomadmax]

And all that happens rain or shine. If they cover up your field of play with a tarp when it rains and play organ music, it's a game, not a sport.

[Hindmost]

They aren't crashing. They're doing what's necessary to compete at this level and stay upright.

[Tandem Rider]

Pretty normal for most of a crit or the last few miles of a RR for a domestic P12 race. Neat to see that it's pretty much the same at the World Tour, they obviously go faster. If you can't maneuver that, you aren't racing in those races. I always felt that was much safer than earlier in a RR when everyone is more relaxed. Dudes aren't protecting their bars and wheels, that's when the tumbling crashes happen and the injuries take longer to heal.

[9tubes]

That is my experience as well. Some of that was just a light tap to say "hey, I'm here, moving up on your right" because it's noisy enough at that speed (and crowded enough) that saying the same wouldn't be effective. The deliberate pushing has a limit, and that limit is when the peloton decides that you're a jerk. Everyone needs favors from time to time: giving room in a corner; cooperation to bridge up to the leaders; a leadout. Getting no favors means doing less well. The peloton can also go negative: getting deliberately boxed in a sprint or in extreme cases, deliberately boxed and crashed (with the officials doing a Sgt. Schultz "I saw nothing!").

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by superbowlpats

Its why I dont race on the road

5:14 or so in...being on a 'Groad bike', in a race doesn't equal no bumping, pushing and falling...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjqBoJqbcoo

[weisan]

imagine wearing the yellow jersey and heading into the podium in the last week of tour de france and having your team fighting with the other sprint teams to stay in front and keep you safe from suffering any time loss due to a crash until the final 3km, talk about the mental stress, forget the physical....