When riding with others I begin to wax on community: how it works best…how it breaks down and fails. Being a cyclist helps because you can see it all in one ride.

The efficiency of a peleton is inescapable. A rider who ‘takes a flyer’ off the front only succeeds because the group of riders lets him. Though I have heard of some patrons who have increased the pace of a group either to punish the group or to blow it apart, he will find that not keeping on good terms with others will back fire. And so, if you make the peleton angry. They will hurt you either by not cooperating (a passive aggressive tactic) or by defying or attacking — not so passive, but certainly aggressive.

You need help in order to succeed. For example, you may be the best in a group, but you cannot win by yourself. The classic example is George Hincapie’s fourth place in Paris-Robaix in 1991.

George was the contender. However, it was impossible for him to mark each of the attacks which came from members of the same team. Had he some team mates with him? He very likely would’ve won.