Originally Posted by steven.burkard

Alright all, need to settle an argument between teammates.

In a Road Race, 90k or so, with 40 riders and 3 teams with 6 or more riders, what is the best tactic for a smaller team with 3 or 4 riders? Some specifics:

• My team has a rider who is a breakaway guy, one sprinter, and a couple of guys happy to hang in the pack
• 2 of the large teams really only share a jersey and don't ride as a team
• 1 team rides with a plan, and usually wants to keep everything together until the final hill with 2k to go
• This race will split on the second lap (big hill at the turnaround) and the final group is usually about 20 or so riders

I am the breakaway guy, and want to go up the road 1/2 way through the first lap (20k in), hopefully with another rider or two and commit to sticking it. My teammates want to sit in the pack, never see the front, and sprint at the end.

What is the better tactic?