Problem lies in sport ethics. I am no care bear, elbowing in sprint or closing a rider in so that he doesn't pass under you in a road curve are OK, it is called smart riding, but it shouldn't turn into a virtual physical attack. Once somebody is pretty well on your side, it is too late to close him in and it is unsporting if you do it. In my books, that is a physical attack, same as if you pulled the rider in front of you by his dress or used your hand to push in to topple him on his side.
Like I watched cross country race where in the finish the leading skier didn't go in, for him, the shortest track to the finish line but went out of his way by stepping into the adjoining track where the other skier was in just behind him, thus making his path to the finish longer, because it meant the skier that threatened to pass him on that side then had to go around him.
Hypothetically, would it be acceptable on some narrow road for a team to line up side to side to completely close the road and slow down to a dawdle, when one or more their team members made an escape?
I mean, where are we, do we accept the win if that means not who is physically better, smart riding, at the end of the race but who dares to be more aggressive in sidelining or even muscling his opponents? For example, is it acceptable in automobile racing for you to keep swinging wildly from left to right side of the road, so as to prevent those behind you passing? That may be acceptable in some gladiator style sports (I believe some car races actually are like that) but not in sport as it should be nowadays, if we want to call it sport, not a show..
Last edited by vane171; 08-12-20 at 11:51 AM.