rubiksoval

Unless you're doing this in a corner or something where they'll eat a curb, they're just talking crap. Ignore them. They're not going to crash.

Ttoc6

They'll move before they crash. If they really dont want you to take the wheel they'll muscle you off with a hand or something.

carpediemracing 

Done right there's no real "take" as much as there is a "inheritance of position" when the field naturally meanders. It's like the basketball move where one offensive player simply stays put, a teammate goes past him, and the defender either has to avoid the stationary offensive player or run into him. A good defender will read the play and react accordingly.

So if the field sets up for a right turn by moving a bit left, you simply move up when the person in front of you goes left a bit too much. Then when they go into the right hand corner you're already there. You've taken the wheel but it's not like you're "stealing it", it's just letting the pack's natural ebb and flow work for you.

In the last few laps of a crit, especially the last lap, the group typically strings out, allowing someone that can shelter well to move up. The trick is to not get into the logjams. If everyone was moving up on the right side before the first turn, that may get log jammed on the last lap. Etc.

Here's the thing. If the rider in front of you doesn't move more left, then you wait. For example:


In the above video, at about 13:45, I get on Shovel's wheel (shovelhd here on bf). Another rider fights me for the wheel. It's not a hard fight per se, there was no contact, but he was definitely looking to edge me off the wheel. At about 14:34, going through the left, Shovel moves a bit more to the left, the other rider is in the spot, and therefore I can't move over. I've just lost the wheel. And even though we were coming up to the bell, it wasn't a game ending thing. Shovel's my friend, he was trying to give me a hand, so I broadcast I wasn't on his wheel by riding past him.

In order to get back on Shovel's wheel I disengage and wait. A minute later, halfway through the last lap, Shovel reappears, lets me get on, and I go. I have to fight again for the wheel but not as much (because of the increased pace in the last lap).

As Shovel ramps up the speed to lead me out, there is no more fight. Tangent tip - That's the whole idea of a leadout - you make it so fast it's hard to move up or ride two wide, and therefore your sprinter doesn't have to fight.

A prime example of a good leadout at the end of this clip (my favorite, tbh), at about 8:00:

Ironically those are about the only leadouts I have on video.

If you watch my clips, you can see that I make a habit of sitting at the back, then moving up quite quickly in the last lap or three (if I'm good or I'm nervous I move up at 5 to go, if I'm not feeling great I wait until the last lap or so). You can see that I pretty much never touch anyone, never force an issue, I just let the ebb and flow of the pack work for me.

A last lap move up. Watch the clip from about 7:00, then watch it again. Note the rider in the wind at 7:04, to the left - really a pointless place to be, no shelter when there's a ton of shelter to be had, working hard when it's not necessary to work hard. That's the guy that thought I was moving up aggressively. Ironically I follow him a bit shortly after. I back off a bit when he puts himself in a tight spot and has to brake/coast to make sure he stays upright. Watch where I ride in the field - riders naturally move left and right, I ease into the spots they leave. I move when I can, wait when I can't. You can't see my eyes looking down but that's how I check to see if it's clear to move over, if my back wheel is clear. I manage to move through the group pretty quickly (it's a one minute lap, give or take) but do not take the win: