carpediemracing 

I personally sprint if I can for a place, even if the win/money is up the road. I virtually never make the break so if I get a chance to enjoy a sprint I'll do it. Last year I only finished 4? 5? races well enough to even think about sprinting, and only one after Bethel. I don't think I've ever sprinted for 48th but I've sprinted for 12th or so (in a 6 place race) and similar. I've also sprinted for 5th in a race where a 10 rider break was up the road, only to learn there was no break and I was in the money.

Also, for some sprints in the lower categories (3-4-5), it's possible to win or place top 3 in a sprint from 20 back at 400m to go, 200m if it's an uphill finish, or from last place in a field of say 80-90 riders with a mile to go. I've won and gotten second after being slightly off the back at the bell in a sub-mile crit course; I've gotten 2nd and 3rd launching from 20 back with 250 to go. I got 3rd and I was pretty much last in the field at 400m to go. Etc.

I sprint with my eyes up, looking down only to check my six or to see what the others around (behind) me are doing. Anyone sprinting with their head down is an idiot.

Most of the sprint crashes I've seen are pretty far up front, like in the first 6-8 riders. If you're 20th and not sitting up you may get away without crashing, but if you're sitting 8th or 10th then you're hitting the deck hard. My last fall in a race I was sitting 4th in the field when the guy in 3rd wheel swerved across the road. At Somerville in 2010 the guy in 6th swung across the road at maybe 400m to go, taking out a slew of riders. In Harlem 2010 the guy leading out the sprint crashed. I agree that crashes in the back don't have a great "reward for price paid" ratio but they're also typically a result of poor judgment in leaving room, in looking, in technique, etc. It's not just the place you get, it's also how you do it.

I also sit up in sprints. If I can't go I simply can't go, it's not like I plan on blowing up 10m from the line, it just happens. People behind me should be sprinting with their heads up.

Ironically pros will try harder now for a place than before because UCI points make the lower placings worth more. There was some complaining initially (when UCI points in whatever format made their mark - before that it was top 10 or so in the classics and a bit deeper in the Tours) that making the points deeper will make sprints more dangerous as well as encourage domestiques to hold something back so they have a decent finish. I think that's sort of the case now, although not to the extent it used to be (now that racers aren't free to super-dope themselves - that rule change happened around when EPO hit so it was a double whammy).

I firmly believe that all regular category races lapped riders should be pulled (meaning a Cat 5, 4, 3, any mix of 2-3 categories, etc race). For races that have a wide spread of abilities for Juniors and Women (typically Cat 1-4) where there are very few racers (nationally, regionally, locally, and at the race that day), lapped riders can usually be kept in the race without problem. Say field sizes 40 and under. Even if the field was totally blown apart, 8 groups of 5 riders, the officials should be able to keep track of them.