In my 20's, every group ride was a World Championship. I always got caught in the middle and rode alone for most of it.
Now, 40 years later, I found my group, mainly a bunch of retirees or nearly so. We still stomp it pretty good, but no one gets dropped or left behind. What's the point of getting up early and riding alone? We regroup at the top of a climb or the next turn, even though every has GPS now. So much more fun!