>The paper’s abstract asserts that race leaders get support from multiple riders to get back to the peloton. That’s just wrong. Wrong if the leader gets droppe

>The paper’s abstract asserts that race leaders get support from multiple riders to get back to the peloton. That’s just wrong. Wrong if the leader gets dropped early on in a quiet stage, but absolutely true if they get dropped during a more difficult racing situation. I can think of numerous instances where the entire team has gone back to get the boss - it's an act of desperation, but it does happen, particularly at times when there are multiple groups on the road and the team cars aren't where you'd want them to be. It really isn't uncommon for two or three riders to go back if the boss loses a lot of time in a crash or a mechanical. Perhaps more to the point, this general situation (needing to deliver the boss to the front in the most efficient way possible) is something that sprinter-led teams will do towards the end of practically every flat stage, in the form of a lead-out. The aerodynamics and tactics are slightly different than when recovering a dropped leader, but it's the same basic approach of using a pace line. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbUOUZGf_Qg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbUOUZGf_Qg