"Slipstream" in sprints

[team fl]

In today's 10h race, I had a revelation. It seems that riders who chase a backwheel but who are not directly at that wheel, may also save energy due to "slipstream". At least this seems to be the case with the sprint algorithm. So, either I missed that completely, or it is something that doesn't happen often.

To explain it with the example of today's sprint:

- 250m - Abreha (Team FL) started his sprint, while Dumbliauskas (OL) tried to get his wheel and started doing that also at 150m. Dumbliauskas was a bit behind Abreha and in the sprint review seemed even to lose space against Abreha, meaning: Abreha was faster at that point. At the end of the simulation, Dumbliauskas was about a wheel width behind Abreha.

- 200m - The gap between Abreha and Dumbliauskas stabilised. Both were roughly equally fast.

- 150m - Dumbliauskas now gets faster than Abreha and manages to close the gap before the 50m simulation is over and gets Abreha's backwheel.

My question now is: Who knows that this is a thing? Is this new or has this always been the case (or since when)?

Disclaimer: This is not a complain, but I want to understand it to be better suited in future sprints .

[Hansa]

i know this is a thing happens rarely because it needs a very specific situation.

not sure if it was there forever but i knew this for a longer time already.

[flockmastoR]

i know this is a thing happens rarely because it needs a very specific situation.

not sure if it was there forever but i knew this for a longer time already.

Also think that this happened before and is intended.