Risk of crashing in the sprint

[Luna]

In reality many riders opt not to take part in the final sprint because they don't want to take any risk only for finishing 10th or 15th. Here we don't have crashes or injuries. But maybe we could make the lesser sprint values lose more energy in the sprints. Don't have an idea right now of how much energy that should be and where the limit is for howm uch sprint skill you need to get the familiar energy loss. But for example in a stage race I maybe would chose not to sprint with my climber in a mass sprint or hill sprint when he would start with less than 1000 energy at the difficult stage at the next day, only to get under the top 20 of the day. Even sprint values of around 70 should lose a significant amount of energy compared to the sprint specialists, because they should have to think well before contesting a sprint finale. If they have a chance to win, maybe after a hill in the last few km, then it would be worth losing much energy for it and starting a little tired the next day. what do you think?

[Luna]

Maybe it should depend on the highest sprint skill present in the group or peloton, 'cause it should be less a mess when a group of 70 sprinters battle it out after having distanced the sprint specialists during the race.

[Robyklebt]

Was going to write that, but faster, grrr.

Other solution might be: Crashes. Chances to crash for weak sprinters, increasing if many try to get the same wheel. Almost no crash chance for strong sprinters, needs 6 or so on the same wheel to have a chance to crash, stronger for weak sprinters. Crash would mean last places in that group. plus less energy the next day, only start with 900-950, depending on the severity of the crash. And if rider A crashes, the guy following him (or the guys) directly have a big chance to crash as well. Here again, a good sprint value increases the chances of avoiding the crash.

[Luna]

I like that. It's more connected to a real order of events, it's more logical.

[Cerro Torre RT]

Me too, for same reasons as mentioned. And i like the way to have 0 risk in many cases and only a possibility to crash in some few situations.

[ariostea]

should depend too on the fact how many riders take part in a sprint in general and not only on the fact how many riders try to take the same wheel. in a 6men group , with 5 riders choosing the same wheel it should be less dangerous (for everybody) than in a mass sprint. the otherway around: in a mass sprint it should be more dangerous (especially for not-sprinters) even if you do not choose a wheel at all but go to the sprint. but fighting for a wheel should be the most dangerous and increase the risk, that´s right.

the idea of being last in the group and having less energy on the next day after a crash is good. i ilke it.

[olmania]

needs 6 or so on the same wheel to have a chance to crash

If I and 2-3 others teams put all the helpers in the same strong wheel to make a crash ...
Dangerous tactics !

[Cerro Torre RT]

Solveable. Let's say there need to be 3 or 4 riders of a ability range of 10 (the strongest 3 or 4) that try to take one wheel. Only then the strong riders have a chance to crash. All the weaker ones have much bigger chances to fall, so a team just putting riders anywhere to produce crashes does not achieve anything but has all the risk himself. You can see that like that: for the crash chances of the strongest sprinter taking that wheel only those other riders that try, too, are counted that have, with all possible coincidence, at least some chance to get the wheel. The others are chanceless, they even don't make it to a position fight with the best ones and do their crashes behind them.

A dependence to the total size of the sprint is good. And for sure, the risk to crash has to be relative, allways dependend on the strongest sprinters available in the sprint. But I thnik the last point is clear anyway.

[Neutrogena]

I don't think we should leave winning a sprint even more to chance. It's pretty rare anyway that more than 2 riders try taking the same wheel and they are punished enough anyway when they don't take it.

[Luna]

I could live with it leaving the chance of crashing to those riders who are not specialists for a risky manoeuvring high speed mass sprints.