There's fun to be had here if you play the game slightly differently.
The first hint of sunshine and the country roads.round here are heaving with roadies and TT boys who are otherwise afraid to ride in the wet or cold.
I I often encounter them while on my commute, and this is where the fun starts.
Any good rider will have full 360 degree awareness and will note these mobile sponsors billboards coming up behind (it always amazes me when helmet cam footage shows riders blasting across junctions with the head not turning left or right or looking behind, but that's another story).
Once you're aware they're behind you keep a.discrete tab on where they are. It's inevitable that once they spot you they'll put on a spurt to catch you up and take you. Let them expend their energy and just as they get 20 or so feet from you open up the taps. You'll have fresh legs and lungs, so even on a less than optimum sportive bike with lights, guards and rucksack I usually have no difficulty keeping them at bay. I'm a good climber, at least over short to intermediate distances, so if I can time it coming up to an incline then So much the better.
It's much more fun, so much more subtle, and three times more annoying than waiting until they've passed and then hauling them back in a fit of pique.
