Truly genuine Q. I Googled and got nothing of value RE: understanding the actual strategy.

My understanding is that it’s utter insanity. You KNOW you’re going to fail. The peloton is a bullet train, you’re now a sparrow in the wind, in it’s path.

Is it a true fact that anyone who makes an early break and is then eaten by the peloton has NEVER podiumed a stage?

Is there some background money from TdF for early pushers, just to keep it entertaining?

I know about sacrificing yourself to try to tire out the other team’s champ riders. I do get that.

But I’ve seen it happen a bunch of times WAY too early, and they aren’t pulling or fooling anyone, everyone else hangs in the peloton, so that strategy isn’t the reason, and 3-6 riders keep pushing and go like they are really pushing for the win….with over 150 km to go. And then fall back into the peloton, never to be seen again near the front.

That’s NEVER gonna work….right???