You usually meet them just as you are recovering from the rigors of last season and are looking forward to some easy spins to get your condition back into good shape.
They have probably been training since August or September when you were just finishing up your last events so they are absolutely flying.
Their bike is usually a giveaway. Its top of the range, stripped for racing with light wheels – tyres the full works, in fact no hack bike is good enough for the winter racer.
Every time they go to the front they accelerate and accelerate and accelerate as you either let them away up the road or are dragged along with lungs burning, heart rates through the ceiling, covered in sweat (even though its freezing temperatures) and cursing to yourself with whatever little breath that you have left.
