The dynamics of a team cycling event are always fascinating.  One rider will “win”, of course, but in truth this is a team race – not just at the scholastic level but the professional level too.  High school riders have nothing so glamorous as a yellow jersey to compete for individually (not even a green or polka dot one).  Nevertheless it’s still Sakamichi-kun who’s wearing that “#1” on his back, and he’s the one all the reporters wanted to interview after the last inter-high (not that he would call that a perk).

Cooperation between teams – even direct rivals – is a part of those dynamics.  Shared goals trump everything else, which is why even Sohoku and Hakone can cooperate to get to the front.  The problem is that Midousuji has used the peloton to outflank them.  Having been tugged back by that school of piranha, his legs are fresh.  And so are those of his team – well, apart from two of his team (and he has other plans for them, anyway).

Once the peloton hove into view,, the eight riders in the first chase pack had nothing to do but accelerate and try and leave them behind.  Unfortunately Teshima was slow to react, and winds up being swallowed by the pack.  Naturally his shadow Aoyagi falls back to help him, but that leaves Sohoku outnumbered at the front.  Naruko and Kaburagi still cooperate with the Hakone riders and catch their teammates at the head of the race, but now Sohoku is crucially outnumbered six to four.  Abs does the classy thing and tells his team not to attack until Sohoku settle in and decide their strategy, a recognition of the fact that their cooperation was essential in catching the leaders.  But that truce can only hold so long, especially with Midousuji and three teammates breathing down their neck.

Narratively this causes a problem: to wit, yet more focus on TeshimAoyagi.  They just aren’t that interesting, those two, and while Onoda and Imaizumi did at least appear this week (Yamshita Daiki gets to punch his time card at last) TeshimAoyagi are the main focus.  So – was Aoyagi right to stay behind and try to pull Teshima back to the front?  It’s debatable.  Five riders at the front would unquestionably be better than four.  But generally speaking these long haul races are decided on the climbs, and Teshima is Sakamichi’s only lieutenant for those.  As such, he’s more important to Sohoku’s chances than Aoyagi.

That’s the strongest case for what Aoyagi did.  But let’s be honest, he did it because Teshima is his soulmate and he considers their relationship far more important than the team as a whole.  TeshimAoyagi is the real team as far as these two are concerned – which is one reason Sohoku will be stronger when they’re gone, their three aces are third-years, and all six riders will be pulling towards the same goal.  But for now, this is the squad Sohoku has.  Aoyagi will certainly be spent even if he manages to drag his buddy back with him, and Teshima might too.  But it’s a gamble they now have no choice but to take.

As for the second phase of Chimera-kun’s plan, it’s pretty dubious.  Using the zaku the way he did was fair game, but having Yamaguchi and Funatsu behind to block TeshimAoyagi is not.  Controlling the pace of a group is one thing – literally blocking other riders is exceptionally taboo.  But hey, Midousuji is Midousuji – his absolute devotion to winning at all costs is what defines him.  If I were Teshima I’d have told Yamaguchi where he could stick his “race” and worked on figuring out how to get past those two, but accepting was pretty much in-character.  I hope it’s settled next week, because the biggest problem with “Glory Line” was too little focus on the Sohoku big three and Manami, and I hate to think it might also be a long-term issue with “Limit Break”.