Giro 2006 part 2

So Cyclingnews reports that Petacchi is out, leaving a definite hole in the sprinter's ranks. The weather has been bad, roads slippery and wet, so a fall or 2 expected. In a peloton of this size you have several options. Ride up front to see what's happening and risk doing the odd turn (or asking your domestiques to do it anyway); ride in the middle and risk missing some attacks and possibly getting involved in a few falls; ride at the back and risk the 'rubber band effect' as well as maximising your likelihood of falling; or ride on the edges and risk being pushed out the side into the gutter. Of course a peloton is a dynamic beast so at any one time you or your teammates may have a good reason to be in any or all of those positions... which brings into play luck as well as good knowledge of local conditions.