Good money, no team tactics and cute dogs: the rise of pro cycling freelancers

The difference, from the article, seems to be that the European teams are sponsored at the organization level, and pay the riders a salary, but the gravel riders are solo athletes, so they don't get a salary but can get sponsorships directly. Makes sense if you're up for the pressure of being an influencer.

I always figured TdF was a good metaphor for software innovation, because everyone who tries solo breakaways gets reeled in: successful breakaways involve partners who pull together to stay ahead of the pack.

Frankly, "a collaboration between you and the brand to tell a real story", translated back to the software world, sounds to me like a way to always be living on what you have coming, instead of having the ability to live off of what you have built.

And yet, the last rider interviewed characterizes it as a "more secure" line of work.

> I’m now making a lot more than I was on a factory team and feel more secure than ever. My salary is diversified across many brands, but if you’re on a team and they have a bad year, that has huge consequences.

Presumably this isn't true for everyone, and most low level domestiques are better off getting $60,000 a year from their team (more or less guaranteed - even if the contract is only for a year and there's some risk of bankruptcy) than rolling the dice on an Instagram/YouTube/TikTok career.

The narrower and vegetation lined winding paths typical in gravel decrease the potential benefits of teamwork. So a top racer does not need a team of servants to ride him to the final. The single day events without having team cars following on trac and extensive long on-tour medical/logistic staff for a whole team, non of which the 'servants' would be able to afford.