Yeah, I dunno, this is the issue I mentioned with route choice. Being the faster rider but losing because you picked a worse route would suck. It doesn't matter how much research you do, there could always been changes in road conditions that ruin it for some riders.
I think that is what makes it a really exciting race. It isn't just about cycling fast its about travelling and navigating fast. Gives it a wacky racer feel. Different type of race though isn't it
And presumably your average speed after a 10h45 sleep is higher than if you had simply powered on.