Track Etiquette

Sorry RPM, bad wording. My question was really how it would be handled in a racing scenario where things are more sensitive to error.
Assuming all riders are experienced, let's say I look back and there's no one behind me, I rush the gap on rider 3 as you mention, is it then an acceptable tactic to overtake close enough to pin rider 3 in place until you've moved past, knowing that he would look before moving from his position(as Oz mentions below)?

I can comment on some of these things from racing in the league last year at HH. Moving up from the Bs the year before into the As, things get far more aggressive. One thing I noticed in particular that was quite off putting at first was how close overtaking riders get to you. Literally touching elbows. You soon get used to it and if you race in a regular league, you soon get used to what riders are likely to do what and at what point in a race. If I know I have a rider on my wheel who I can outsprint, I find it important to make the jump before they do otherwise, it may be too late and you will be boxed in. Conversely, if you can find a good wheel to sit on, someone you know is a great sprinter, then the idea is to sit on it for as long as you can.

Its really all about holding your line and making sure that you know exactly what you are doing. If everyone did this and looked before acting there would be no crashes (except for mechanical failure) unfortunately this isn't always the case and every year there seems to be at least one pretty serious crash in the league due to riders not paying attention. But, they don't always happen during the sprints. Usually, with about 1 and 1/2 laps to go, where everyone is moving up and down the track jockeying for postion. Very often, it happens when the two front riders swing up at the same time and there is a wheel clip. Thats why staying in a straight line and not half wheeling is so important.

I always say that you have to pay more attention racing than you do when cycling in the London traffic and far far more attention than you would say, driving on a motorway where the look, signal, maneuver law is the first thing any driving instructor will teach you