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@Arducius
I'm a bit late to the party here but there was some discussion of backstops earlier and talk of the people most suited to this not wanting to ride at the back. That's probably because it's actually a pretty hard job:
You need to be confident in the route if the group splinters so you can guide the group back to the front lot when they realise they've dropped you.
You have to ride to someone else's pace, which especially on a FG can be more tiring than finding a good rhythm and plugging along in someone's slipstream.
You have to be prepared to give someone your wheel if they're in need of a break from the wind.
If you're not sticking religiously to the back then you have to keep track of those people you pass (e.g. on a climb) and make sure they re-pass you again before you hammer off into the sunset, or let the group know there are still more off the back if you catch them at a stop.
I've only done the job once and it made the ride significantly harder. Maybe that's because I've only done the job once, but perhaps goes some way to explaining why people are reluctant to do it?