Not your average cycle courier
That cycle couriers are among the fastest urban riders is beyond dispute, with some reportedly recorded at speeds exceeding seventy kilometres per hour when descending steep roads in controlled conditions. However, although trained riders can accelerate impressively over short distances, they could not (1) ________ sustain such speeds for long. Therefore, when making urgent deliveries, they tend to depend mainly on the (2) ________ of surprise to negotiate traffic to good effect. Otherwise, during a prolonged climb, a rider may (3) ________ wanting in stamina and, after several kilometres, have to abandon the delivery. Still on the (4) ________ of cycling, experienced couriers may cover more than fifty kilometres during a single demanding shift. Indeed, while riding at full (5) ________, their longest uninterrupted journey may easily extend for well over seven kilometres. Couriers are distinctive among urban workers, though, because, aside from impressive cycling skills, their administrative performance sometimes leaves a lot to be (6) ________. For instance, their record-keeping is not always as meticulous as clients expect. Unusually for freelance workers, however, newcomers are (7) ________ to work entirely alone, whereas experienced couriers are often more likely to (8) ________, regularly near transport hubs between deliveries. The familiar name for a group of city couriers is a crew.