But that might cause the LEL (2017) problem with too many riders dawdling, mistakenly thinking they can make up time later.
Why is that a problem?
If the answer is "because if they dawdle they will eventually be out of time at the finish", then surely the objective of preventing them dawdling is still achieved if you say "we
recommend that in order to finish on time, you should arrive here by xx:xx."
If they ignore the recommendations then that's their own lookout, but if they know what they're doing, let them.
I don't buy anyone would dawdle to such an extent that they will be out of time at the finish with only
recommended intermediate control timings, but
wouldn't dawdle if they said they might enforce them but in reality never did (as is the case now).
Here's a theory, and it is only a theory, maybe someone can prove/disprove: if anyone finishes with a minute to spare, if they have slept
at all, or even not gone a constant speed all the time, they must by definition have been out of time at some point.
(That point may not necessarily be a control, but it could be argued that is a moot point.)
The point where they were most out of time being just after they have woken up from their last sleep.
Whether they are out of time
by the next control, then simply becomes a case of where they can place their sleep stop, and thus imho limits choice of location unnecessarily. Just after a control and you might be ok, but if there's an ideal sleep stop about 5km before a control it's a PITA.