I don't think John is suggesting his exception proves the rule, he is just pointing out an exception.
On MC1, it became clear that if you got through day 2, there was no way you were going to throw it away by abandoning on the last day. Clover leaf or not.* But the abandonees on the previous days certainly didn't have far to travel once they had made their decision. The weather was great btw. It was the relentless hills that got people.
I'm pretty sure I have one of the most impressive palmares in audax if DNFs are your metric. Several SRs. So on this issue you should all defer to my considerable expertise. I'm with LWAB on this, in general though. If it was a dull route, or if I'd spied a pub with an attractive beer garden, I wouldn't be getting out of bed on the second day no questions asked.
*strictly speaking it wasn't a clover leaf, as start point wasn't the same place as 2 night base.