Criteriums

[1morcyclist]

Anybody got suggestions for racing crits?

I did my first crit this year (3 all together in my short racing experience) and it was awful!

I raced in a Women's CAT 4 race....and held on for about 4 or 5 laps out of 19 laps. Not very good! What's frustrating is I'm riding with women that I normally can keep up with in a normal ride.

Does anyone have any training tips or racing tips on how I can stay with the group for an entire race?

[chicagogal]

Anybody got suggestions for racing crits?

I did my first crit this year (3 all together in my short racing experience) and it was awful!

I raced in a Women's CAT 4 race....and held on for about 4 or 5 laps out of 19 laps. Not very good! What's frustrating is I'm riding with women that I normally can keep up with in a normal ride.

Does anyone have any training tips or racing tips on how I can stay with the group for an entire race?

In terms of training: Intervals, intervals, intervals. 2x20s, and 3x3min,3x2min (x2) are my old standbys.

Racing: Stay near the front but not at the front (to avoid the accordion effect). Basically, try to do as little work as possible. If your goal is to finish in the field, don't follow attacks. Sit in. But keep it tight. If you let a gap open up, you will have to fill it, and that will cost energy. Gear a little low (lower than on a club ride) so that you are ready to respond to a surge, or a sprint out of a corner, if you have to.

[1morcyclist]

Thanks for advice.

What about cornering? That tends to be difficult for me.