Getting into racing?

[brits111383]

Hello,

My boyfriend just got his race license with USA Cycling and started to do racing. This is going to take up a lot of weekends, and I'm happy for him but kind of bummed to miss so many days to get out and ride. With that said, he thinks that I could race, but I'm not sure if I'm fast enough. Does anyone know what an average pace is for Women's Open races that are sanctioned by USA Cycling?

Thanks!

[Eden]

That's a really common question, but its not really about average speeds.... its more about your ability ride in a pack, to deal with surges and to recover. Some people who TT quite well don't do that well in pack races and can even fall off, because its a different kind of effort.

The best way to find out..... try it. That said - have at the minimum some group/ pack riding experience before you go out and jump into a race.... Be confident in your handling skills and know how to paceline. Even better, take some intro to racing classes if you can find them in your area, look for training races or workshops and best of all - join a team with other women.