I think the difference is that you can have a very easy race on the road, which you can't really on an MTB (and expect a good result that is).
I always try and be pro-active and get into breaks and what not on the road, but usually get beaten by a sit in sprinter. Even then, I've never been anywhere near as wiped out as after an XC race.
You just can't do the sit in thing in an XC race - fastest rider wins.
Fastest rider always wins in a road race as well!
People call time trials the "race of truth" but the real race of truth is the road race. You need to be able to use your head and your legs to win a road race, so it is a true test of an athlete.
There are different ways to win, so if you are not a sprinter, you need to race to your particular strengths instead.
In an absolute sense yes you're right, but not in the same way. You can't be a sit in sprinter in an XC race.
I'm not denying the skill in the tactics of road racing, brute strength will only get you so far of course, I'm just saying that you can get a good result in a road race without doing very much, whilst a stronger rider who spends the day in a break may finish behind you absolutely ruined. That won't happen in an XC race.
What I'm not sure about though is calling a road race a 'race of truth' - that's definitely a moniker which better suits TTs IMO. Road racing is more a 'race of fitness, skills, brains, luck and a good team', which just isn't as catchy.
Fastest rider always wins in a road race as well!
Not true - if the fastest rider has got boxed in then he won't win. If he's sat at the back and misjudged the time to come through he's not ging to win. I know plenty of fast people who are just unlucky or who don't have the tactical nous to win.
To win a road race you need to be tactically aware, technically good (to get round corners etc with other riders inches away from you) and also have a good mix of all out sprinting power and staying power. Being fast enough to ride off the front of the bunch is good too but it's very rare you get away with that more than once!
Wynne how did you find Beastway... I love it, a great work out. Did the first few this year but then my MTB died and I'm also concentating more on triathlon this year, so that's why I've been seduced by road riding
I enjoyed it - they manage a good circuit given the space and terrain. I got hauled into it as three club mates wanted to put a team together.
I did it on my cross bike, which was fast, but got bounced around a lot on the rutted ground. I started right at the back of 90 odd riders and overtook about 50 of them, ended up 43rd but finished well above the fourth group I started with. So all in all I was pleased.
By the way I reckon you're doing it the right way round. Coming from a mountain biking background means your bike handling skills will probably be pretty good. On the other hand, some of the triathletes I've met on group rides make me nervous...
Triathletes are infamous for being totally unable to ride bikes, and I think it's justified!
Fastest rider always wins in a road race as well!
Could not be more wrong! (unless you just mean the person that goes from start line to finish line on that particular event in the shortest time - but that's just pedantic)
...if the fastest rider has got boxed in then he won't win. If he's sat at the back and misjudged the time to come through he's not ging to win...
If you get boxed in, or misjudge the finish, you're not the fastest rider. Not being pedantic, but making the point that winning a road race is all about getting over the line first, however you do it.
I've been beaten in lots of sprint finishes by riders that I could have easily left for dead in a time trial. However, in these situations the other guys were the fastest when it mattered. To win races I had to ride to my own strengths and eliminate the challenge from sit-in sprinters before the end of the race.
It's the variety of outcomes in a road race, and the fact that you can compensate for straight line speed by using your head, that makes it such a challenging and interesting sport.
If you get boxed in, or misjudge the finish, you're not the fastest rider
Aah, so you are just being facaetious then?
It's the variety of outcomes in a road race, and the fact that you can compensate for straight line speed by using your head, that makes it such a challenging and interesting sport.
How does that make it a race of truth though - more so than a TT, which really is 99.9% fitness?
What you have described there (which I totally agree with) in my opinion is why your initial statement was incorrect. I'd go with the most intelligent (in a road craft rather than academic sense - have you heard John Tanner trying to string a sentence together!) rider wins. Question of semantics though I guess.
I've been taking semantics for years and they haven't helped me.
I thank you. Good night.
Ro5ey glad that was a positive experience for you, get yourself a licence, you'll have the added incentive of gaining points to make 3rd cat!
Hey Ro5ey, well done dude! Chapeau! Excellent.
Glad to hear you got on OK. Time to move on up eh?
Remember though...
Any fool can ride a bike when they're feeling fine fresh and funky. But when you feel like shit and some fecker is turning the screw, that's when it counts.
SB 
Good effort. Crit racing is one of the few sports where you have to be good to be crap. There is a relatively high level of ability even in 4th Cat races compared to many other disciplines. Try a 3/4 race and the pace will generally be a bit higher, and may involve attacking groups. 2/3/4 races are HARD and will generally have even more breaks often splitting the field into multiple pacelines/chaingangs with riders attacking from and dropping back between groups.
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