Just done my first race. I stayed with the lead pack and kept out of the wind as much as possible. I had a little "attack" but this was met with a few jeers as it was a bit tame. I had lots more in the tank at the end and wished I had given it more earlier.
Looking for attacking techniques and when attacking, are people looking to form small breaks or solo? When I attacked I was afraid I would be hung out to dry.
Very much a new starter.
Cheers.
IME, in 3/4 cat races, no one will go with you, just get fit enough to make a really good attack, or do it on a climb to split the bunch, or save it for the sprint and try to do something there.
Cheers, when you say get fit enough to do a really good attack, solo to finish?
I like the climb idea.
Thanks
Road or circuit? Sounds about right from my limited experience. Attack and you'll probably end up with a couple of people on your wheel who won't want to do any work. Reckon save as much as you can for the last lap then either sprint or try and go early.
Edit... You might find [url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-long-to-be-a-credible-cat-4-or-am-i-just-crap-road-content ]this thread[/url] useful/depressing 🙂
Again limited experience, I guess it depends on how early or late you make it. Small break possibly has the best chance but lots of variables.
First time I had three come across early on, one dropped back again but worked well with the other two and we stayed out.
Last time early on again, no interest so sat up and dropped back in.
Attacks and breakaways can work at 3/4 - my last 3 races have been won from a break (solo, break of 2 and a break of 8). This however might be to do with the racing scene being smaller up here and many of the racers knowing one another and that probably means a bit more co-operation even if riding for different clubs/teams. When to go depends alot on your strengths as a rider and also the course. If you want someone to work with then at 3/4 level i suspect its probably better not to initiate the break yourself, let someone else do it then bridge rather than just having someone coming across to mark.
Generally you want to attack when its hard (unless that difficulty is caused by a headwind). Attack hard for the first few seconds dont make it easy for the group to get towed along in your wheel. When you go, you have to commit to it - if you get caught then there is a good chance you will be cooked for the sprint.
Excellent, cheers. This is road racing by the way. I do like hills so I suppose give it some up them and see if I can split it up a bit. Nice.
Make life easy for yourself and attack when it's unexpected. Everyone expects an attack on hills and you have to fight super-hard to get a gap, so on the flat or descent after the hill instead. Wait until a breakaway has been caught and everyone stops for a breather, then go like the clappers. You can even put in a gentle attack to stir the pot and with a bit of encouragement, you'll find that the speed picks up considerably and no-one actually knows why. You just sit in a watch. When they realise they're hooning along for no reason, they'll slow down. That's your cue. Or go after a prime sprint. Follow the sprinters but don't blow your box going for the line, just keep on after the prime winners ease up.
I've used all these tactics to win or place in 3/4 and 2nd cat races. They don't work on E12s though; they are fast and smart. You will get your legs ripped off but it will be fun trying - better than being an anonymous sitter-in.
I like the prime one!
To have successful tactics you need to understand your strengths and limitations.
On average a 3/4 road race will be about 25 mph average and 2 hours long.
If you can average more than that for 2 hours on your own then you are going to win easy. If you can't then you need to figure out how long you could solo for above that speed ( it will be a touch faster towards the end)
If its less than say 5 miles ( that you could solo at higher than average speed) then you are into using other people for either a group break (where you can share the work) or if you have a good sprint you can get yourself into position to take the win in the last 50m
I'm a 3rd cat and would love to think I could just ride off the front (and still sometimes try to) but its doomed to failure for me. My best performances are when I conserve energy until late in the race and try to get in the points ( but its not always the most fun way to ride)
The middle road for me is to be on the front or close and let a few go off the front without chasing them down too soon. If its looking as if they are serious then I will try and bridge across and hope we can work together-but it needs to be 5/6 riders minimum. Good luck
Agree with crispy cross - don't attack on hills as in 3/4 races usually someone will have upped the pace considerably anyway,and it usually slows at the crest for a breather, so just get yourself towards the front and chip off after the hill if relatively flat. (will be hard to get away on a long descent unless you are a loony)
When you do go though, make sure it is a strong effort and you haven't towed the bunch for a mile before realising it....
Keep an eye out for strong riders (who you will get to know the more you race) and try to mark them and jump on the wheel when they decide to go, just make sure you take a short turn on the front compared to theirs
On average a 3/4 road race will be about 25 mph average and 2 hours long.
Slightly O/T but how much difference will a racing group make to that speed? Will a bunch of 18mph solo riders ride at 25mph when together or is the difference closer than that?
You will get your legs ripped off but it will be fun trying - better than being an anonymous sitter-in.
Think next time out it's this for me. Never going to place in a sprint so may as well go have some fun 🙂
Slightly O/T but how much difference will a racing group make to that speed? Will a bunch of 18mph solo riders ride at 25mph when together or is the difference closer than that?
From my limited experience, last race I did was 24 mph in a bunch at an avg power (top end of z2) that would see me doing about 20 mph solo. I do find myself in the wind a lot though. If you were good at sitting in then it'd be considerably less.
I would say once you are sitting out of the wind in a racing bunch anyone who can average 18-20 will be OK -
I average 18-20 and when racing over the same course a comfortable. It is less about a long effort more about a serious of full on sprints through the race so intervals is more use as training than steady rides.
In terms of tactics. Have a dig, it may work. I won a race attacking on a fairly benign bit of road. One guy came across and we rode on to the finish alone. Everyone was expecting the winning move on the big hill so when people attacked those that followed brought across everyone else.
Attack late, nothing sticks in 3/4 and everyone chases everything. Let the stronger guys get tired chasing all the earlier moves.
Counter attack - wait for a break to be caught then go.
Follow moves - learn who is strong and when you see a couple of them go, make sure you are with them. Don't follow the chancers as they'll never keep it up.
If you go, go hard. You need to commit everything - it can be a bit all or nothing as you may struggle once caught if it doesn't work. But if you don't commit you'll get caught.
Learn the course, pick your races and know what is coming. I like hilly courses and a hilly finish. We rode as a team this year at Richmond - plan was same as last year. I went hard from the start up the first climb on the front of the bunch. We eliminated 2/3rds of the field never to be seen again. Some hadn't warmed up well enough and others weren't suited to following a hill bunch of hill climbers going full pelt up a very long hill. If you can work out good places to go before hand then it helps. Problem is figuring out what will work. Tailwinds make it fast and everybody feels good so will chase. Headwinds make it impossible to stay away from a working group. Cross winds potentially but 3/4 are never skilled enough to get a good echelon. My best experiences have come from corners. A change in wind, particularly into a headwind when you already have a gap stops as many people being as willing to chase. Use the cross wind to get the advantage. Not pro tactics since they know how to chase. 3/4 aren't organised though and everybody is trying to hide from the wind as there are no domestiques.
Learn to sprint 75% of races end in one around here.
Jonba, thanks for that, useful stuff.
I've only done one race.. I keep going over it thinking of things I could've done.. 🙂