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I've done a quick search and can't find this topic yet. Having taken up road biking in late 2019 I was considering racing last year as a means of setting training and goals. What I ended up doing last year was taking part in a few of the WTRL TTTs on Zwift, which developed into joining a team and taking part in the ZRL Season 2 and 3 in a "B" Cat. So thank you to STW for the encouragement!
Ahead of taking it further I read 2019's topic on road-racing https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/2019-road-racing-non-pro/page/2/ and found it full of useful information and just plain reassurance that everyone has to have a first time at a race, and it may well not go very well!
So, with armed with that info: I've got my BC Race License and signed up to my first ever real life race, Cat 4 (obvs) at Thruxton later in June. Genuinely have no idea what will happen, but I'll be delighted if I remember that unlike Zwift I will actually need to turn and succesfully avoid crashing in general.
Interested to hear about other people's experience and progress at training for and competing in events.
Interested to hear about other people’s experience and progress at training for and competing in events.
Good luck!
There was a really good thread on here (quite a few years ago now) about 4th Cat racing experiences, how to progress and so on. It ran to many many pages. Will try and find it although the 2019 thread and(within that) the 2018 racing one both have loads of info in.
It was actually this one I was thinking of:
This is good too:
https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/so-i-want-to-try-road-racing-build-a-bike-specifically-for-this/
All great threads - thanks!
I'm curious about this too. Thanks for the reminder to look into it. 👍
Riding in a pack at speed is an awesome, exhilarating and sometimes frightening experience all at once - particularly 4th cats. Thruxton is relatively flat but the wind can make a big difference. You also have the interesting challenge of the chicane where everyone tries to take the same line through the bends, not realising they have riders either side of them - more choppers than a squadron of helicopters!
It will almost certainly finish in a sprint but no doubt there will be numerous attempts at a breakaway.
General advise is to stay near the front, but the reality is that if you're not constantly moving forward you'll very quickly find yourself at the back or even off the back.
I used to find that I had about 6 big-efforts in a race, ideally keeping one for the finish but you don't want to burn your matches too early, particularly if there's a split.
Given that this is your first road race, even finishing in the bunch is a great achievement first time out, learning about bunch riding and about the dynamics of the race
I would recommend insuring your bike before a Cat 4 crit.
And maybe your collarbone 😁
Have done many crits and whilst there’s crashes it’s never a bad as folks make out. There’s crashes at all levels, it’ll happen, but most of the time it’s fine.
I’ve not raced for a few years and totally out of shape now, I spent a lot of time and effort getting race fit last year, first race back was scheduled for April 1st 2020, obviously didn’t happen and now motivation is zero.... this thread may kick start that motivation!
Anyway, my advice, use the warm up laps to think about the wind and where you need to be to get most shelter from the wind. You need to do the least amount of work possible, so got to avoid head and crosswinds. Every hard braking corner will be a sprint on the exit, the lower down the pack you are the more braking and thus more sprinting required, this gets very hard after a while so stay near the front, first 10 wheels if possible.
For your first few races let breakaways go, don’t panic as other people will bring them back.
Be prepared for the final sprint, the last couple of laps the pace will wind up, try and keep as close to the top 5 position as possible.... but keep out of the wind.
Slight humble brag....I was kind of lucky in that I moved out of 4th Cat after 3 races, 5th, 5th and 3rd positions. But this also has a downside, I’d not learned enough race craft or developed full race fitness. Moving up to the 2nd/3rd Cat races was a massive eye opener, got my legs ripped off me for the rest of the season!
Being in a breakaway is massive fun, especially one working well. But it’s a huge effort. I’ve only ever been in one that stuck, I had zero left for a sprint but still finished just ahead of the peloton. But unless your already riding at 4.5 w/kg I’d leave the breakaway for now, or at least save it for the 5 laps to go bell.
You’ll be amazed at the bikes, ranging from guys on beaten up Planet X bikes through to £12k S-Works. Lots of bling on display, don’t let that worry you as it’s all about the legs.
Last tip, make sure you can take a bottle when moving fast in a group, learn to do that without wobbling.... no need for a full bidon in my experience, I just had half a bottle of lucozade in mine.
You really ought to get some group riding experience before racing for the first time, preferably at a fast pace too (chaingang etc). Not to mention developing some real world bike handling skills.
Going straight from Zwift racing to a 4th Cat circuit race sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. Remember that you are responsible for the safey of other riders around and behind you when racing.
I wouldn't disagree with any of that, please take my collarbone comment as tongue in cheek!
The point about sprinting from the hard corners never gets stated enough, the further back in the bunch you are the harder you'll go...it wears you right down so best to sit higher up for an easier life...with the added benefit of being less likely to get caught behind anything.
Enjoy it, it's great fun...not raced since injury late 2018 and can't wait to get going again...
The point about sprinting from the hard corners never gets stated enough, the further back in the bunch you are the harder you’ll go…
The elastic band effect, those at the front are doing an easy 25mph, those at the back exiting the corner are doing 38mph just to stay in contact with the rider in front. Way harder to ride at the back of pack with tight corners that it is at the front - still you get a good workout, but you'll burn all your matches just trying to hang on exiting each corner.
You really ought to get some group riding experience before racing for the first time, preferably at a fast pace too (chaingang etc). Not to mention developing some real world bike handling skills.
Completely agreed! I re-read my post and should have mentioned, I have done many (mostly) non-competitive social rides with my local group. I am sure being in a race situation is different. My bike is valuable only in the sense that it is difficult to get new ones right now, my collarbone however i'd really like to keep intact for a while longer.
What happens when riders get lapped? I assume that's a very real possibility.
What happens when riders get lapped?
One of the marshalls dispatches them with a 12-bore. It's the kindest way to put them out of their misery.
Lapped riders, I’ve seen Commissaires pull lapped riders from the pack when they’ve been lapped, but that’s normally if there’s such a gap that it’s not deemed safe. Pretty rare though.
Generally lapped riders are encouraged to hang on with the pack, obviously common sense applies and no sprinting for the win!
Lapped riders will normally be newer to racing, so dropped from the bunch, it’s considered good riding experience for them to try and hold on to the pack.....I’ve been dropped after a failed breakaway and when the bunch comes past doing 30mph and your struggling to hold 20mph, grabbing a wheel is easier said than done! I’ve tended to cut my losses and leave the course...only done that twice though, once down to the failed breakaway and once down to race fitness. I learnt quickly that as you move up the cat’s, there’s a lot of good riders with shrewd tactics!!
To make a breakaway you need to put in a huuugggeeee attack from near ish the front but not at the front, I once put in a very weak attack from the front thinking it was immense.....two mins later I look over my shoulder expecting a big gap and the pack is freewheeling behind me! Power meter purchased after that!
It's worth putting the effort in and rolling through on the front rather than chasing at the back if you are up to it.
Always think about your position in the bunch. Think about moving up all the time. If the pace slows it will form a wide blob. Once things pick up it will form a single line and moving up will be near enough impossible. At this point if a rider 2 ahead of you loses the wheel and causes a split there is nothing much you can do.
Races tend to surge as attacks go and get caught. Keep going when it is hard as it will ease off. Maybe not a problem in short races but eat when you can because you might not be able to when it is needed.
Crashes do happen so never lose concentration. But they aren't as common as people make out. I've had one bad one in 8 or so years of regular racing.
Group riding depends on the club. I've never been on a club ride that comes close to racing. The speed, closeness/contact, motivation of riders, movement in the bunch etc. If you have done a chain gang then great, that's a bit like being in the break as it is controlled but the bunch is chaotic.
You can plan and prepare all you like but you need to get stuck in. No amount of theory will overcome practice when you start out!
Some great advice above. It does make me chuckle when everyone says 'stay in the front 15'. Very much easier said than done, certainly when I was racing (including Thruxton - eugh!) we had fields of 60-70 riders and EVERYONE wanted to be in the front fifteen heading into corners.
Thruxtons not too bad as mostly sweeping bends other than the chicane, but get 60 riders piling into a 90 degree bend or narrowing and its carnage. All the triathletes just go straight on anyway so just watch out for that, but there's plenty of elbow action and brake levers in your bum.
But number one rule for staying in the bunch - watch the front, keep your head up. Any acceleration there and start sprinting. Likewise any slow up and watch for everyone else pushing to catch up and get in the front 15. And approach every corner anticipating to sprint like hell out of it.
I spent over 20 years on and off being fairly crap and pleased to finish in the bunch, never contested a sprint, equal measures of terror and elation but its certainly exhilarating!
Good luck and give us some feedback after your first race!
I once put in a very weak attack from the front thinking it was immense
There was this one time (at band camp) when I was on the front of the pack and this guy kept trying to break away by riding about 1 mph faster than the bunch, so two extra turns on the pedal and reeled him back in. He was complaining that I wouldn't let him get away! WTF, you have to break away by being strong enough to not get reeled back in!
I never understood the complaining in road racing, either you're good enough to drop me, or you just shut up. Had the same in SSMM one year, some guy over took me and then slacked off, so I just overtook him again - he was really upset saying 'You can't just do that'. To which I repled 'I just did'.
I won a race from a 2 man break. I thought I was Jen's Voigt!
It was a hilly 3/4. I was in good climbing shape and there was 20% hill 4 times. It was completely neutralised and I escaped on a narrow bit of road slightly downhill. I cruised through and accidentally rolled off the front in a lull. Got 50m and thought I'd kick for a laugh. One guy bridged and next time check we had 3 minutes and held on to the finish.
Make plans but also improvise. See also, G. Thomas yesterday!
Well, I survived my first race without causing or being in a crash!
Lining up on the start-line it was evident that the warnings were true and despite this being "just" a cat 4 race almost nobody who turns up to a race does it on a whim and indeed most of the field looked as though they'd done quite a few of these. They had matching kits, very shiny bikes and expensive looking carbon wheels, which made me and my lowly Specialized Allez look a little outclassed, but at least I'd remembered to take the pump and saddle bag off! Although it was a bit intimidating to see so many people who clearly knew each other and had raced a lot, I found good company at the back of the grid with somebody who just like me hadn't even ridden round a track before, let alone the one we were about to do 10 laps of.
I have no comparison to make, but my impression of the event organised by Behind the BikeShed Racing was that it was well-organised by a friendly team.
Waiting in the warm late evening sun I did find myself wondering what on earth I'd let myself in for when I could be going on a perfectly nice amble down some country lanes. My partner who was also racing their first race snapped me out of my daze by suggesting we swap places as she'd lined up in front of me and thought I'd be faster, but I did my best to look knowledgeable and calm and suggested it would make no difference as soon as we set off. By blind luck, it happened I was right and we were led out for about 1/4 of a lap by a car at 15mph. No crazy all-out Zwift style sprint whilst I was still getting clipped in then - phew!
Having read the threads on here, I knew my positioning was key, but that not "holding my line" was likely to get myself shouted at. For the first couple of laps I was very polite - far too polite and any gap I left myself or others to move into was immediately filled by someone I hadn't intended or left me with work to do to get back into shelter. There was a stiff wind on the first 1/4 of the track which I was caught in immediately for instance. After surviving the chicane on lap 1 I decided that overall I had the legs/power to stay with the bunch and I needed to think about how I could make some active decisions. Just as I had experimented with some positioning and got the wrong side of the pack I saw my partner slowed and pulled to the side... "You ok?" "No, but keep going!" so I did, and in one of many slightly unecessary efforts sprinted back to the pack. I found out later her chain had come completely off the cassette - race over, but luckily no damage to bike or rider.
I spent the next few laps trying to find where the shelter was, then all of a sudden I found myself on the front of the race after I found a bit too much shelter on the downhill section and didn't slow down. I had lost track of what lap number we were on, but knew there was no chance I'd be wanting to be there for long, so after having the luxury of picking my line through the chicane I slowed on purpose. Within about 20 seconds I found out how easy it was to go from first to last with yet another hard effort required!
Next period of the race was broken up with a crash in the chicane in the cat 3 race, followed by a lot of having to move over to allow various breakaways and other races past. Then it was 2 laps to go. Breakaways were attempted by some riders who looked a bit bored, but they were all quickly closed down. Everyone had a sprint finish up their sleeves it seemed. Moving up on the downhill section was easy again having been a little more assertive about holding the position I wanted on the top corners and before I knew it we were on the final uphill into the chicane, probably in about 20th position. A group started to go on the right, but a person I'd marked out earlier as being handy with a creaky bottom bracket went left - I followed them as I wanted to be on the left to prevent myself being squeezed out into the crash zone from earlier. My tired logic was that noone turns up to a race with a creaky bottom bracket unless you were really confident. Terrible logic my sober self realises and as he started to fade into the chicane I started to "sprint". I passed a few people on the way to the line, but through my bleary vision I think I could make out at least 10 finishing before me. I honestly have no idea if I finished 10th or 14th and understandably the results are a little manual and aren't released yet.
The result is mostly immaterial, the takeaways were: It was fun, fast and no harm was done! I'll definitely be going back just a little bit wiser.
How did anyone else get on?
I’ll stick to XC I think - this road racing lark sounds lethal! 🤣
Chapeau for having a go mind..
Nice one, glad you enjoyed it.
I had my first one in a long while last night, forgot how much I enjoyed them. Got round safely and finished with a bit in the legs.
Likewise I had my first cat 4 race a few weekends ago at Darley Moor. I've got a fairly long history of XC racing but had to scratch the Crit racing itch at some point.
It's a fast and wide course (motorbike race track), in a kind of triangle shape where you only really need to break for 1 of the corners which is a tight hairpin. There were about 60 riders on the track in total.
Pretty much everyones comments here are on par with the experience. I made an effort to be near the front but not at the front and probably sat in the top 10 for most of the race. There were a few attacks but nothing that wasn't pulled back within 30 seconds or so. The pace ramped up on the last lap (averaged about 270-80w for most of the race up until this point but the last lap was over 400w average!) and I was 4th wheel out of the last corner. Now if this was an XC race i'd be in for a good result.... however, i guess I started my sprint too early and got passed by about 10 people within the last 10 meters.
There were no crashes but a few moments where I felt quite vulnerable. I'll probably do some more but will prioritise the XC stuff this summer
