Lot’s of success in the thread so far 🙂 here’s a counterpoint from the back of the pack…

Well that didn’t go to plan… First road race in 6 years, so I entered a local Cat 4 – ART & Take 3 at Dalton Barracks.  Would have preferred a longer course, but not a lot of choice locally for Cat 4 only races.

Plan before the race was to stick in the bunch, hide behind the bigger guys, and then finish in the pack, just to build some experience up.  Looking around on the start line, turns out i am one of the bigger guys, so chuck out that part of the plan and just try to hold on.

Course is essentially flat, minor drag on one part and corresponding slight down on another.  Approx 1.5km length.

When you don’t race often, the intensity of the pace is surprising.  Straight from the go i find myself drifting towards the back of the pack as a couple of riders tear off at the front for a long range attack.  I spend as much time as possible sitting in behind people, but it’s hard work at the back in a crit – despite finding good lines through the corners, you still loose momentum vs the front guys, and then have to sprint or surge to get back on.

Try a few different approachs – move up in the group, but then look around to find I’m back at the back again.  Different lines through corners to maintain speed – still not enough.  The constant sprints to get back on are starting to wear me down physically and mentally.

After about 20 minutes, the elastic snaps and I loose touch with the group again – this time on the slight downhill section.  I surge to catch, but it doesn’t make a difference and i can’t close the gap.  Head goes down and I start to cruise.  Should i sit up, let them catch me and then sit on the back again (and then drop out before the finish)? No, mentally I can’t face that.  Cruise to the start/finish and sign out with the commisaire.

20 mins riding, 260W ish NP (even with sitting behind others as much as possible), close to max HR, av speed 40kph.  Realistically, those are my limits, so I couldn’t have given more.  I may have done better to mix it in the pack more and get more drafting benefit, so that’s the plan next time.