How long to be a credible Cat 4 or am I just crap (road content)

Nice one Kryton!

The difference for me this year was being able to anticipate, push on and hang in there whenever the surges came then being able to grab a little recovery when it inevitably eased up for a moment.

Sounds like you’ve noticed the same, rest well tonight and good luck for tomorrow!

Cheers Haze – you described exactly what happened! Ease off, breath, breath, push! stay in, there’s a gap – get in there – ease off, breath let the legs recover… annnnnd repeat 🙂

Adam – I joined a club last January, a few small social club rides later and I’d entered a crit. It’ll make it easier if you’re used to riding in a bunch but I’d say you don’t need loads of bunch riding experience so long as you’re sensible and remember to hold your line, don’t overlap wheels and all the other good stuff you can read about. You’ll get shouted at if you’re riding in a way that endangers other riders.

Well done Haze. I found that by the time I eventually made it to 3rd cat I was already at a fitness standard to be competitive.

Kryton rode well today, looked confident in what was a BIG field with some very strong riders from several big clubs (hello Wheelers).

If you are a 4th cat and want to race Surrey League races (including handicap road races), you will need to complete an accreditation session or two and be signed off by a BC coach. I’m helping run one of these sessions at Cyclopark tomorrow and will run a few more during the season.

Next step – finish top third then contest the sprint. Then bridge to a break, then win…

For my own race, I buried myself after 20min in an attack, got some support. And was brought back, whereupon a counter attack with my team leader who got away successfully. Took me 10 laps to recover and I made it up to top third for the bunch sprint.

Well done gents!

Some confusion over the result tonight, thought I’d got third but apparently two of the break stayed away putting me in fifth.

Amended provisional results have me in fourth so just enough for me to move up (finished fourth last week also).

Fingers crossed they have it right and the commissaire agrees…

Race season is up and running again. So how is everyone getting on. Did all the new racers stick with it over winter?

After getting some lowish in my first season last year and moving up to a 3rd. I got absolutely demolished in an E/1/2/3/4 in my first race and went out the back when the big hitters started attacking each other.

But I made up for it this weekend by taking my first road win in a 3/4! Created a two man break and I just managed to stay away for 20miles taking a hill finish by 2sec! I think I can now call myself a proper road racer but I still have eyes on my 2nd Cat if I can find enough races to enter. Next up is a 2/3/4 which was realy tough last year but I’ve got a lot more experience this year and I’m feeling strong.

Fantastic result! Thought I was feeling strong and have raced 10 times, but only one point to show so far. Must enter some 3rd only races at some stage, once I’ve done a little more strength and peak muscle power training.

Nice!

Better for me and racing well at XC, next two weeks at Hillingdon riding Crits will see how I am post Februarys chest infection.

‘I’m doing fine noowwww, without you ba… ‘ oh sorry b’out that 😆

Yup, all going well down here, legs have just been torn off again and broke another set of PB’s of mine on the Downs (roadie)
Did a “sportive” CX’er event a few weeks ago and got a top 3.

I ain’t gonna sportive the roadie, nope not for me that. I’ll continue to tear my legs off on it though, bloody love riding that bike. 😀 I will be doing Raphas Hell of the North though, but thats not a sportive… its a RACE! 😆
Shall do more CX’er sportives though.. theres a Gravel one soon up near Cranleigh (I think) that’ll be a test, I guess all the fast London lads will be out practicing for Raphas Hell of the North, looking forward to that.

Fanx fer askin.

Second yesterday in Sport @ Cathkin Braes, can’t complain, had a sore neck all week after sleeping on it funny. Could hardly look up!

I had my first (crit) race of 2015 yesterday. My coach changed my training this winter and it seems to have paid off as i got into the break of 7 riders really early in the race. The break was caught after 40mins by a chasing group which was working better than we were (the break had all the race favourites / big names in it, i wouldn’t have classed myself as a favourite going into it!) and it then blew apart again before a big crash on the final corner took out 4 riders and i slipped passed it to take 4th. Pretty good start to the season and maybe this year i can set my sights on a 1st cat licence.

Haze, well done for your 3rd cat.

DGOAB – you in Stirling yesterday? In which case that crash at the end of the women’s race looked sore. Well done to you.

On another note at the end of the Mens 4th Cat race I was “quite annoyed” with the industrial language used by the racers given how many kids were out and about watching.

I was “quite annoyed” with the industrial language used by the racers

You should mention it to the commissaire. Riders can be disciplined for bad language.

I was “quite annoyed” with the industrial language used by the racers given how many kids were out and about watching.

Why? When people are at 90%+ effort they don’t have time to say ‘Excuse me dear chap but please don’t bump wheels with me or cut me off’.

at the end of the Mens 4th Cat race

The race was over! ~Oh and why should I not expect them to be able to conduct themselves they are only amateurs? It’s not football afterall.

I’ve been a bit sweary right after a race before explaining to a mate a last corner almost crash/sprint, genuinely didn’t realise I was doing it until called out on it as I was that pumped. They’re just words at the end of the day and unless someone was being overly aggressive as well I’d not be to bothered, no one died. It’s the outside world, better to explain to your kids why it’s not acceptable and let them hear them and know why they’re bad than wrap ’em in cotton wool, ‘coz you know, sometimes you just need a bit of a rant and swearings cool…

Well done on the 4th place, not bad going at all with 2 current national crit champs in the race.

Shall do more CX’er sportives though.. theres a Gravel one soon up near Cranleigh (I think) that’ll be a test

Is there? Not seen anything about that.

Neej, Surrey Hills Gravel Cross that’s its name.. Linkin Belowin….

Wiggle Surrey Hills Gravel Cross[/url]

SBH – which 4th cat race was that? I was in race 1 and heard some loud swears from behind crossing the line. I’d like to think I caused them with my raw power.

I did my first (open) road race a couple of weeks ago. Stayed in the bunch near(ish) the front but that got harder as the race went on. Then 2 laps to go and a crash split the field just as I was moving up the outside. I went round it on the grass verge but the pack had gone. After about half a lap in a group of 4, which were about 50 yards down, we kind of gave it up.

Pleased to do 40miles at 25mph average and if it weren’t for the crash would have been there at the end.

Despite some consistent training over the winter, I still don’t know what improvement I will see actually in the racing. Got a couple of hilly road races booked in for April, plus will do a couple of crits.

Hmm must have a quick browse of this thread for handy tips. First crit ever tomorrow down at Thruxton. Modest goal is not to crash or cause any crashes 😕

There’s been some serious crashes lately and without dragging individual circuit crtieria into the mix, the talk is of crowded cat 4/3’s sometimes and the same times with 100+ riders on track.

I’d be interested in others thoughts of this, as I’m thinking of not doing a 3/4 on Saturday due to it being 90 signed up riders and max 120 at Hillindon. I have my whole XC target events starting soon, and don’t want to derail that.

Thoughts?

Was my first one last week and I think there were 150 in the 3/4 race. Don’t have much to compare it to but was pretty crazy. 28mph average for the race and lots of elbows and shouting. Didn’t see anyone go down but I’d not have been surprised if there had been a bad one. A few of us had to take to the grass on the last lap to avoid a massive pile up.

TBH I’m in a similar position, was just going to give it a try this season as I was crit curious, not a main objective. Am wondering if it’s worth the risk too.

Personally, I think 90 riders chasing points from 10th to first is nonsense and completely at odds with the premise of being a 4th Cat. My last 2/3 race at Hillingdon had 90 riders and provided I stayed at or near the front I felt OK. Of course there was one crash in the bunch, not at the sprint.

It is really a sign of the huge increase in popularity of road racing in recent years and how organisers and facilities struggle to meet demand. Ludggershall do it right by splitting 4th Cat races into odd and even numbers and running two races of about 20 riders. Racing in a field of 90 is actually quite good fun, but in reality one doesn’t enter these races for points!

You would be better off racing the BC West Thames Tuesday 3/4 race instead.

If it’s any help… talk in my club is it’s all gone a bit “shouty” and last weekend there was a right and proper pile up and someone buried their forks in a kerb and poleaxed about 10 other guys in the race. Busted bikes, busted blokes.

Sounds like a right old hoot if you ask me. 😐

I’m never going to say bail out but in this case chase down goals you are more interested in.

Does that help? Doubt it 😆

My thoughts similiar TiRed. I was going to Hillingdom for experience and as a prelim warm up to my xc stuff the following week. Although as a secondary objective – as you know – I’d like to finish in the bunch and get some points this year, I can’t see it happening and then there’s the increased risk which has put me off.

I’m never going to say bail out but in this case chase down goals you are more interested in.

Well, as above, but I can’t do it against cat 3s and a field 100 strong maybe vs the risk.

The Tuesday events don’t include pints right? Not and issue – but what are the numbers?

The Tuesday events don’t include pints right?

Well that’s me out then 😉

No road races up here really, nearest crit is on a Tuesday night which I wouldn’t be able to do due to Mrs’ work but it’s just far enough away that it’d be stressful to get too after work 🙁

Well thats helped me make my mind up! A beginners TT on quiet roads near Oxford?

Largest field ive raced in has been 105. Standard of riding varied massively right down to a rider visibly shaking with nerves on yet bike. But it’s road racing, ive seen crashes happen when riding strung out in a line.

Can you race on the road instead? Fields usually restricted in size & it’s a much nicer environment IMO (not a fan of crits). Failing that, ditch the crits since your long term goal is XC.

Well thats helped me make my mind up! A beginners TT on quiet roads near Oxford?

… having said all that, first crit was still bloody good fun 🙂

Can you race on the road instead?

I’d like to give this a go. Trickier to find local and conveniently timed events though.

Trickier to find local and conveniently timed events though.

Me too. Crits are great training though, and part of me doesn’t want to give them up, at least because I want to show myself I’m “good” at something, and getting to Cat 3 would flag that up for me. If I stopped now this would be another “nearly man” point in my life. 🙁

Finding the time is tricky also what with work & family so with the XC series from May-July I’m left until after then for Crits. Probably.

Tuesday 3/4 at Hillingdon is points-free and typically 40 riders. The E123 is the main event, and you can enter that if you wish (now that race is HARD!).

Alternate Wednesday E1234 Vets race has points (regional C so 10 for a win) and is contested by about 40 riders with a long racing pedigree and an expectation of high riding standards. Two races are run simultaneously; 40-49 and 50+ with separate points. Tonight is round two and I’m not able to race (sob).

When I were a lad there used to be a local road race league (just checked and it’s still running; East Yorkshire RR league) It was on a week night, the race was usually around 30miles and was handicapped into 5 or 6 groups. It was great training and a good introduction to racing before jumping feet first into crits. I have no idea but don’t other areas have something similar?

Surrey League run a handicap series of road races. No 4th cats allowed this year. In fact 4th cats will struggle to find many road races at all. Plenty of closed circuit races (I hesitate to call Hillingdon and certain airfield/racetrack circuits “crits”), but they are hugely popular, over-subscribed and pretty tough to place in for promotion points.

Oh I feel so enthused.

Not.

As mentioned above by Irelanst try looking at TLI racing, handicapped smaller groups hopefully working together to stay away from faster groups behind and catch the group in front.
No BC points to get 3rd cat but good racing and a good work out.

East Yorks had a huge field for the 1st race of the season last week and plenty at Barton (north Lincs) tonight, you all get put into ability groups. Gets exciting when the fast lads catch you and you have to hang on!

but they are hugely popular, over-subscribed and pretty tough to place in for promotion points.

New to it all but it does seem to be getting a bit silly. Noticed quite a few cat 2’s in the top 10 of the 34 race from last week, so even tougher to get points.