First Crit TR - short ,all words

last tuesday my achilles final was healed enough to push it.

I said Id enter a Crit on this board somewhere. Being a man of his word I signed up to the USCF  went down to the local Crit paid 10 bucks.  Which signed me up for 17.5 miles of well heart beating, leg burning, bumping into people fun.

This was my 2nd race ever on a road bike, first crit.

The race started off with 5 neutruel laps. 30 laps would by full bore. First I am stupid and way too aggresive for my own good. First lap I decide to mess with everyone and just pull off the front I pulled about dozen of the 30 pack field with me. the thing is noone wanted to work so I just feel off the back and so did everyone else. Over the next 30 laps I stayed near the front and continued to attack when the chance arrised. I tried to win a couple of the prime laps but its hard to sprint when you cant shift(downtube shifters). 7 laps(3.5 mile) to go someone attacked and reeled him in quickly. One laps with him I asked him should we go for it at this point we had about :15 second lead on the peloton. We go for it. II started taking backstraights he took front we were actually putting time on the field. 3 laps to go they are starting to catch us. 2 laps to go he got worn out and just fell of my rear wheel. start of the last lap I have 100 yards up still but am quickly tiring. Circling the track at 29 mph I am still kinda of holding the rest off. back straight the peloton blows itself apart the people on the front are catching me in the last turn and I really cant stay away any longer. last straight everyone who caught me sprints I am in 2 high off a gear and cant pedal any harder. I finish near dead last except those who got dropped off the back prior or on the last lap.

Average speed was 24.5 for 15 miles which felt like hell to keep trying to attack people. People who ride off the back are lame IMO there is no fun in letting everyone else do the work for you IMO.

so yeah first crit near dead last, and really spent but Ill be back.

Great report, I could see it happening. You didn't stop for pictures?

STI and a little strategy might go a long way 

Edited by WILDCAT - 7/11/2009 at 01:49 am GMT

I was thinking the same thing. Strategy.

Something like this.

The usual suspects line up for the expert/pro/open class at the WV World Championship MTB race. Jeremiah Bishop, Nick Waite, Jason Cyr to name a few. All vying for the title. If you look over and see one of them during, you are going to die. Well at least a strong chance of DNF. : )

BWPA lines up at the BACK of the pack. Don't go out too fast! Save it! The race will probably start off on a gravel road and turn sharply onto a grassy climb. There will likely be a 20 ft long water hole in the grassy section. It will then narrow to some muddy single track in the trees. Continually climbing....You don't want to be out in front here. Your lungs will blow up from O2 debt!

In fact hang back, if you pace yourself right, Sue Haywood will catch you. Follow her or Mandi Riddle, or whoever the fastest women expert/pros are there! Out of the woods onto Moon Rocks. Still climbing.....Some riders will dismount and run this section. The line isn't straight up the rocks. It zig zags up the rocks. Its hard to see the line with other riders lined up along the rocks. You will either be in your granny gear or walking as quickly as possible (those poor achilles). After the rocks you are still climbing through some more grass, then up a steep section into some more woods. Climbing.....Climbing....

The TOP! Hair pin turn into a loose rock, and dirt/mud descent. Probably steering some, with leaning and sliding the rear wheel. It will probably be muddy so not too much front brake/wheel pressure. A couple of drops steep enough to have the saddle in your gut. Watch for loose rocks. Starts to smooth out, with rolling ups and downs. Still in the woods....Fast downhill into the grass and onto the gravel road. BIG RING! Crank!

Lap 2...Start to run the race now. If Sue is still in sight, try and reel her in. Don't pass. You will start to pass people on the rocks on lap 2. Try and pass toward the top of climb. That is very demoralizing!

There will likely be some sort of a pre/prologue. They usually change the course a little every year.

Get the picture? This is a tough race. The 28 miles will probably feel closer to 36ish. This strategy is basically the same as the guys that beat you in the crit.
http://www.iplayoutside.com/Events/?eid=2009/07/11647.html

Last year. Pic 2 down is Joey, Pic 3 is Weber. Some of my riding buddies. I was out with a neck, uh problem.

http://www.iplayoutside.com/Events/?eid=2008/06/10565c.html&PHPSESSID=a38ddc85fe53a6750f4d215a4396e12a

On the BTC, there was a guy in our group who had a lot of experience racing crits (what do I know about this:  nothing!).  He is now tied up with a master's league where his primary job is trying to teach strategy to the new kids.  He said that racing crits is 90% strategy, and 10% physical strength.  His advice was to stay in the first 5 guys -- he says that in the front of the peloton, you can keep you speed more constant, the farther back in the pack you are, the harder you have to work.  If you stay at the front, you can ride easier, take the turns easier, and sprint less.  That means you have much more power for the intermediate sprints and for the finish.

Mike

tonight was my second one.

still some how ended up in like 20 th before the last turn, but since I wheel sucked more I had power. I sprinted along the outside of the last turn and got 5th. 36 mph sprint, I so need teammates and a lead out lol. This was all done on a 50 dollar bike, I feel bad for these guys when I get something with STI shifters and that weighs less than 24lbs.

Cool!  Congrats on your finish.  These reports are great.  Do you have any prospects on getting a bit better bike with STI shifters?

 Fantastic!  Keep it coming...

well not STI(its like calling inline skates rollerblades;)) but most likely SRAM if I can find it. and I think I found it. My (mountain bike)teammate is upgrading his road bike soon. He has a Bianchi with Full Rival/carbon fork, and Carbon seat/chain stays. extremely nice condition, 18.5 lb. Double tap here I come :)

ok so the results got posted but I didnt get any points WTF? I have a USCF license as far I know I should get 4 USCF points.

http://www.acaracing.com/cr071409.html

but I got 5th the highest placing Cat 5 there, in only my second race. IMO Crits are harder than road races because there is much more race craft and bunch sprints are not easy to do well in. to many variables,

I guess Ill ask tomorrow about the points but its just seems odd to me.

also I have been training to hold a couple minutes at a really fast pace, to eventually try to blown them apart. I hate bunch sprints and to me they are boring. I would rather ride off the front with a couple laps to go and hold it then win a bunch sprint. I dont think I am strong enough tomorrow but in a couple week Ill have my short time trainling down.

 Interesting to see the differences in the prime prizes for the men vs the women...

yeah its not that club that does that though. Prime prizes are just brought in from random people sometime competiors themselves. the people at blame here are the the people bringing the prizes

Yeah it sucks but Ill play devil advocate and say the girls can run against the guys and I know of least a couple that could potentially win primes if not the crit.  Lee Ann(cat 1 womens) can and has beat not only a Cat 4/5 mens group but cat 3/4 groups.  In fact in our group Kelly Cook is a Girl. She did well.