Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.EvilGoodGuy
06-21-07, 09:41 PM
I raced my second crit ever. First four laps, I sat in. I didn't get above 150bpm, my LT is 163. I was able to cover the accelerations and move around in the pack with ease. After the fifth lap, I had already met goal number one, stay with the pack and get comfortable. Now time to attack. I drifted from the front toward the back and attacked hard from the right hand side to left. No one caught my wheel. I put a gap in of about 250 metres. A truck pulled out onto the course blocking both lanes. I had to sit up. I was instantly caught. I rejoined the pack. I waited 1/2 a lap. I attacked the same way again. I got 300 metres. I was slowly reeled in. I attacked again, I put about 500 metres on the pack. I saw a rider up the road, which I thought was in our race. I rode as hard as I could to bridge to him. Turns out he was dropped from another race. (Looking back, I don't know how I thought he was in our race) Without anyone to work with, my attack would eventually be caught. I sat up. The pack caught me but no one came around. I sat up briefly until we got to an incline. I attacked again but I didn't quite have the acceleration. At this point, the pack had been whittled down. One of the other riders attacked. I tried to bridge but didn't have the legs. Five riders got off the front. The guy who kept reeling me back in went out the back. I eased up, sat on a wheel. Recovered. I chased, caught two more riders on the final lap. I attacked with 1km to go and put 500 metres between me and the other riders. I didn't check the standings but I think there were only four or five riders ahead.
Lessons Learned:
-Attacks are useless unless you can make it stick
-Don't be the first person to attack
-Don't be afraid to try new things, it's only a race
-When you need a rest or drink, use momentum on downhills to pass riders
-Attacking from the back up the left side, seems to really work (people can't respond if the don't see you coming, once up to speed they can't match your acceleration)
-My recovery between max efforts is getting much better
Lessons Learned:
-Attacks are useless unless you can make it stick
-Don't be the first person to attack
-Don't be afraid to try new things, it's only a race
-When you need a rest or drink, use momentum on downhills to pass riders
-Attacking from the back up the left side, seems to really work (people can't respond if the don't see you coming, once up to speed they can't match your acceleration)
-My recovery between max efforts is getting much better