Road Bike Racing - Having it handed to me. Racing 30+ 1234

I'm a Cat4 and in the past I've raced in Cat 3/4 fields and was able to do well(by my standards). At the end of this month there is a race before my usual Cat4 race for 30+ 1234. I figure it'll be a humbling experience to sign up for this race and since I really have nothing to lose but gain a $10.00 lesson in racing with stronger riders. I'm wondering if there really will be a huge difference in speeds though I'm quite sure there will be a difference in skill level. Since the race is a little less than a month away. I'm trying to figure out what I could work on to help improve my chances of finishing in the pack.

Thanks,

For you SoCal guys.. It's Ontario#5

I was a 4 and did a masters/1/2/3/4 race. It was 80 miles in the nasty heat. I was surprised at how well I hung on - at first. Heck, I even did some work for the team up front bridging to a break. Then .... then after not keeping myself hydrated enough, I started losing it. I found myself dangling off the back with the remaining field and eventually dropped from cramps.

It's all about threshold power. Just get faster.

Rock it. It's fun to race with the 2's.


I'm sure they don't feel the same way.

Tough cookies.

It's all about threshold power. Just get faster.

Or just pedal faster. ;)

You'll be fine. Just avoid the Swamis riders.

Did an open CAT Masters 30-39 yesterday. Most painful 40 minute riding lesson of my life.

Obviously DFL....but at least 2 DNFs.

....it was either that or mow the lawn.

Prepare to get dispatched :thumb:

Don't pay any attention to the smiling and calm expressions among the 1s & 2s while you are busy just above your threshold.

I'd just race as much as possible. When it goes slower than fast, attack. Then try and recover when you get caught.

It'll be the same except you'll be making "attacks" just to hang on wheels. Then you'll recover as they dial it down a notch. At least that's the hope.

If there are some organized teams, just hang on for dear life and pray for a break. If there's a good break with the right teams, the teammates will get busy shutting down the chase. The pace will ease.

This is good until the break laps the field. Then it gets crazy fast again.

True about the smiling and such. They'll be jabbering away and you'll be dying. Or someone will come up to you and say something in a very matter-of-fact voice, no stress, no ragged breathing. It's really depressing.

cdr

What kind of course? If it's a crit, you can probably hang in, hide out and do OK. If it's a RR, it'll be tough. I'm not usually in favour of mixing wide range of cats in crits, even though I love crits, it just gets too dangerous. I did a 110-mile RR in Lodi once where they let the 3s in due to very small turn-out in their race. By halfway, not a single was left in the race. Then again, with 20-miles to go, Chris Walker just TT'd off the front and left us all in the dust. I think his average on that stretch was 28mph or some such.

it's ontario, it's a crit, flat and fast. the 30+ race will be fast. the last 35+ race i did there were we strung out single file for about 10-12 laps and it was over 100º.

tbrown, do you do the rose bowl ride? that will give you a good indication of where you stand.
if you can't finish the bowl you'll be dropped soon and hard
if you can finish you might not get dropped
if you can sprint for the top ten you might finish in the top half

it's ontario, it's a crit, flat and fast. the 30+ race will be fast. the last 35+ race i did there were we strung out single file for about 10-12 laps and it was over 100º.

tbrown, do you do the rose bowl ride? that will give you a good indication of where you stand.
if you can't finish the bowl you'll be dropped soon and hard
if you can finish you might not get dropped
if you can sprint for the top ten you might finish in the top half

I've raced Ontario a few times in the past year(when it was over 100 degrees). I know of the Rose Bowl ride but I prefer to do the training crit in Carson and Eldo. I'm not worried about the Cat-3's.. It's more the 1 and 2 I'm thinking about. Thurlow and the Amgen guys are monsters and I figure they'll be there to pick up the pace in Ontario. Like I said.. I just want to take it as an humbling experience. It'll a $10.00 lesson in racing..

Like I said.. I just want to take it as an humbling experience. It'll a $10.00 lesson in racing..well there you go... for $10 you'll definitely get your money's worth of humbling experience

I did the 35+/1-4's at Santa Barbara early this year. I did the Cat 4s first, about 2-3 hours beforehand. I was nervous. But here's what I found:


They're excellent in the corners--they hold their lines. We went through corners 6-8 riders wide with no problems. They still have squirrely riders, but they react to them quicker and more smoothly to accomodate.
The Cat 4 race was: slow-fast-slow-fast-slow-fast... My HR data showed spikes all over, with a high average, say 170bpm (threshold). We averaged 24.4mph for the race.
The 1-4 race was: fast-fast-fast-superfast (sprint at end). My HR data showed a nice level line. We averaged 26mph for the race.
But here's the diff: my HR avg was 166bpm.

What's this mean? We went faster in the 1-4's, but I worked less hard. This was due to the smooth cornering and maintaining speed through them.

Also, you will not believe the jump these guys have at the finish! Amazing. Try to be near the front, but hold your line. They'll come around--quickly. Try as hard as you can to go with, but be prepared to be left in the dust. It was amazing to watch them go.

It'll a $10.00 lesson in racing..

I wish I could pay $10 to race with Thurlow Rogers and company. For learning experience only, but still. I pay as much money to do a dinky but very fun Tues night race (soda primes, very casual). But no, I have to find some huge P-1-2-3 race and think about paying $50 to get shelled by them.

Okay, fine, I'd bring some jerseys for them to sign. lololol.

cdr

if you want, next time we see each other I'll sign your chest

On a different note, I thought Ontario would still be cool this time of year. Also, do they have any Molsen or maple syrup primes? Do they have to call the race in French and English? And what's it like riding around in those funny hats with ear flaps and flannel jerseys?

That is all...

trying to be funny? keep trying, you'll get it right eventually.

ontario ca, anything under 100º is considered cool this time of year