"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - But I don't want to upgrade!

I hate to even post this, but I need the opinions. I started racing around 10 months ago. I did 3 citizen's class races last year, 11 collegiate D races this spring, and some spring cat 5 or 4/5 races. I think I've got a total of19 or 20 entries, but I'm not even in the pack all the time. I got 2nd in a citizen's race, pointed 2 or 3 times in collegiate, and a 12th place in a cat 5. I always hear to cat up asap, but do I fall under this rule with all the poor finishes I've racked up? My season is nearly over, but I sure do think I need more time before going to 4. I don't think college C is even an option. Am I an exception to the rule, or is it time to HTFU and apply to be 4/d?

Flame on :trainwreck:

The jump to Cat IV isn't going to kill you.
If you've managed to live through what you've done so far, that's all you need to know to graduate.
The next jumps to 3 and beyond will be harder. Don't obsess over this one.

The speed difference between the 5 and the 4's are marginal at best. I upgraded right after my 10 mass starts and do not see any avg speed enhancements.
Now trying to hang with the 1's and 2's in the Masters 30+ is a whooooole nother story. I was dropped after about 2 miles into the crit.

You'll only get better.

around here the 5 races tend to be faster (maybe due to shorter lengths)

here's a good example

http://tourdesyracuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/syracuse09resultscriterium.pdf

check out the times of the winners (especially in the cat5 35+) and calculate the average speed over total distance. might be surprised.

The difference between 4 and 5 is experience, not fitness or speed.

You'll only get better.


The difference between 4 and 5 is experience, not fitness or speed.

Bingo.

For me, I upgraded into a race series where I was with master's 3/4. The difference in speed wasn't noticeable. The quality of racing was. I had to up my game in a major way. It was great. I don't race because I'm in contention for the money, rather, for the challenge. The challenge in cat 5 was mostly to my patience.

Do it. I've only had mid pack finishes in my 5's races. I got to 13 & upgraded. Just did a 4/5 & 3/4 race last night. Guess what, pack finishes. Just do it. Don't stay in the kiddie pool. It's only there for experience, not for placing.

here's a good example

http://tourdesyracuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/syracuse09resultscriterium.pdf

check out the times of the winners (especially in the cat5 35+) and calculate the average speed over total distance. might be surprised.

What does P&P stand for? Putrid & Pulled?

upgrade when you're ready. if you were winning or placing in your races and didnt want to upgrade, then that would be uber lame, but if you're barely hanging on and not confident in your abilities, hang out in cat 5/whatever noob college category is until you are confident in your abilities.

I think P&P stands for pulled and placed.

With respect to conditioning, I'm looking more at the occasions of "success" (i.e., number of times that you placed) and less at moments of not sticking with the pack. It suggests enough to upgrade.

But, MDcatV raises a good perspective. Do you feel ready? Are you confident enough to make the leap? Are your bike handling and pack riding skills ok? (And, I'm sure there are other questions to consider.) Trust your gut. If all is left to decide is taking a leap of faith, then take it...else, wait until you are ready...no rush...do it right...good luck!!!

With respect to conditioning, I'm looking more at the occasions of "success" (i.e., number of times that you placed) and less at moments of not sticking with the pack. It suggests enough to upgrade.

But, MDcatV raises a good perspective. Do you feel ready? Are you confident enough to make the leap? Are your bike handling and pack riding skills ok? (And, I'm sure there are other questions to consider.) Trust your gut. If all is left to decide is taking a leap of faith, then take it...else, wait until you are ready...no rush...do it right...good luck!!!


I am getting better with group handling. My coach told me that I'd be pretty strong if I'd hold a wheel a little closer (have alot of watts and work myself too hard). I don't push the group envelope. The awesome younger guys on my college team try to get me to bump around with them on group rides so I will become more confident in tight spots, instead of being so timid. I strongly doubt I'm what you'd consider one of the "sketchier" cat 5's.

I only have a couple of races left this year, but it sounds like I should upgrade when I get the license next year. I do intend on staying in collegiate D so I can become more of a points threat. I'd be fodder at best in c's, I believe. After a year of results that were less than spectacular, I thank you all for the encouragement. I see where I could improve my results with less d-bag manuevers around me and I have decent endurance (for the longer races). I have made the decision!:thumb:

You can't do D's as a 4. C's is a 4/5 category. Make the jump. You can do it.

You can't do D's as a 4. C's is a 4/5 category. Make the jump. You can do it.

That really messes up my whole plan! I'll check that out and if it's true, I'll have to HTFU big time. I'm already doing 4/5 races, so that wouldn't really change. Going from D to C may mean I'm not a points threat and, therefore, I don't get to race (limited school transportation/budget). This presents a problem.
:bang:

http://www.usacycling.org/forms/collegiate/collegiate_rulebook.pdf

p. 165

sorry, i can't copy the chart and retain formatting..

If you can score points in D's, you should also score in some C's races. Top D racers belong in C's anyway. D is meant for an introductory season/couple of races only.

Does your school really limit participation based on a guess of who will score that weekend? That doesn't seem to follow collegiate racing's "let's get everyone involved" attitude.

once you stop pushing yourself you stop progressing

If you can score points in D's, you should also score in some C's races. Top D racers belong in C's anyway. D is meant for an introductory season/couple of races only.

Does your school really limit participation based on a guess of who will score that weekend? That doesn't seem to follow collegiate racing's "let's get everyone involved" attitude.

that would be a totally whacked system to cover expenses for people racing D's, and not cover it for people who have upgraded to C's.

over here a fast D is a middle-of-the-pack C

At least points go deeper in C's than in D's.

D's is more or less (depending on the conference) an intro category. While it's nice to be able do well, generally, it's pretty lame to be a sandbagger in D's.

Yeah, to echo above, it took about half an hour to stop laughing at him after my teammate told me he wont the overall in D's a year or two ago.