3-4s, 4s, 4-5s in that order. Skip the last race if that's your second. In other words just do one race, skip the 4-5s unless the 4-5s happen AFTER the 4s. You want to do the harder race first, then the easier one.

Target race first, then the training race.

3-4s because the best riders (meaning combination strength and tactics) will be at the front. If you're there, you're there. If you're not... you're not part of that "best" group. Around here, although it's not as true for the past few years, the top 3s were national level (sandbagging) masters riders. I'd line up in a Cat 3 race with 2 or 3 current national crit champions sometimes. No I wasn't up there in those races.

If you can place in a 3-4 race then you're well on your way to being a 3. Tighter riding, much more aggressive in the last laps before a field sprint, and some good sprinters that keep you honest. Around here a fast 3-4 crit will be close to but not quite 27 mph avg.

The 4s next because that's what you are. If you're good you'll be destroying them, but 4s race much more conservative overall. Around here it's 1-2 mph slower - 24 mph is about where they get comfy for a crit. 26 is fast. If you're doing a 4 race and a 3-4 race, do the 4s to win.

4-5s last because you'll be riding with a mix of different riders. Some new, some strong but clueless riders, and some like you. Smaller field (limited to 75 according to USAC).

A rough basis on how you did if the race ends in a field sprint (it's my own acid test):
- close to the front - within a couple places of winning, maybe 10 feet from the winner - if I coast past the winner in the next 50 meters I could have won. I should have gone earlier, I could have done better.
- close to the front or even a win - but riders pass me in the 50 meters after the line. Best sprint I could do. Can't get much better than that. I accept that as a "great sprint" on my part.
- not anywhere near the front (more than 5 places, 20 feet). I didn't belong in that sprint. If I'm not 6th or better I (and you and whoever) might as well just sat up in the sprint. This is bike racing, it ain't a running race. 10th place is 4 places away from being anything better than a spore on a piece of mold (or something like that). Often if I place 10th I'm flying by people and trying to get into that nice top 6 area. But a lot of times I launch too late or from too far back.
Note these are field sprints. For a 5 mile climb to the finish in a road race disregard

The only time I'll sprint for top 20 is if there are 20 MONEY paying spots (Tour of Somerville, any race I did in Tour of Michigan, or any race in Belgium I did in lol) or there's a crash and I am hoping that I might break top 10 (Harlem). In my case I sat up in Somerville once I saw about 20 guys pass me (got 37th). In Harlem I did a little solo sprint to the line for 14th after a huge stack up at 200m to go - I missed seeing a lot of riders I guess.

cdr