Originally Posted by
mkadam68
As for sprinting? Wow, that's all over, too. For Cat-5's, maybe 35mph to begin with. Regional pro's easily best 40mph, with World Tour sprinters/International Track sprinters beating 42+mph (70kph). (Our local Saturday Training Ride, which attracts regional pros, cat-1's etc, and retired Olympians & World Tour riders has a sprint, a downhill false-flat where they'll hit 42--44mph.)
Maybe for the people that upgrade immediately. I won a Cat 5 race with a seated "sprint" that peaked at 31 mph. Granted, it was after a gradual uphill.
I'd guess now, as an experienced perma-4, I can hit 35-36 in a sprint under the right conditions (in a draft up to about 30 before moving into the wind, no big headwind, relatively flat ground). If I just went out and tried to sprint with no other riders, maybe 33? Not sure, my form isn't great.
OP, like others have said, a 5 race may average 23-26 mph depending on terrain and riders, but floating around in the pack is easier at that speed than riding solo at 19 or 20 for the same length of time, if it's a smooth race without too many accelerations. If there are lots of tight corners, drafting won't matter quite as much because you'll have to dig hard out of every turn and you'll burn yourself out faster.