I know the difference between the two race types (I found and old thread asking that). However, I want to know what is different in terms of what you can expect in terms of pace, strategy and preparation. My racing experience has been nothing but criteriums. However, there is a road race within short driving distance of where I live and would like to try something different.

I tried googling, and couldn't find anything...that's why I came here.

I'd say it depends on a lot of factors. Some road races are really just big crits, with the same kind of fighting for position and preponderance of fast-twitch bursts, favoring aggressive riders and not favoring timid riders. Other races might be "terrain specific" and no matter how much you want it, being a tough guy won't get you to the finish line first if you cannot get over the hill with the leaders. My experience is that a whole lot of people are either suited to one or the other type of race, and very few (but very special) riders are suited to both.

"Pacing" usually means that you have a specific pace strategy in mind for an event, and applies to time trials or triathlons, but not so much to either road races or crits. I guess Everest Challenge can be won or lost with pacing, but most road races (even hilly ones) don't really come down to pacing. If you cannot answer a stupidly hard attack at the bottom of the principal climb and get dropped, thinking you can negative-split the climb and "pace" your way back to the leaders, and succeed in doing so, then I'd say you belong in a higher category, or perhaps got lucky in that the leaders all went way beyond their means.

The most likely scenario is you won't see them again. Therefore, you cannot have a pacing "strategy". You simply have to answer the attacks, and then still make it to the top of the hill. You might even have to sprint for it after blowing your whole matchbook on all of those climbs and attacks.

I was going to write something like Grumpy's comment. But really, there's no such thing in a RR. If you want to do well, you have to be near the front at the finish...and what that takes depends on way too many factors to talk about 'pacing.'

They are a lot more fun - and dynamic - than what you see on TV, I know that much. On TV (TdF and such) it seems like they have these lulls where everyone takes a piss, gets food, chats and ****.

In real life/amateur races it's more like a longer crit, in my experience. Attacks etc, tons of almost-crashes, real crashes, no real time to soft-pedal. No pee breaks (people pee, but I haven't needed to yet)

Just bring enough water/"food" to keep you going until the end, and be aware of positioning.

There are pee breaks sometimes, but in 3 years of racing I've only experienced 3 pee breaks.

As for pacing, it depends on terrain, length, category, and the mood of the collective. Usually a flat 60 miles is almost crit speed, but I've done a few where no one really wants to mix it up. They'll chase down the occasional attack and sit up. I've done hilly races where everyone rolls along at 22 mph waiting to fly up the hill, and others where the whole pack wants to get a head start and it's constant attacks.

But in general I think of a road race as a kind of slow motion crit. Efforts are often longer, guys dangle OTF longer, hills are often longer, guttering crosswinds are longer, fatigue takes longer but it still comes eventually. Road races are more endurance oriented (try and do a big anaerobic effort after 3 hours out there) and crits are like smash everyone to bits hope you are strong enough to still have a sprint at the finish.

From my experience, road races are generally easier for a fit "beginner" racer to jump in and stay with the pack. It probably depends on your strengths, but I found crits much harder starting out. Besides the constant surges, there are just a lot more opportunities to make mistakes.

I also find the average pace in road races much slower. It's doesn't matter that much when sitting in, but I see many more breaks succeed in lower categories in road races compared to crits. This seems particularly true in lower categories where crits are really short and everything is chased.

Finally, I think an experienced racer can "fake fitness" and get some results in a crit more so than a road race. I know several guys (sprinter types) who can jump in a 45 minute crit when totally out of shape and end up on the podium if the race finishes with a pack sprint. Unless a road race is flat, they tend to require some fitness to finish with the lead group and contest the finish.

This is from the perspective of someone that mostly races Cat 4 and Masters Open. I'm sure dynamics are different in other groups.