Fat Boy

Well, I only did 10 of them, but 40mph would have won every Cat 5 race I did hands down, but 36 might have as well. I don't really know, I didn't win any of them.

As far as leadouts go, I'll take a 38-40mph leadout any day of the week. If you get that type of a leadout and don't win the race, then you're pissing in the tall grass, that's for sure.

mattm

+1001

danarnold

Whew! That's a little discouraging. I'm not a racer. In fact, I hadn't ridden regularly for 30 years until this summer. During today's hour and a half ride I decided to finish off with a sprint and hit 34 mph (for less than 100 yards. I was feeling good about that, but 39 mph!? Wow!

Anyway, I was thinking about old fart racing... I'm 61. When I push it, I barely average 20 mph for an hour or two. Am I kidding myself that I could finish anywhere but last in a local race? I enjoy hills of a mile or two and short sprints, but ....

MtnRide

I'm not so sure you should be so discouraged comparing to a bunch of 20-40 year-olds. 20 mph solo for two hours and 34mph solo sprints for the heck of it? I think you'd do quite well in 55+...

danarnold

Thanks. I want to ride all winter, then in the spring... 'Being There.'

At any rate, after not being able to run these last few years due to back pain, this cycling is saving my life.

ElJamoquio

You and me both, brother.

ericm979

+1.

Also there's a big difference between a solo sprint and one that's with a group, where you get a leadout and pop out of the draft right before the finish.

aperez8264

The blog post from CDR basicaly sums it all up for anyone who wants to learn how to sprint better. In my experience, the best way to improve is to find a sprinter who is better/more experienced and watch what they do. I drastically improved my top end this season, yes training and sprint specific workouts helped but the best advice and tips I got from teammates who have won in field sprints.

Its one thing to have the top end speed to win a field sprint, but it means nothing if you don't have the position, nerves and timing to win with it.

Bobby Lex

Almost universally the guys I talk to who complain about not sprinting well blame their top end.

Almost universally I tell them that successful sprinting is so NOT about top end.

Bob

waterrockets 

Yeah, I'm not so great in field sprints, and I've got a great top end -- lots of 3rd place finishes. I seem to be lacking in the nerves at the end. Much better for me to go at a kilo and not worry about it.

ridethecliche

Having a good top end never hurt no one.

roy5000x2

Truth. I'm trying to train all of the guys on my team to mark the good sprinters and the guys who are good wheels to follow. Position for a sprint is key. Even if you do have a high end top speed, that's moot if you have horrible position or go too early.

aperez8264

^
+1

That's was my problem last season, the few good results I had where all down to timing and position.

Bobby Lex

Bingo.

And timing.

And good bike handling skills through the last corner.

And paying attention to little things like the wind direction (which determines whether you sprint left or right, and whether you go a little early or a little late).

And scoping out the finish ahead of time.

And picking the right wheel.

And avoiding getting boxed in.

And getting a good jump.

And racing smart long before it comes down to a final sprint so that you have matches left to use in the sprint.

And on and and and all so much more than pure top end.

Bob

Fat Boy

While I've definitely launched too early, my M.O. is to wait about a second too late and start from about 5 positions too far back. I might have great speed numbers, but it's because I drafted 3 different guys on my way to 5th place.

That doesn't work, either.

carpediemracing 

How to piss in the tall grass (or "into the wind" as I've heard it):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-gqK3VKNqs
I never jumped, and as soon as I rode into the soft sand I stopped pedaling. Arg.

The Nutmeg 2009 clip has me jumping on the wrong side. My brain just stopped working at 200m to go.

I've pissed in the wind a lot. Like a real lot. Sometimes it works, most of the time something happens. Unfortunately when things go right I haven't had my helmet cam on.

2005 Bethel Final clip has a good finish - I rode off of a rival team's 4 man train (2 leadout, 2 sprinters) and managed to hold of a much faster guy at the line. But you don't see that since it's a 3rd person shot.

cdr

Fat Boy

By 'pissing in the tall grass' I mean you're up against tough competition. 'Pissing into the wind' is doing something detrimental (i.e. your piss ends up all over you). It seems you had a little of both in that race with that sketch-ball sprint. Cool vid regardless.


It's amazing how something can be there every lap and people just zone out and hit it anyway, like the flowers on the right in your clip.

dizzy101

OP, your quads brush the nose of the saddle? Seems like your position is too far backwards (which might also explain why your front wheel comes off the road). You're standing with your hands in the drops, I take it?

MDcatV

very nice. all way more important than trying to develop your "top end", which from my understanding, once you have technique figured out is a fairly fixed number.

you also have to know YOUR sprint and how to apply these things to it. meaning, how long can you sprint before you start slowing down. if you're someone who is all jump you need to position yourself so that you dont hit the front until the last moment so that you can utilize the jump and cross the line before you start slowing down. if youre a sprinter who can sustain higher Ws longer, then you position yourself to hit the front much sooner and challenge anyone to come around you. for illustrative purposes think bettini, mcewen or friere as the "jumper" type sprinter vs. cipolinni, pettachi, or hushovd for the "longer" type sprinter.

roy5000x2

Teammate of mine lost a race because the rider in front of him didn't know how to corner correctly for the last corner. He's very lucky he didn't crash and take anyone out. He almost managed to catch the guy that cornered correctly on the outside and won. This was a rare case where the rider that won had the power to go all out for over half a mile at 30+. Some people have that gift.

MDcatV

not sure I agree.

I cant imagine it possible for the quadriceps to actually brush the saddle unless one is crashing or facing backwards.

when the nose of the saddle is kissing the inside of my thighs, I know I'm in the right spot. ooh la, la.