Originally Posted by 53x11
IMHO in the first 15 and last 15 minuts of any flat criterium any kinf of breakaway attempts are suicidal becasue in the begginning everyone is fresh and at the end everyone is alert.
set your computer to 18 minutes times from the start and do all attempts after that mark.
if you still in the pack 5 laps to go, just sit in top 10 and prepare leadout for your sprinter!
and 90% of all breakaways in flat criteriums get caught in cat 5-3 so why bother? good leadout for your sprinter has most chances of working.
I've been racing only a few years, but I havent found what you say here to be true. I've been in and missed successful breakaways that have formed in the 1st few laps and have been long gone by the 15 min. point of a criterium.