Which category next year?
 

Hi, I raced my first few cyclocross races in the men's 4/5 race this fall. (first races of any kind).

The first race was won by a college student, and the second by a high-school senior.

I'm 37 (38 by next year). Am I unnecessarily competing against younger blood? This race series also has a masters 35plus, 45plus, and 55plus race (same race, 30-second staggered start times).

Would the competition likely be tougher or easier in that race?

Just wondering where I belong.

Thanks

The front end of any cross race is fast. The younger person winning a 4/5 race could cat up and probably do will in a cat 3 race. Young people who are good improve quickly. However, if you enter a masters 35 around here (Wisconsin) the front end of the race will be quite a bit faster - remember there are going to be Cat 1 and 2 folks in those races.

Race the one that is most fun. Yes, winning is fun, but until you start showing yourself regularly at the front of races, there are other things to enjoy. When I started in cross, I raced both masters and cat 4, on the same day if possible. The cat 4 races taught me to be smart and aggressive because the fields were bigger and the skill level varied so much I had to really watch out for myself.

Yes, it is all for fun for me...i grabbed a donut hand-up at my last race, to which everyone cheered...those who were really serious about it passed up on the donuts and beer hand-UPS. :-)

In cross I would suggest to sticking with the 4/5 class for now. You'll have more folks to race against in the sense of folks at your level, and really you're not giving up much if anything to the kids, beyond conversations about your 401k.

That also gives you an opportunity to watch the masters race and pick up pointers. Worth noting Albert Zweifel won his last CX world championship at...35.

Its a difficult problem. You can race in cat. 4, the problem is that the competition is so wide there will be good + bad. You can race in masters, but there's lots of people who race in Masters for fun who are 35 that should be racing in cat. 1 or 2. Stay in cat. 4 until you actually get better at what you're doing and its not a challenge anymore then cat up.

Old thread! :)