Which races to enter??



memphiscyclist

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Dec 19, 2003
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I am new to USCF licensed racing and am not sure about which races to enter. I see the lists of races forming on the USAcycling website, however I have no idea where to go from there. Some are crits and some are RRs, but I'm not sure which races I would be qualified for since I am only cat5. Also, I've done several none licensed RRs, but no crits yet so I am a bit wary of starting out in a criterium. Any suggestions? Thanks.
 
In the MD/Del./VA area, the majority of the races are crits., with only a few road races throughout the year.

I'd say go out and do some crits to start with. They really get your racing legs and skills up to speed fast. Plus you'll be able to find them a lot more frequent on the local level.

Find a local race team, and see if they have had the district meeting yet. This is when they set the races, and where they are going to be. They will be able to give you a reasonably more accurate schedule than just the usacyling site. A lot of times, things get input much later than they are submitted.
 
Daremo is right, I'm going to start racing in Cat 5 this season as I am new to the RRs myself. Because I live in Florida their aren't many RRs in the South Florida area, most are northern florida or out of state. So what I have decided is to race in the crits and work my way up though I do hope to get into some RRs.

I hope you have been training because the crits are really fast.
 
Originally posted by Daremo
In the MD/Del./VA area, the majority of the races are crits., with only a few road races throughout the year.

I'd say go out and do some crits to start with. They really get your racing legs and skills up to speed fast. Plus you'll be able to find them a lot more frequent on the local level.

Find a local race team, and see if they have had the district meeting yet. This is when they set the races, and where they are going to be. They will be able to give you a reasonably more accurate schedule than just the usacyling site. A lot of times, things get input much later than they are submitted.
Why are there so many more crits than RRs anyway? Convenience? What is the difference between the 2 other than the fact that crits are on a circuit?
 
There are several reasons that crits are more popular. First and foremost it is far easier to police and block off 4 streets in a 1/2 mile radius than it is to police and block off several miles in road race where the riders will often get strung out over several miles. Secondly, Crits can be used to generate business or focus on a particular area like a college or a downtown Lots easier to get a coffee shop to donate money or say okay to a race when the race will bring hundreds of spectators and riders across their doorstep. Three... crits are much better to watch from a participant standpoint the race goes by a particular point several times. Four, they are often more exciting from a pack sprint and/or accident perspective. Five, they are easier to officiate. You can easier place officials in places and pull lapped riders and such. It is hard to be everywhere at all times on a road course.

I like road races better, but if you want to cat up, youd better suit up and crit. It will help your pack skills, your speed, power, and cornering skills as well. Hop in... and for experience, in your first crit, just hop onto the back of the field in crit and stay to the outside on the turns, just to get a good view of how things work. Be wary, cause people usually slide out when they go down in a corner, but you will begin to see that. Experience, buddy. Then if you feel good, work your way up through the field and see how you do in a sprint finish. But, if you are stupid fast.. then just hang with the field and just pull away as the laps count down. Cat 5 races are interesting, but largely are not "slow", many are tentative so you see a lot of people popping off the back early, and you see many get pinched on the inside. There will be a fair share of wrecks, so dont bring your $4000 bike, or else you will leave crying. If it is wet... get ready... it will not be a fun event... road spray, wet corners, wrecks... oh yeah, baybee. Lastly, cat 5 races often do one of two things, stick together too well and are bunched and crazy, or they get really strung out... but most are accordian as cat 5 riders tend to cover absolutely everything. So, the stronger riders can pull away at the end cause the field is so tired from chasing the jackrabbits down repeatedly.

There are lots of races in St. Louis... if you dont mind the drive.


Just my 2 cents...