View Full Version : So I got no teammates in the field with me...
and I am pretty comfortably sitting in. I am no sprinter. What do I do and when?
Jason E
05-31-2006, 10:07 AM
Wow, that is soooooooooooooo broad.
Look for opportunity.
Work as little as possible without being a jerk about it.
Learn to have a strength.
Work it.
Ride Lots.
(Not in that order)
Elmer
05-31-2006, 10:19 AM
Criterium? Road race? What? Length of race? C'mon, give us a little more.
Too Tall
05-31-2006, 10:22 AM
In a word Tom. Finish. You don't have that much experience but you seem to be game for it and strong enough to race and have fun. Can't ask for more.
If you survive until the end with 2-4 to go get near the front and STAY there. No primes babe, that's for guys who need the gas $$...let em' have it :)
Jason E
05-31-2006, 10:23 AM
In a word Tom. Finish. You don't have that much experience but you seem to be game for it and strong enough to race and have fun. Can't ask for more.
If you survive until the end with 2-4 to go get near the front and STAY there. No primes babe, that's for guys who need the gas $$...let em' have it :)
See... That's why you get paid and I race Cat 4. :D
Bill Bove
05-31-2006, 10:41 AM
Offer the other guys in the break a couple of bucks to not contest the finish and brag about how strong you are :D
obtuse
05-31-2006, 11:02 AM
find the fat fast guy. sit behind him.
obtuse
Louis
05-31-2006, 11:15 AM
bail on those lusers and switch to a stronger team?
72gmc
05-31-2006, 11:37 AM
Ride around in the very front yelling, "Come on! Challenge me!" in a French accent.
Worked for Hinault.
BumbleBeeDave
05-31-2006, 11:45 AM
Offer the leader $30k to let you win the stage?
Oh, wait--already been done . . . ;)
Seriously, though, you just started doing this. I think TooTall is right. Just be content right now to finish and get some experience riding in the pack. You may get an opportunity to jump in there or not, but right now it would seem the best thing to do is get some experience.
BBD
Hey, they ain't losers, they just ride different fields. They happen to be older but they were better than I'll ever be.
Louis
05-31-2006, 12:41 PM
Hey, they ain't losers, they just ride different fields. They happen to be older but they were better than I'll ever be.
Tom, I was just kidding. I'm sure every single one of them on their slowest day is much faster than I will ever be in my greatest dreams. It was just a bad joke.
Louis
Given that a couple of those guys are 20 years older than us, we do have a chance at the speed thing. The only problem is that they have the treachery of maturity going for them.
wasfast
05-31-2006, 01:44 PM
I'm assuming you mean in some sort of road race. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Anyway, I used to be in the same boat and after just hanging in and getting creamed in the field sprint, I resolved to use my best ability: time trialing. This means attacking well before the finish and making it stick. You'll probably not succeed but at least you'll know that you tried instead of waiting til the sprint and getting buried. It's also likely that if you make a strong effort that some others will attempt to bridge up. Automatic teammates. They want to win too. Work together and you're guaranteed a better result than the field sprint.
what obtuse said.
4th in the sprint isn't winning, but it is better than excuseville.
(until you start making excuses for finishing fourth)
swoop
05-31-2006, 01:49 PM
most of the time team mates just f things up for you. if you have no sprint ... and most crits on your level don't end in anything but a mass chaotic stampede that involves guys sprinting but really isnt what a sprint is.. what do you think your options are...?
can you go all out for two minutes? can you find the strong guys and teach eachother how to do rotating pacelines.
you know.. there are sprint drills that work.. it's all about leg speed.
the best bit i can give you is race the race you're in and not he race you wish you we're in. most of these crits can be podiumed by sitting mindlessly on back and watching 'breaks' go and come back just because guys can't work a break.. not because they were chased.. and jump everyone three corners from the finish (from the back).
watch the lower category races and learn.
have fun. it takes time to learn what to do on the last lap. it's the only lap that matters.
when you get stronger and move up more stuff starts going on and it get's more interesting.
swoop
05-31-2006, 02:26 PM
i once heard max testa make a pretty profound point. he said that in most local races (not the ncr stuff).. it's really is like 120 teams going against each other. i don't know that i've seen many category races that are raced by like ten teams riding against each other.. at best maybe one team is trying a pathetic attempt at a lead out.
the reality is that every guy.. even the one's in your kit or pretty much riding as a team unto themselves. so not having a team mate cvan just make things easier.
race as much as you can. try everything. make every mistake you canmake and do it ten times until you know it's just silly. watch the races before and after you. ask how the races were won on that course the year before.
ask local pros what move to makes... they often will give you gems (the race is really to turn three.. be 5th wheel in turn one.. etc..).
BUTCH RIDES
05-31-2006, 05:01 PM
Hello!
My first time here. I agree most local teams or clubs are not working for a certain rider. If you can't sprint watch for breaks and be in them.
Adios.
DarkStar
05-31-2006, 06:08 PM
find the fat fast guy. sit behind him.
obtuse
You talking about me?
;)
Too Tall
05-31-2006, 06:15 PM
You are getting awesome advice young sir.
Just wanted to say not all category racing is a bunch of wild dogs...well it is (yuck yuck) however my team has done an amazing job of working the local masters races in ways that makes me proud. In 30+, 40+ and 50+ our guys have busted their humps to work together not just a bunch of privateers. "course most of these guys come from yrs. of racing and know what to do but for yrs. we just raced and often against each other. What made the difference? ONE GUY...not kidding...that's all it took. We had a former pro (are they ever really "former?") join and with in one season he transformed how we race. As a team we are not any more talented than we ever were but now we actually race like a team....hehe...most of the time ;)
Anywho, I wish you the best this weekend and look forward to some good stories. Josh.
stevep
05-31-2006, 07:33 PM
set some goals/
first race . finish in the field
2nd race. .. move from the back to the front of the field in the middle...carefully but comfortably
3rd race ... keep moving around in the field and get comfortable
4th race. get in position to win or get to the front near the end.
5th race. position is everything in crits. learn to rest and stay where you should be.
6th race. send me 1/2 the winnings. you are now a pro
easy as pie.
set some goals/
first race . finish in the field
2nd race. .. move from the back to the front of the field in the middle...carefully but comfortably
3rd race ... keep moving around in the field and get comfortable
4th race. get in position to win or get to the front near the end.
5th race. position is everything in crits. learn to rest and stay where you should be.
6th race. send me 1/2 the winnings. you are now a pro
easy as pie.
wrong.
a pro makes $12,000 a year.
obtuse
05-31-2006, 08:11 PM
they do? how obtuse! where do i sign up? that's almost as much as busing tables at red lobster!
obtuse
they do? how obtuse! where do i sign up? that's almost as much as busing tables at red lobster!
obtuse
D3 racing has always been a cover-up for that.
it's euphemistically called, chasing the $12,000
dream atmo. don't tell me this is news to you.
obtuse
05-31-2006, 08:25 PM
D3 racing has always been a cover-up for that.
it's euphemistically called, chasing the $12,000
dream atmo. don't tell me this is news to you.
atmo-
just looking for gratutious red lobster references. by the way; d3 is continental professional circuit now...and you better be a team leader if you're collecting over ten grand racing for one of thos hurting teams. (other than nerac. nerac pays everyone rock star salaries and supports wealth at all levels which is mighty obtuse of them.)
obtuse
atmo-
just looking for gratutious red lobster references. by the way; d3 is continental professional circuit now...and you better be a team leader if you're collecting over ten grand racing for one of thos hurting teams. (other than nerac. nerac pays everyone rock star salaries and supports wealth at all levels which is mighty obtuse of them.)
obtuse
nerac is d3 right? what's in the future (http://www.redlobster.com/jobs/default.asp) for that group? i mean, are
they in line to be a future navigators or healthnet level squad atmo?
abstruse
05-31-2006, 08:44 PM
wah nah tsai tasi?
niolamin 'fa erinar (telikar sa telikar)
stevep
05-31-2006, 08:44 PM
for $12k real cash money you could own half of all the d-3 teams...plus all the riders plus the bikes plus obtuse.
and have money left over for a nice lunch.
for $12k real cash money you could own half of all the d-3 teams...plus all the riders plus the bikes plus obtuse.
and have money left over for a nice lunch.
does john ireland still run the ccb international team?
and is bob downs still the designated sprinter?
stevep
05-31-2006, 08:54 PM
yeah huh./.ireland went away when a guy showed up that could push a big gear and had a mustache..he could not take it...he disappeared in 1980.
its been me since.
hahaha
some years good, some great, some decent.
about 650 wins in the period.. 65 last year across categories.
yeah huh./.ireland went away when a guy showed up that could push a big gear and had a mustache..he could not take it...he disappeared in 1980.
its been me since.
hahaha
some years good, some great, some decent.
about 650 wins in the period.. 65 last year across categories.
the word on the street in basingstoke is
tha ireland wants back what's rightfully
his and will go to great lengths to return
ccb to former glory. the smart money says
he starts with a 2-4 letter per month campaign
to the editors at velonews atmo.
really - ya' can't make this stuff up atmo.
obtuse
05-31-2006, 09:07 PM
nerac is d3 right? what's in the future (http://www.redlobster.com/jobs/default.asp) for that group? i mean, are
they in line to be a future navigators or healthnet level squad atmo?
if this fry cook thing doesn't work out....i'm getting on the obtuse saiz program and then they'll have the fast fat guy they've been looking for....in any case as long as fstrthnu laughs when ed beamon get's kicked in the **** my comeback will be complete.
obtuse
if this fry cook thing doesn't work out....i'm getting on the obtuse saiz program and then they'll have the fast fat guy they've been looking for....in any case as long as fstrthnu laughs when ed beamon get's kicked in the **** my comeback will be complete.
obtuse
your comeback will be complete when you,
roy, and roy hang up the wheels and get a
real job (http://www.redlobster.ca/jobs/apply_hourly.asp) atmo.
obtuse
05-31-2006, 09:17 PM
your comeback will be complete when you,
roy, and roy hang up the wheels and get a
real job (http://www.redlobster.ca/jobs/apply_hourly.asp) atmo.
yeah but they still need a bus boy and you look so obtuse in red.
obtuse
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