Hi,
I am going to be competing my first ever road race this weekend, and am very excited/nervous. I’m a 21 yr old male, and it is going to be about 38km all up. Looking to hear any advice anyone may have for how I should approach it/go about the racing.
Thanks!
The first few k are going to be super jittery as people jockey for position and sort themselves.
I’d make sure you get a nice warmup in to open the legs a bit and preload some carbs.
Deep breath and have fun!
Simple goals: be safe, have fun, learn stuff.
Your first race will be about learning how racing works. How to ride in a fast group. How attacks and breaks happen. How to pick the right wheels to follow. How hard you can go when you’ve got competitors at your elbow.
There will be faster, stonger, more experienced riders. That’s ok. Where you finish doesn’t matter. All you can control is how you ride.
Success is finishing with all your skin, a bunch of new knowledge, and having enjoyed the experience.
Thanks very much!
Thank you!
How did it go, @Lachie ? What was the race?
Hi Drew, it was a race called Pickering-Brook Road Race in Perth, and it went well! I was very happy with how it went and am pleased that I felt as though my bike handling skills held up when transferred to a race situation (albeit a C grade race, but still). I’m unsure about exact results but I think I finished somewhere in the 10th-15th position range out of a field of about 30 or 40. Overall a great day and I achieved my goal of getting the first race under my belt, next time I’d love to have a crack at breaking away and trying out some tactics. Absolutely love racing, that’s for sure.
Great result! Hey, C grade can be no joke for first timers, so don’t sell yourself short 
Everyone has to start somewhere. And that’s a great field turn out!