10 Tips I Wish I Knew When I Started Criterium Racing

[@michaelgraycycling]

Comment below what you learnt in your first year of racing 👇 And remember, subscribe for a free watt ⚡

[@Dezenaamisnietbeschikbaar]

Riding near the front is a big one!! When I just started out I thought I would just sit in the back in the draft, but I wasn’t even able to finish the race. As soon as I got to the front I noticed that it’s much easier because you can ride with a much more stable power

[@michaelgraycycling]

Yea a lot more stable. And if someone loses the wheel you don’t have to try and get round them to chase a little split.

[@GummeeH3]

If you want the hard workout, by all means, surf the back of the pack. If you're racing to win, place, or draw the back of the pack is the worst place to be. ...among other reasons is the people at the back are typically trying really hard just to hang on and don't have the skills or mental bandwidth to not crash if something happens. I've been on both ends of that equation over the years

[@fatbloaterdave]

For me one of the best things about racing is being a part of a team, and running team tactics. I know a lot of riders at our level don’t get to do that but when you do it’s a thing of beauty.

[@michaelgraycycling]

For sure. Done most my races on my own, but it’s so much more enjoyable when you have other team/club members to do them with!

[@grandpalouis818]

Very good, although instead of attacking into a headwind, 9/10 times it would be better to attack into a tailwind so the draft of people behind you or in the peloton is smaller.

[@michaelgraycycling]

For sure, but attacking when there’s a strong headwind, no one wants to chase. When there’s a tailwind, it’s lovely to chase people down.

[@morrisizing]

Agree you want a gap before the head wind, then hope the chase stalks when no body wants to be on the front in the wind. The same chasing across to a group you want to try to get across before the headwind section.

[@gabrielgordillo6920]

great tip on heart rate. I made the mistake when i first started racing of looking at my heart rate to judge if i had enough gas to hang or not. Now on my racing data screens, I have not heart rate visible.

[@michaelgraycycling]

@@gabrielgordillo6920 yea with that line of thought I’ll use NP

[@LLroomtempJ]

quality content. solid advice. i'm new to racing. it wasn't until my 3rd race that i felt comfortable riding in the draft - and even still...i struggle. I subscribed. Looking forward to destroying my peers with this free what you give subscribers.

[@michaelgraycycling]

Thanks! Are you in the uk? What area are you racing? :)

[@lmyers26]

Great video! First crit this weekend :))

[@michaelgraycycling]

Ah awesome. Where abouts!?

[@Kac3724]

Great advice. Thank you. Good content.

[@michaelgraycycling]

Thanks

[@aaceytuno]

Don’t forget about braking into corners , that is how some tracks are won . I learnt that when I took my rim brake up against modern disc brakes , sadly it was not even close , though my straight line and climbing was superior . I got owned on the hard braking corners

[@michaelgraycycling]

Been a while since I’ve posted this video prob due a little update 😃 For sure. Especially in road racing. Not only that they can fit wider tyre which also helps for the extra rolling resistance. My old 25mm tyre on my rim brake, is so much harder work to sustain power

[@crosshaircycling7156]

Great tips mate- enjoyed the format too. Did I see you enjoying a cheeky Hillingdon practice session in there 🧐 😉

[@michaelgraycycling]

Yea I went to get some really poor b roll ha. However that’s another great tip, I’d check out the course pre race 😄

[@crosshaircycling7156]

I remember being that keen once 👴🏻 🤣 Even bought a key for the barrier so I could park next to the circuit 🤣

[@michaelgraycycling]

@@crosshaircycling7156 😂😂

[@paulfuchs4002]

Superb..these tips could apply to CycloCross too!

[@michaelgraycycling]

Any of them that wouldn’t apply to cycle cross?? And any tips you’d like to add? 😃

[@jameswright3496]

Did my first crit race on Wednesday, entered a 3/4 and got 5 points straight away, most of the cat 3s are just glorified cat 4s in my opinion. Race smart and you’ll beat them easy

[@michaelgraycycling]

Fair play to you 🔥 Where was this?

[@disloyalyou5455]

I thought you were an 20 year old dude lol anyway quality and fun video! Loved it

[@michaelgraycycling]

Who said I wasn’t? 👀😂

[@photog2903]

LOL, I thought you were mid-40s! Nice to put a face to the voice…

[@michaelgraycycling]

@@photog2903 ffs at this rate this is going to turn into a beauty channel of me getting some botox 🤣

[@photog2903]

Hahahahaha…it’s so hard to judge someone just based on their voice!

[@simonworsley8631]

Good result at Combe last Thursday. When are you uploading the video of it?

[@michaelgraycycling]

Hey Simon I just see this comment. I think it’s the next one to upload. Just uploaded the Hillingdon race which was before that

[@simonworsley8631]

@@michaelgraycycling thanks Michael. Look forward to the Combe uploads and the torrential rain Swindon Wheelers RR

[@michaelgraycycling]

@@simonworsley8631 that was wet!

[@weinoberger]

Useful tips! I’m two races into my first season crit racing. Probably not a great tip as it doesn’t account for breakaways but my second race I kept getting spat out the back of the peloton. I decided to stay there until the last lap and worked my way to the middle, before the last bend I surged to the front and managed to hold it for 2nd place. How tough is the jump from 4 to 3? I’m worried about moving up with my lack of experience.

[@michaelgraycycling]

To get a second place after 2 races is great well done 👊 That tactic is what I did at my last Hillingdon on this channel if you check it out. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHzOl2OJr7yfa7s It’s good, but if a crash happens and you’re at the back of the peloton you easily get held up and dropped. Or worse case get caught in it. The jump from 4-3. Honestly if you get enough points, it’s where you should be. For example if it takes you 3 races to get to cat 3, you’re clearly doing something well and shouldn’t be in cat 4. Likewise if it takes you a few months to get out of cat 4, it’s because you’re not ready for cat 3. I was in cat 4 for a while, I was frustrated, but looking back on it, it’s where i was meant to be. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmLSkpx5fNNqn8k is a video I did from my first cat 3 race and talking about the difference 😃 Where abouts in the uk do you race?

[@weinoberger]

@@michaelgraycycling thanks for the feedback, enjoyed the other videos. My first cat3 race is tomorrow, fingers crossed I survive. I’m based in Sussex and racing at Goodwood

[@michaelgraycycling]

@@weinoberger oh brilliant. Good luck and enjoy it! I’m sure you will 😃 in doing Hillingdon tomorrow and castle Combe Thursday

[@syrus3k]

I just started crit racing.. done 2 races in cat 3/4 (I'm obviously cat 4). The things I've learnt so far: 1. Cornering isn't that scary. 2. Everyone's a lot stronger than I am. 3. I'm not going to win any points for a few races yet. 4. Training is super important 5. Try and have fun. This is probably #1. 6. I should try and do 4th cat only events.. having cat3 guys in the same race is v.intimidating especially with their £15,000 bikes 7. I need to do more training. Much more.

[@michaelgraycycling]

Hey John thanks for your points. With point 3, I spent ages getting frustrated not getting points. But eventually they came and it was at the right time naturally. So stay patient and like point 5, just enjoy it. In fact with point 2, you’ll probably end up a smart racer, as you can’t just over power people, you’ll have to use your mind and try to use people. And that will be a bonus in your armoury as you get stronger. How much training do you do at the moment? Are you with a club? Which 3/4 races did you do?

[@syrus3k]

@@michaelgraycycling Ilkley cc, just done the two Spatzwear Rayner ones at the brownlee centre North Leeds

[@syrus3k]

Note my result on the second round is wrong, I didn't place 11th lol. More like 35th

[@MADTASS]

Someone once said to me that on your 1st Cat 4 Race just Sit at the Back and Learn and Try not to get in other Riders way as they as you Correctly say they maybe Looking for Points to Advance.

[@michaelgraycycling]

Hey Id probably disagree with that. If you’re at the back of the peloton you’re going to have to deal with hard surges that aren’t so tough at the front of the peloton and if someone screws up you’re going to be behind them putting yourself at risk all the time. My advice is to stay near the front if you can. If you’re at the back, there’s also a high risk of getting dropped… quickly. That’s all you’re going to learn. Expect to be dropped but the first races in cat 4 the goal should be imo to not get dropped.

[@hoogabooga9736]

i'm a sprinter. I don't mind pulling some more people to the break because once i get to the break i'll be dead and have more wheels to surf. thoughts?

[@michaelgraycycling]

Interesting. I guess would depend on how many people are in the break and how many you’re confident of out sprinting. Less people in the break higher chances of you winning from a smaller bunch. If there’s a break of 4 and your carry up 4. You’re now competing against 8 in a sprint. Vs a 4. Plus the potential of more games being played.

[@homiertcw]

Great tips, thank you :)

[@michaelgraycycling]

You’re welcome! 😄

[@Jonnysmithwillis]

Excellent! Thank you. Please can you make a video following angry BPC guy around for 24 hours, just documenting him loosing his temper in daily life. The more trivial the context, the better. Eg. the office printer jamming or a simple disagreement about who was queuing at the bar for longer. Edited down to 10 minutes or so. Thanks in advance. 😉

[@michaelgraycycling]

🤦‍♂️😂 this would be great. Maybe I could do a video on making another angry. We have a really nice BPC rider at Reading CC. Maybe a video on turning him to the dark side “10 tips on how to make a BPC angry” 😂

[@pinkie7803]

I am laughing very much over here, Jonny!

[@lexington476]

Quadzilla 😀😃... Thanks you just gave me a new word 🙂.

[@michaelgraycycling]

😁

[@karl8805]

Attack into brake zones... everyone loves it when i do that. They spend so long crying about the "danger" they forget to breath. Then clip a pedal and being down the whole group, then blame everyone else🤣

[@michaelgraycycling]

😂 nothing beats the ole pedal clip

[@GummeeH3]

I always turn my Garmin to a screen with speed and time and that's it. I don't want to know power, HR, or anything else because what are you going to do? 'Hey guys! I'm above my FTP can we slow down now?!'

[@michaelgraycycling]

Quite a old video this one. But I still use power in races. Mainly NP. If I am racing far above my ftp i know at some point I’ll likely have little for a finishing move. So I use to check on how efficienct I’m riding. Whether I’m being to bullish etc. I mean we all feel great at the start of the race, I can use it reign myself in to feel better nearer the end instead. For example If I’ve raced 2/3s of the race well under ftp I know I’m going to have a lot of wiggle room for attacks at the end.

[@JFomo]

It's not the size of their legs, its the size of their hams and glutes.

[@michaelgraycycling]

😂

[@cliffcox7643]

Here's what I learned from crits.. they're for amateurs, they're dangerous, and there are many riders who do groups that are much stronger, and have no need for that silliness.

[@michaelgraycycling]

You not enjoy them then? 😆

[@cliffcox7643]

@michaelgraycycling they interrupt training. I love to train and ride.