Racing against riders with experience tonight - Should I work?

Never do work unless you have to, that goes for any race.

RowanHarley wrote:

Im racing in county championships tonight against lads from A1-A4 but Im not sure how I should race it. Should I do any work? Should I go for a break? If so, do I need to work/ do as much work as the rest? I've been feeling great, the past few weeks and think Im in good fitness coming into this race.

Is the break going to stick or will it eventually get reeled in?

Do as little work as possible, you wont win by exhausting yourself too early.

If you get in a break with a few of these better or more experienced riders and don't work you are probably just going to make the break fail or the others attack you. I'd be rolling through unless I really thought I was going to blow if I kept doing turns Anyway how did it go as the race was a few days ago now ?

In a broadly similar position myself.

I've done reasonably (actually, in fairness to myself, a bit better than that) in the club league this year, such that the last race is coming down to a straight shoot-out between me and one other fella. The course is flat, straight and very fast. I'm giving away a lot in terms of size and power (I'm better on the rolling and climbing stuff) and he's a much better, more experienced racer, and something of a sprinter. But, as with all things, you'll do nothing thinking about it, just do it. Plans rarely survive contact with the enemy, after all. A certain amount of on the fly judgement and intuition is required.

Should you work? Yes, definitely. Put your turns in early on to get a feel for the bunch. By the second or third turn on the front, you'll know if you need to sit back. You'll make no friends sitting back from the go, plus you'll be in no position to chase a break if one does form.

As to what breaks to chase, do you know what the field is like? Without a little insight into who's who, it'll be tricky to judge who's going to make a move stick. You can tell a little from the bikes and setups, and the general shape and form of the riders. Listen and watchin the bunch. Who's grunting, breathing hard, starting to sweat? Who's obviously relaxed and in control?

Have you any friends or clubmates in the bunch? What's the finish like? The are all factors.

(In my own case, I'm planning to sit in the bunch for half distance, take my turns, then try and draw the rival out with a few early-ish attacks. If I can't out-sprint him, I'll have to try to blunt his speed off before it gets that far. That's the plan, such as it is. More likely I'll sit in, ride like a dick and fluff the finish entirely. Or make an absolutely stupid move too late to start a break and too early to win. Or finish in the hedge. Bike racing, a world of possibilities!)

OnTheRopes wrote:

All those giving out advice not to work when in a break, that is BS and a quick way to make yourself unpopular and have others working against you.
If your in the bunch, indeed don't work, don't sit on the front, roll through, keep near the front but not on it.
In the break, do your turn, get the break established and then conserve what you can
This is not pro racing where you can justify sitting on all day