How fast on average does one have to ride to win a Cat 4/5 criterium?

Question

How fast on average does one have to ride to win a Cat 4/5 criterium?

Answer 1

Just a hair faster than the second place guy!

Seriously, this depends on course length, terrain, quality of competition, and numerous other factors.  Around here (metro Atlanta) you're going to have to average better than 25 to stay with the pack.  It all depends upon who shows up and how hard they ride.  I recommend finding a practice crit in your area.  We have them weeknights in office parks.

Crit training rule number 1: don't crash.  Back in my Cat 4/5 days I did very well simply by avoiding crashing, enabling me to be in the hunt for victory at the end.

Answer 2

Crits are all about being able to generate tremendous amounts of power for a limited period of time.  Successful racers are able to accelerate hard out of each turn and go hard up hills.  Average speed means little because you are pretty much accelerating or decellerating all the time.

Furthermore, as the other state, you can't give a decent estimate of speed due to course layout, terrain, etc.  The more hard turns, and hills, the slower the speed.  Fewer turns, longer straightaways, and gentle terrain lend themselves to higher overall speeds.

As the others mention, you don't want to be out front in the wind wearing yourself out.  Stay in the pack and save your enegy so that you have something for the final sprint to the finish.

Try to position yourself in the front half of the pack.  If you are in the back half, you'll find you are hitting the brakes to keep from running into people at the bottom of hills.  Meanwhile, those riders toward the front of the pack are busy pedaling up the hill and pulling away.  You have to pedal much harder just to catch up.

When you are in the middle and the pack splits you will have other people to work with to bridge the gap.

Also, if you are hanging on the back of the pack and someone in front of you gives up and quits, you are likely to get dropped.   Once you are out of the draft and on your own it is real hard to get back on the train.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

It's got nothing to do with speed really. It's all about drafting, saving energy and outsprinting the rest at the end.

Answer 4

Crits, in fact all massed rider events, are only as fast as the rider on the front !!

Always try and make the effort to stay in the front 10%.

Answer 5

New racers always ask the same question (how fast?) and there isn't an answer. The previous responses were right on, stay upright, avoid crashes, and be near the front on the last few laps. Also, unless you plan on riding for a breakaway, never put your nose into the wind until the sprint. Stay protected in the bunch. Stay calm, don't panic, and if you find yourself overwhelmed or gassed, gently drift off the back and get out of the way. Don't brake and take anyone down with you.