kevinabbot

Hey hey so I am going to start racing later this March. I am 18 (Will be 19 in early may so no point in racing juniors). I am on the Penn State cycling team, but because of Coronavirus we may have our race canceled am may have to look for a local race. I heard in the DMV (Near Washington DC) races are pretty fast. I am not a sprinter but more of a climber so I am looking for road races over crits, but as a cat 5 rider I am scare I may get dropped.

So my 20min test is 301 watts and my 30 second test is 617 watts. I am a smaller rider (I weigh 55kg (124lbs). How are these numbers and based on these should I be in good shape to race and like not get dropped off the back immediately.

Russ Roth

Don't know anything about comparing watts since mine are only recorded on the trainer and not in the rear world.
But if you know your typical speed over similar terrain then compare it to previous years results which can often be found online. Bikereg has links to some of the past results and some clubs and organizers post them online. Also don't forget the race effort usually means a little more speed then typical; the group will push you if you can keep up to begin with and you'll push yourself hard either way.

canklecat

My first crits were in the Washington DC area in the 1970s. It's mostly flat. Sounds like you have enough power. The main challenge to Cat 5 is avoiding collisions with riders who have sketchy bike handling skills. Once you get past that there's usually a huge improvement in the quality of other riders in Cat 4 and above.

It's actually easier to draft more experienced but faster riders because they aren't spastic. It's harder drafting slower rookies when you have no idea what they'll do. The whole key to doing well in crits is drafting, conserving energy, making alliances with folks who'll return favors, and saving energy for the final rush. The hard part is the ebb and flow, the accordion effect of attacks, closing gaps, and choosing which attacks to follow and which to let go.

Watch some YouTube videos by NorCal Cycling, Legion, SprinterDellaCasa, Lanterne Rouge and others. Lots of great insights into crit and road racing.

ThermionicScott 

Sheesh man, you've been fretting about numbers on BikeForums for a year and a half now. The most important number for you at this point, is the one you pin to your jersey. Post that one next.

caloso

If you get dropped, it won't be because of watts.

Go race.

colombo357

You have the numbers. Clearly your training has paid off.

Now it's time to learn how to race, which you'll only get by racing.

Seattle Forrest

Your numbers are good. Watts per kilogram very good.

I've only done a little bit of racing, and for fun not to seriously compete. After a few races I thought I was pretty good. I'm a natural sprinter. This guy dropped me one day by riding smarter, and that taught me a lesson.

Iride01 

I don't race, never have, don't know whether your numbers are good or not. Even if your numbers are better than every other rider, it wouldn't put you on the podium if you don't know strategy.

colombo357

Yes, and that strategy should be so ingrained that it's practically like muscle memory.

Hanging onto a guy's wheel within 6-12" in a fast 22-24mph club ride is just not the same as doing the same thing at 26-28mph in a race full of accelerations and braking. That's why a lot of areas have practice crits, because you only get race experience by racing, and nobody's really racing until someone blows a whistle and draws a finish line.

kevinabbot

There’s one more roadblock for me and racing.. There’s a pandemic that has cancelled every race