Radish_legs

In the trainerroad podcast they talked about how the first (or the first few crits) of the season are the very most dangerous.

That was borne out in my experience this past year. There was a pretty major crash in the last turn of my crit. The 4/5 crit. First of the season.

And then the 3/4 race that happened just after was described by some of my friends as one of the scariest, sketchiest races they had ever been in.

Both races had their largest fields in that first week. In the 4/5 there were plenty that were dropped pretty soon after the race got going, and folks all over the course.

But at the same time, the energy is the greatest at the beginning of the season I think. Looking back, the fields were the most competitive and talented at the beginning of the season.

What's your opinion on skipping these very early races, and joining in after the herd get thinned?

mattm

every race is sketchy

Doge

Does not seem to me that folks start getting good ideas until later in life. If you are not as good as other - that helps with the smarts.

spectastic

i think there's some truth there. but I don't think it's enough reason to sway me, personally. there's a probability of crashing every single time. you can minimize it by knowing your competitors (who's good wheel, who's not), having good reaction time and handling, staying near the front and race smart. you're right in that the first races generally have bigger fields with a lot of wannabes. so long as you don't let them get in your way, it shouldn't be a problem

rubiksoval

I didn't realize there were ever any 4/5 races that weren't prone to outlandishly sketchy and dangerous behavior.

Wylde06

Just stay at the front and you have nothing to worry about

topflightpro

We put on an early season race every year. While I haven't tracked it, I don't recall there being a significantly larger number of crashes in those races than later ones.

I will say that a lot of guys show up expecting to trounce the field and get some upgrade points, but it rarely proves to be an easy points grab.

furiousferret

You may be right, but I do think that way of thinking is counterproductive. Really if its a concern, line up and go on a break, blow yourself up and sit up at the end. If you end up in the pack, ride on the edges, towards the front.


That being said, I won't race Ladera Ranch. 3 years, 3 teammates, 3 ambulance trips.

Radish_legs

my experience (limited) in 4/5 crits locally was that they felt reasonably safe. However the main crit that I do is kind of like an oval, so perhaps that helps. But it's also the one that I described as being the most unsafe on the first race of the season.

dz_nuzz

@JJ121591 Get in here!

IMO, skip it. Seen some stupid crashes in the early season that can mess up large swathes of the rest of your season.

arai_speed

Here in Socal we seem to have races all year round.

Last crit of the 2017 season is Dec 10th (excluding training races). First crit for the 2018 season is January 14th.

I think like Matt mentioned, every race is sketch.

JJ121591

LOL. last year i trained my FACE OFF all winter - entered the first crit of the year (a combined field) and dudes slid out in a corner halfway through the race. i remember seeing an upside-down bike in front of me and the next thing i knew i heard the sound of my collarbone crunching.

NEVER AGAIN. notworththerisk/10

gsteinb

In 2012 a guy clipped his pedal in the last turn of a memorial weekend classic taking himself out and me with him. I shattered my elbow, had major reconstructive surgery, and 9 months of OT.

It's an inherently dangerous sport, and crashes can happen on any Sunday.

One advantage of the spring races is the fields tend to be smaller.

arai_speed

The Gambler's Fallacy:

"...the belief that, if something happens more frequently than normal during some period [early season crashing], it will happen less frequently in the future... [late season crashing]"

Nooner

I haven't raced in any crit thus far that did not have some sort of sketchiness at one point or another.
Mountain bike racing seems safer sometimes...

Radish_legs

Our late summer 100 degree crits are smaller. Spring are the largest.

cold turtle

People just think the first crit is sketchier because they've forgotten how sketchy crits are during their time off from racing.

topflightpro

Can we please stop with the Crits are sketchy nonsense. Crits are no more dangerous than road races. In fact, I'd argue they are less dangerous with fewer crashes than RRs.

Yes, some events can be sketchy. Some courses are less safe than others. Some racers are less safe than others (hence the reason for the Mentor program). But this blanket assumption that crits are by nature dangerous or sketchy is just ridiculous.

TMonk

I skip the first crit, track night and Fiesta Island "worlds" ride every year in San Diego. Maybe even the first two. Higher incidence of crashes IME. Same reason I no longer race big crits like Dana and Manhattan Beach.

hammer down

Was going to say this (Radish and I compete in the same crits). I never felt unsafe in either of the major crits in this area last year, granted I started a couple months into the season.

mike868y

with all due respect didn't you also get hurt in a race in the middle of the season? not trying to add insult to injury, i'm just not sure if early races are inherently more dangerous. bike racing is a dangerous endeavor and if you want to race you should race.

carpediemracing 

When I had the Series one thing I noticed was that the early races tended to have three groups of racers - the ones that were fit and wanted to win/do-well, the ones that were out to finish off their winter training, and the ones working hard simply to hang on. If I were one of the fit ones I would sit in until near the end of the race and go deep toward the end. This meant taking a chance getting caught behind a crash but since I wasn't in the thick of the action I really wasn't where a crash might take me out. This is my typical approach to most crits, sit at the back and go into the risk zone only for a few laps. Generally it works pretty well.

As the Series from early March into mid April the racers got more and more fit and it would usually get harder and harder for me to get to the finish or do well.

By the first non-Series race I was at the point where I had work hard simply to stay in races.

I'd notice the next bump up in overall fitness/strength around August, right after of a series of races in June/July for which many racers peaked. After their peak they're not only very strong but also much more relaxed, much more willing to work. It was less serious, sort of, and so they'd make big moves etc. I did that too, actually, on my good years, but when I was below par August usually ended my season. I remember one year I had 3 DNFs in a week and change and that was that.

Doge

It depends...
I see more crashes in crits. I have more video of crashes in crits.

I am more scared there will be a more serious accident in a RR, but I don't think they are as likely. What crits don't have is 50+mph sections, or cars both common to RRs.

In the RR the selections may happen as soon as the 1st serious climb. No hills - is it really a RR? And with that, the smaller groups tend to be closer to the same ability/experience/fitness/handling.

TheKillerPenguin

The office park was like 100% ideal for early season racing. Wide sweeping corners, could focus on getting used to riding in a pack after solo winter miles. You should quit your job and deal with ungrateful racers and worry about how you're going to pay your bills so New England can benefit from the CDR spring series again.

gsteinb

There was a corner?