Sadly, most cat 5 racing is not really a race until the finish line is in sight. Best to follow and jump out just before a technical section or a climb. TT fitness will help you stay away but not for long alone and cat 5 races are too short to wear anyone out. You need to train for the jumps and work on sprinting.
As mentioned above, stalk your competition and get to know the fast guys and follow them. Get into a break with them and hang on and learn. Even if they get away at some point, you can then TT your way to a top ten finish.
When I first started, I could not even hold the pack but would then pick up and roar past riders for the rest of the race and still get a decent finish. It was not until I started to train like a road racer that I could stay there, take my pulls and actually contest the sprints.
Last edited by Number400; 08-17-15 at 10:03 AM.