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BICYCLING
Introduction to Bicycle Racing
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By Andy Ruiz
You’ve been riding with your friends, with cycling clubs, and maybe have even completed a Century (100-mile) ride. Now, you’re thinking about participating in your first bicycle race. There are a few things to consider before making the leap from recreational to competitive cycling.
A little bit of preparation and foreknowledge in the following areas goes a long way in making the transition smooth and enjoyable: training, equipment, type of race, USCF (United States Cycling Federation) rules and regulations, and sources of information about bicycle races.
Training — Proper training is probably the most important area on which to focus. When I say “training”, I don’t mean going out and riding and riding with no real goals in mind. Over a two-month period, it’s important to establish fitness with a base of 500-1000 miles to prepare for a race in May or June and prepare for the demands of racing.
Joining a local race club, such as Capital Bike Racing Club (CBRC) in Albany or Racers of the Adirondack Region (ROAR) in Lake Placid is an excellent idea. The best training partners are cyclists who race. Experienced racers can demonstrate racing tactics and techniques, such as drafting, sprinting, riding a straight line and riding in a paceline.
Visit the library and do some reading on the subject. Greg Lemond’s Complete Book of Bicycling (Berkley Publishing Group) is excellent reading, and while some of the equipment information is a bit dated, the basic tenets of bicycle racing and training remain the same.
Equipment — No doubt, bicycle racing is a demanding sport, both physically and mentally. You certainly don’t want to jeopardize all the time invested in training with faulty equipment. After all, you are relying on your fitness and your equipment in a race. That said, before you enter a race, bring your bike to a bike shop and have all the components checked, cleaned and tuned. Invest in a good set of tires.
It’s important that your bike “fits.” That is, make sure the seat height; stem length and cleat positions are set up so that you can maximize your power and comfort on the bike. Find a quality bike shop that offers “fit kits” that customize bike settings to your physique and riding style.
Type of Race — OK, you’re fit and your equipment is ready to go. Now, it’s time to choose a race. In cycling, there are 3 basic types of events: individual time trial, criterium, and road race. An individual time trial—the “race of truth”—is a race against the clock over a predetermined distance (typically 5-25 miles). Riders usually start individually and the racer with the fastest time wins. CBRC will be promoting two different time trial series in the Albany area (contact them for information).
A criterium is a mass start race, usually 45 minutes to 1 hour in duration, over a closed loop course of .5 – 1mile in length. The criterium races emphasize speed, cornering and sprinting. CBRC will be organizing a weekly training race on a 5-mile rolling loop in Feura Bush beginning Tuesday, April 3rd. The third category is a road race, with distances varying between 40 – 100 miles in length. In general, road races emphasize endurance and climbing. An ideal first race is the Jiminy Peak Road Race on May 5th, in Hancock, MA. Why is it a good race for beginners? It’s not on an overly difficult course; the race organization is excellent, and the road surfaces are good. In 2001, all racers must pre-register. In the Lake Placid area, the 2001 Cloudsplitter Race has now been moved up to Memorial Day Weekend. On June 3rd, the Empire State Games Qualifier Race for men and women is in Nassau; all racers must have a racing license. In August, the Canal Cup Classic in Little Falls is open to non-licensed racers on a hilly course.
Rules and Regulations — Every sport has rules and regulations, as well as a governing body, and cycling is no exception. The governing body for cycling is the USCF (www.usacycling.org). The USCF has 5 categories of racers, ranging from 5 to 1, with 5 representing entry-level riders and 1 the top amateur ranking. Common facts new racers may not be aware of are: no triathlon bars in mass-start races, no sleeveless jerseys allowed, you must wear an ANSI-approved helmet, and spare wheels for a road race may be a good idea (they would be carried in a support vehicle).
Racing categories for women range from 4 to 1 (entry-level to the top amateur ranking). Masters are broken down into the following age groups, USCF-sanctioned races: 35-44, 45-54, 55+, or UCI-sanctioned races: 30, 40, 50. Junior age groups are 13-14, 15-16 and 17-18. To participate in a USCF race, you must have a racing license. One-day licenses may be purchased on race day for novices. Visit the USCF website for more details.
Finding Bicycle Races — So, how do you choose a race? To find out about races in New York and New England, visit www.sencomp.com for race flyers and schedules, directions, entry fees and contact information for a large number of races. In addition, a list of upcoming bicycle races can be found in the Calendar of Events.
Experience is the best teacher, and with every race you’ll learn more about the tactics and techniques for successful racing.
Andy Ruiz lives in Schenectady and has raced bicycles at the national
and regional level for 16 years. He is the purchasing agent for Albany
County ARC. For more information on bicycle racing contact Andy at andyruiz@excite.com
or (518) 381-3505.
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