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It's road racing, don't worry about being a dick. Don't always play it safe either, you miss every break that you don't try and make. Better to get nothing having had a crack than to just roll in safely with the bunch in 27th place
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Don't obsess over power, if you can finish in the bunch then you're fit/powerful enough to do well.
Moving up in the bunch is an art, one that comes partly with experience but partly with the ability to read a race. Some of us have it, others of us don't. But you can learn a lot by observing riders who consistently do well and watch when they move up, when they hold etc.
If you don't have a good sprint, and you should be doing specific sessions to improve it at least, then you need to get in a successful break. This is easier said than done, as chasing breakaways is 4th cat crack, but generally you either need to go in an early one that gets out of sight and is never seen again, or go in a good quality later one that no-one wants to chase as they are saving themselves for the sprint for 25th. Everyone who starts racing should try and get in a break as soon as they can, as it'll improve your fitness for a start. It's also much more fun.
Finally, if you're a light guy (and I think you are) then ride races on courses and circuits that suit you, so Hog Hill and Crystal Palace for circuits and some of the hillier Surrey League courses.
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umop3pisdn
andyp
@amey
Noob racing with power questions on the lines of my first question which was
I came across fellow racer's data who did better than I did. What I am trying to figure out what can I do to be at the better end of the race? I can produce more/same power as that person; should I work on strategy more? I am still finding it hard to move ahead in bunch without being a dick and/or holding the line. People who have done better in these races have conserved and then went off; what I need to know at what point should I stop conserving and how should I progress?
They are more of self reflective questions but any shared experience would be nice.