Technique Tips
Road Racing
All you need to know about getting in on some asphalt action
Photography Joolze Dymond
01 Which category?
If you want to feel like a Tour de France star, road racing is your scene. British Cycling oversees the main races, which are divided into national A and B events, regional A, B, C or C+ events, male and female categories, and senior, junior and masters groups. Race distances, circuit race times and rankings are adjusted accordingly. Riders are divided into categories, from Cat 4 for beginners to Elites – experienced riders who clock up 300 points in a season. As a beginner, you’ll start as a Cat 4 racer in regional events. Over the season you’ll clock up points for yourself and for your club.
02 Bunch up
Whether racing on open roads or closed circuits like airfields, road racing involves riding in a bunch. “Get out on your local chain gang or join a fast group ride to experience riding around people and feeling on your limit,” says racer Amy Marks of Parcours (parcours.cc). “Some places offer pre-race training, for example Team Brother UK LDN’s ‘race training sessions’ at Redbridge Cycling Centre near Romford.”
03 Get smarter
“Cornering, positioning and gearing are vital skills in races,” says trainer Chris Stanton of Wattbike (wattbike.com). “Learning to distribute your weight effectively, and carry speed around corners, can make a significant time difference. To maintain efficiency, adjust your gearing in anticipation of the acceleration, deceleration or gradient changes ahead.”
“LEARNING TO DISTRIBUTE YOUR WEIGHT EFFECTIVELY, AND CARRY SPEED AROUND CORNERS, CAN MAKE A BIG TIME DIFFERENCE”
04 Refine your race craft
Racers need to be savvy with their tactics too, so practise your positioning. “Stay close to the front, in the first 5-10 wheels, to watch for attacks,” advises Marks. “If you’re feeling good, try your own attack. You never know what might stick and who might come with you.”
05 Pay attention to details
Small things, such as stashing your drinks and gels in accessible jersey pockets and bottle cages can make a winning difference. “Learning to hydrate and take on fuel at high speeds without struggling to get a bottle back in the cage are all underestimated race skills,” says Stanton
TRY THESE RACES
Find an event that appeals to you
Lothian Flyer Road Race
● In 2022, this was a 77.9km Regional B race for Cat 3 and 4 racers (juniors, seniors and vets). The August event will see you zip past castles and rugged countryside in the Scottish borders. This year’s competitors had to conquer around 1,000m of elevation and a seven-lap circuit.
Herne Hill Crit League
● Enjoy some fun but technically challenging circuit races using inner sections of tarmac as well as the main outdoor velodrome circuit at this iconic south London location. It welcomes riders in Cat 3 and 4 and this year’s league took place on several evenings in May and June, £12 a session.
ROAD RACING KIT
Top kit picks for tackling road racing
01 SunGod Airas ZF glasses
£105
● These high performance glasses combine a light frame (just 27g) with advanced 8KO lenses for extra visual clarity during frantic races.
02 Le Col Pro Air Mountains Alps Jersey
£130
● With ultra-light meshed fabric for extra weight-saving and breathability, this jersey will keep you fresh during hot summer road races.
The Session
Road race VO2 max builder
Coach Chris Stanton, Wattbike
Benefits Road races tend to be shorter and faster than sportives so you need to be ready to pump up your power, adapt to pace changes and recover quickly. “VO2 max (the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during exercise) is a key parameter in races,” says Stanton. “This workout will improve your topend aerobic capacity and stimulate adaptations for coping with higher aerobic stress.”
Kit needed Road bike, power meter (or smart trainer with power meter integration), clothing, shoes
HOW TO DO IT
Warm-up Cycle for 10mins building to 100% FTP (functional threshold power, or the highest average power you can sustain for one hour, measured in watts); Recover – 2mins at 50% FTP
Main set Effort – 4mins at 115% FTP; Recover – 4mins at 50% FTP; Effort – 4mins at 115% FTP; Recover – 4mins at 50% FTP; Effort – 4mins at 115% FTP; Recover – 4mins at 50% FTP; Effort – 4mins at 115% FTP; Recover – 4mins at 50% FTP; Effort – 3mins at 115% FTP
Cool-down 12mins at 40% FTP