Your First Race
May 4, 2005
Bicycle racing is a wonderful sport that welcomes all ages, genders, and abilities. However, getting started in bicycle racing can be very difficult due to the steep learning curve required if you have no prior experience. Experience is something you cannot watch movies or read books and magazines about. You can only gain experience by doing. So to be successful in bicycle racing, you have to do it.
Check out the WCA race schedule located on the upper left on the WCA homepage. There you will find all the WCA races and links to event flyers telling when and where each event takes place.
At your first race you will need your bicycle, helmet, and a racing license. If you are 18 or under and plan to compete in a junior race, your bicycle will need to have junior legal gearing. If you do not want to invest in junior gears, you can still race in the junior races as long as block out your rear derailleur from going into your biggest gears. You can find out more about junior gearing in one of my previous postings that addresses the topic of junior gearing. You can find racing license information as well on the WCA homepage or the USA Cycling’s website at www.usaycling.org. You can purchase a one-day racing license or annual license that is good for the rest of the calendar year at the race site. You must have a license to race.
Once you have decided to try racing and have selected your first race, look over the race flyer to find the directions and the start time of your event. A good rule of thumb is to plan to arrive at the race site at least one hour prior to the start of your race. Giving yourself one hour will allow some time if you have problems finding the race site, allow for time to register and/or purchase a racing license, provide time to get you and you bicycle ready especially if you had to take the wheels off your bicycle to get it to fit in the car, and hopefully time to check out the race course. When I started racing at the age of 14, I was dependent on my parents or others to get to the races. My dad would ask me when was my race and I would tell him the start time. Well my dad did not race and he meant well, but he would get me to the race by the start time. He had no clue as to what is required prior to the start time. It did not take me long to think ahead, so when my dad would ask me when and where was my race, I would take in account travel time and figure in at least one hour prior to the start time.
Once you have yourself and bicycle ready to race and there’s time prior to the start of your race, check out the course. Whether you are on the racecourse or not, you must wear your helmet if you are riding your bicycle at a WCA event. You can be fined by not wearing a helmet while ridding a bicycle at any USCF sanctioned event and all WCA events are USCF sanctioned. Always check with the officials at the start finish line area if it is OK to ride on the course. You can never ride on the course if there is a race currently in progress and using the course. Many times the races may be on or off schedule so if the schedule shows no race going on; there may be one due to delayed start times. Races will never run ahead of schedule but may be on or behind schedule. So always ask an official if they are on of behind schedule if you don’t know.
At the start finish line, note which side of the course the officials are standing so you will know which side to place your race number. If you put your race number on the wrong side, the officials and photo finish camera will not pick your number. Many times the people working race registration will tell you which side to place your race number. For more information regarding race number placement, see one of my previous postings that addresses the topic of number placement.
Prior to your start, the officials may offer you a courtesy rollout to see if your bicycle is using legal junior gearing or if you have your gears blocked legally. The rollout prior to the race is only a courtesy check and not the official rollout. The official rollout is always immediately after the race. So always ask the officials where rollout will be after the race if you don’t know.
Hopefully you will have some time prior to the start of your race to get in a nice warm up. Ideally, it is nice to warm up on the course since it is usually secure and provides you an opportunity to check out the course for bumps, holes, and find a nice line through the turns. However, if you cannot warm up on the course you can try to find a nice nearby road to ride on or bring a stationary trainer with you.
When the officials call you to the start of your event line up behind the start/finish line unless the officials request that you stage for your start at another location. Listen to any special instructions the officials may provide. If there is something you don’t understand or are not sure of, this is you last opportunity to ask before the race starts. All riders are responsible for knowing the course.
When the official starts the race by firing a starters pistol, blowing a whistle, or simply saying, “go” the race has started. Near the start/finish line you will see lap cards that will tell you one of two things, either how many minutes have passed since the start or how many laps are left in the race. When there are several events in one day, race promoters will use time, not distance, to determine how long a race will be. It is easier to stay on a race schedule by time rather than by laps since laps can be fast or slow pending the quality and size of the field of racers and weather conditions. Usually the race flyer will tell you if your race is timed or by laps. Whether by time or laps, the last few laps in a race will count down from 2 to 1. Whenever you see 1 on a lap card, that means one lap left in the race. The race officials will ring a bell with one lap to go as well in case riders cannot see the lap cards. If you have been lapped or get lapped by the leaders on the leader’s last lap, you always finish with the leaders if the race is a criterium or a road race where the officials say criterium rules will be used. In a road race, you must ride the whole distance whether you are lapped or not, unless the officials tell you to finish.
In your first race you should try to stay with the main field as long as you can. You are always faster when you ride with others so try not to ride alone. If you fall off from the main field, keep riding. Many times others will drop off before you, with you, or after you. Either case, if you keep riding, eventually there may be someone to ride with.
Never, never, never quit a race. You have made an investment in time, travel, money, and equipment so if you start a race only to quit; you are throwing a lot of what you have already invested away. If you get dropped from the field, keep riding for you are on a secure course, which is probably safer than riding on the open road so make best of your situation. Use this opportunity not only to gain experience but for training as well. If you get lapped, trying staying in the field as they come around you. If only few riders lap you and they appear to be the leaders of your race, you can ride behind them but cannot help them. If you feel uncomfortable racing with others that have lapped you, that’s OK but try to continue to race for the only way to improve is to keep trying. To be successful at bicycle racing you must be determined and persistent. When you try racing again, use your prior experiences to try to stay in the race longer each time.
Never, never, never, quit a race unless one or more of the following criteria are met; an official tells you to withdraw, your safety is compromised, or you have sustained an injury where continuing to ride may cause you more harm.
As I mentioned earlier, to be successful in bicycle racing, you have to do it. So checkout the WCA race schedule and plan your first race. Everyone has to start out somewhere. It’s not the course, its not the bicycle, its not the weather, its you. You have to race to be successful in bicycle racing so get started now. With persistence and determination you can do it. So good luck to you and see you at the races.
Lowell Kellogg, Coach
ISCorp Junior Cycling Team
