Mountain Bike racing in all disciplines is growing in popularity, and this means more people challenging you for the top positions. Cross-country races are still the most prevalent mountain bike race format in the United States. These tips are designed for the sixty-minute or less cross-country format race, and may be just the edge that you need to meet your goals for the season. You’ll see your stronger training buddy wondering why you’re the one on the podium, when he recently smoked you on your regular training hill. Use these tips to help you advance, whether it is from the back of the pack to the middle, or from the middle to the front.
Go For Pole Position
As Mountain Bikers, we are generally passive non-confrontational people. It goes against our grain to be overly aggressive. You are probably thinking you can start the race at a moderate pace, and if you feel strong, then pass. Unless you know that even at your best you are a bottom 75th percentile finisher, then start close to the front and stay there! When the race starts, aggressively but safely pursue a front position in the pack. Think about what gear you want to start in and envision what it will take to get out in front. It generally requires some serious high rpm pedaling. Once the trail narrows to singletrack, catch your breath and try to count what place you are in. If it’s too difficult to tell, then you need to work harder the next time. It’s easier to sink back if you cannot sustain the pace than it is to pass other riders. This doesn’t mean to race above your ability. If you think you can race up front, then believe it and gain the confidence to get there. It may feel risky, but I’ve never been on the podium of a race where I didn’t take a big risk.
Negotiate with the Stubborn Mule
There’s subtle skill involved in safely communicating with and passing a rider. If you want to pass, be verbal. Racers are very uncomfortable with someone right on their heels. Call out, “I’d like to pass when it’s safe.” More often than not, the rider will find a safe place to yield. Sometimes it’s difficult to find a good place to pass and the rider is unwilling to slow down. He then becomes a stubborn mule. DO NOT risk injuring yourself or the other racer by plowing around him out of control or in an unsafe manner. Continue to work with him to find a good spot, like “I’m going to take this turn wide left and pass you there ok?” The stubborn mule is an asset. Your competition will also have to get around him, and if you can do it quicker, then you have the advantage.
Sight Over Sound
Many racers find themselves in no-mans land, the place where no racers are in sight in front or behind. It is generally a stress-free place to be, but a good racer will still suffer from a continuous paranoia their pace has dropped and that at any moment a suddenly appearing rider will overtake him. The increased physical exertion enhances your senses. You’ll be able to hear the sound of a chain slapping from very far away, even if you don’t see a rider. You need not worry too much about these sounds, as the sound could have traveled from a long distance. But once you see a rider behind you or closely around a corner, then you have reason to be paranoid. You are about to be overtaken.
Ride Bare Back
That’s what I’m saying. Lose the hydration pack. Nutrition is extremely important for racing. In a multi-hour race, you won’t make it to the finish line without replenishing lost fluid, sodium and fuel. However, on a one hour or less race, focus on getting the right hydration and nutrition before the race. Once it’s close to lineup time, I take a bottle with my favorite energy drink and use it for nourishment while waiting for the race start. I then start the race with the empty bottle in the cage. Maybe you’ll get thirsty during the race, but if you pre-fueled and pre-hydrated well enough, it should not affect your performance. Carefully consider the pros and cons of this tip if the race is an important milestone race. Usually along with your hydration pack goes your tools. Without a hydration pack containing your tools, a simple mechanical will spell the end of your race. If you’re willing to accept that consequence, then ride it bare back.
Get Off the Sofa
During a race you will find yourself slowly encroaching upon a slower racer than you. If you’ve been hammering away at threshold, your mind will play tricks on you, and you’ll settle into his pace. A welcome reprieve from the maddening pace. You’ll feel that you don’t have the strength to pass, and even if you could, surely it'll sap so much energy that you won't maintain the pace and just be overtaken again. And so you’ll comfortably rest into this pace line. Fight it! All you are doing is giving more time for a more aggressive rider to encroach upon you and pass you both. It is stressful to have someone nipping at your heels, and what you are not considering is the rider in front of you is at his mental and physical limit and is extremely uncomfortable with both the pace and the fact that you are on his ass. Signal to pass. Once you get around him, you’ll be amazed how quickly he lets off the gas and fades off the radar.
Listen to Your Body Talk
Your mental ability to withstand the suffering during a race may surpass your body’s physical limits. When you are fatigued physically, your ability to maintain proper balance and center of gravity on the bike is diminished. Your body will hover further toward the handlebars and you’ll have trouble maintaining your lines in the singletrack around curves and over bumps. Recognize these telltale signs, as it could be the difference between finishing the race and badly injuring yourself in a crash. Even a crash that does not cause injury consumes a lot of energy and attacks your psyche, inhibiting your ability to finish the race strong. When your body talks to you like this, consider sacrificing some speed in order to maintain stability.
Pass with Your Class
If you see yourself quickly encroaching on another racer, there is a good chance he or she is in a different class, and if the speed with which you are approaching is not sufficient enough for the rider to yield, then the fact that you are not in the same class of competition should. Don’t wait until you have reached the rider to signal to pass. It may not be evident even from a distance that you are approaching fast, so as early as you can, shout “[Your class] rider coming through!” The racer will hopefully have ample time to yield so that you hopefully will not lose even a single critical pedalstroke.
Good luck this season, and I hope these tips help you race smarter!
Go For Pole Position
As Mountain Bikers, we are generally passive non-confrontational people. It goes against our grain to be overly aggressive. You are probably thinking you can start the race at a moderate pace, and if you feel strong, then pass. Unless you know that even at your best you are a bottom 75th percentile finisher, then start close to the front and stay there! When the race starts, aggressively but safely pursue a front position in the pack. Think about what gear you want to start in and envision what it will take to get out in front. It generally requires some serious high rpm pedaling. Once the trail narrows to singletrack, catch your breath and try to count what place you are in. If it’s too difficult to tell, then you need to work harder the next time. It’s easier to sink back if you cannot sustain the pace than it is to pass other riders. This doesn’t mean to race above your ability. If you think you can race up front, then believe it and gain the confidence to get there. It may feel risky, but I’ve never been on the podium of a race where I didn’t take a big risk.
Negotiate with the Stubborn Mule
There’s subtle skill involved in safely communicating with and passing a rider. If you want to pass, be verbal. Racers are very uncomfortable with someone right on their heels. Call out, “I’d like to pass when it’s safe.” More often than not, the rider will find a safe place to yield. Sometimes it’s difficult to find a good place to pass and the rider is unwilling to slow down. He then becomes a stubborn mule. DO NOT risk injuring yourself or the other racer by plowing around him out of control or in an unsafe manner. Continue to work with him to find a good spot, like “I’m going to take this turn wide left and pass you there ok?” The stubborn mule is an asset. Your competition will also have to get around him, and if you can do it quicker, then you have the advantage.
Sight Over Sound
Many racers find themselves in no-mans land, the place where no racers are in sight in front or behind. It is generally a stress-free place to be, but a good racer will still suffer from a continuous paranoia their pace has dropped and that at any moment a suddenly appearing rider will overtake him. The increased physical exertion enhances your senses. You’ll be able to hear the sound of a chain slapping from very far away, even if you don’t see a rider. You need not worry too much about these sounds, as the sound could have traveled from a long distance. But once you see a rider behind you or closely around a corner, then you have reason to be paranoid. You are about to be overtaken.
Ride Bare Back
That’s what I’m saying. Lose the hydration pack. Nutrition is extremely important for racing. In a multi-hour race, you won’t make it to the finish line without replenishing lost fluid, sodium and fuel. However, on a one hour or less race, focus on getting the right hydration and nutrition before the race. Once it’s close to lineup time, I take a bottle with my favorite energy drink and use it for nourishment while waiting for the race start. I then start the race with the empty bottle in the cage. Maybe you’ll get thirsty during the race, but if you pre-fueled and pre-hydrated well enough, it should not affect your performance. Carefully consider the pros and cons of this tip if the race is an important milestone race. Usually along with your hydration pack goes your tools. Without a hydration pack containing your tools, a simple mechanical will spell the end of your race. If you’re willing to accept that consequence, then ride it bare back.
Get Off the Sofa
During a race you will find yourself slowly encroaching upon a slower racer than you. If you’ve been hammering away at threshold, your mind will play tricks on you, and you’ll settle into his pace. A welcome reprieve from the maddening pace. You’ll feel that you don’t have the strength to pass, and even if you could, surely it'll sap so much energy that you won't maintain the pace and just be overtaken again. And so you’ll comfortably rest into this pace line. Fight it! All you are doing is giving more time for a more aggressive rider to encroach upon you and pass you both. It is stressful to have someone nipping at your heels, and what you are not considering is the rider in front of you is at his mental and physical limit and is extremely uncomfortable with both the pace and the fact that you are on his ass. Signal to pass. Once you get around him, you’ll be amazed how quickly he lets off the gas and fades off the radar.
Listen to Your Body Talk
Your mental ability to withstand the suffering during a race may surpass your body’s physical limits. When you are fatigued physically, your ability to maintain proper balance and center of gravity on the bike is diminished. Your body will hover further toward the handlebars and you’ll have trouble maintaining your lines in the singletrack around curves and over bumps. Recognize these telltale signs, as it could be the difference between finishing the race and badly injuring yourself in a crash. Even a crash that does not cause injury consumes a lot of energy and attacks your psyche, inhibiting your ability to finish the race strong. When your body talks to you like this, consider sacrificing some speed in order to maintain stability.
Pass with Your Class
If you see yourself quickly encroaching on another racer, there is a good chance he or she is in a different class, and if the speed with which you are approaching is not sufficient enough for the rider to yield, then the fact that you are not in the same class of competition should. Don’t wait until you have reached the rider to signal to pass. It may not be evident even from a distance that you are approaching fast, so as early as you can, shout “[Your class] rider coming through!” The racer will hopefully have ample time to yield so that you hopefully will not lose even a single critical pedalstroke.
Good luck this season, and I hope these tips help you race smarter!
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