http://criteriumcoaching.com/2010/04/24/what-makes-a-great-criterium-racer/ Training and Tactics for Criterium Racing Mon, 10 Jan 2011 23:22:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://criteriumcoaching.com/2010/04/24/what-makes-a-great-criterium-racer/#comment-63 admin Tue, 18 May 2010 03:03:13 +0000 http://criteriumcoaching.com/?p=381#comment-63 First, you need to be on the wheel in front of you and own it. If there is any opening, someone will and should take the wheel, so if you are leaving more that 6-12 inches then the wheel is open. You might think that they are pushing you off but you need to make sure that first you are owning the wheel in front of you. Owning the wheel requires that you work hard to not let the gap open up. This will mean that you might need to get of out the saddle and sprint a few revs to close the gap. Once you own the wheel, you don't move if they start to move towards you, if you move then you are giving them the wheel. They are testing you to see if you will move off the wheel so that they can get the draft or get out of the wind. Don't move, they won't hit you or knock you over. The worse that will happen is that you will bump elbows or handlebars, and this rarely happens. Hold the wheel and hold your ground! First, you need to be on the wheel in front of you and own it. If there is any opening, someone will and should take the wheel, so if you are leaving more that 6-12 inches then the wheel is open. You might think that they are pushing you off but you need to make sure that first you are owning the wheel in front of you. Owning the wheel requires that you work hard to not let the gap open up. This will mean that you might need to get of out the saddle and sprint a few revs to close the gap. Once you own the wheel, you don’t move if they start to move towards you, if you move then you are giving them the wheel. They are testing you to see if you will move off the wheel so that they can get the draft or get out of the wind. Don’t move, they won’t hit you or knock you over. The worse that will happen is that you will bump elbows or handlebars, and this rarely happens. Hold the wheel and hold your ground!

]]> http://criteriumcoaching.com/2010/04/24/what-makes-a-great-criterium-racer/#comment-62 suszann Mon, 17 May 2010 14:07:26 +0000 http://criteriumcoaching.com/?p=381#comment-62 I just started racing criteriiums. I need inspiration to "fight" for my position. I backdown when I see riders go down or cut me off. How do I mentally handle the situation? I just started racing criteriiums. I need inspiration to “fight” for my position. I backdown when I see riders go down or cut me off. How do I mentally handle the situation?

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