Success in crits depends on physical ability, technical skills, tactical savvy, and luck. Crit racing is one of the most cut-throat cycling disciplines and therefore one of the most intimidating for newbies and seasoned pros alike.
In a crit, racing starts long before the pistol fires. Watch an experienced pro appear in the staging area at exactly the right time—not too soon to lose her warm-up, but early enough to grab a spot on the front line.

Arrive at the start warmed up and knowledgeable about the course. The start should feel like another interval in a series you’ve already begun. Given the location of most crits in urban areas, adequately warming up requires resourcefulness. Pack a trainer or rollers or find a tough climb for hill repeats to get your heart rate up. Although it may seem counterintuitive to the uninitiated, the start hurts a lot less if you’ve already worked up a sweat beforehand.

If at all possible, ride the course in advance—ideally after it has been secured from car traffic. Then log a few laps at high speed, trying out several lines through each corner and testing different gears on hills or out of corners. Scope the finish to decide where to commence sprinting.

However, if your race happens late in a lengthy program and you can’t sneak laps between races, walk the course. Most are less than a mile and the walk will help you work off car legs and visualize success. Watch others negotiate corners. What lines do they take? Where does passing occur? Are there any obstacles like potholes or traffic chokers? Learn pit locations should you need an emergency wheel change or free lap.

Talk to other racers who are finished—they may highlight unusual hazards, comment on wind direction, or give valuable hints where to start an attack or final sprint.

The first battle of the war is a round of survival-of-the-fittest. Most crits start fast and furious. You’ll usually wonder how you’ll keep up the pace, but keep the faith. After enough others get shelled, there is often a lull or at least a steadying of the pace at the quarter or half-way point. Do whatever it takes to hang until then.

Increase your odds by starting in a gear similar to your neighbors and going for the “hole shot” to be at or near the front going into corner #1. Practice clipping in that second foot until it happens flawlessly every time on the first revolution.

Then stay within the top 10 or 20 racers throughout—you’ll avoid numerous crashes and save energy by escaping the accordion effect thereby not having to accelerate to close gaps after every attack and corner. Think about it—the simplest course with only four turns will cost you 120 corners over 30 laps.

Leave the nice-guy personality at home and don your race face. Several learned behaviors should become instinctual: attack whenever you hear a crash behind you and take advantage of every opportunity to move up—don’t let anyone but a teammate snag a wheel in front of you. The natural convection forces within the peloton move backward so you must constantly fight for your position within striking distance of the front.

Finally, there is no substitute for practice. The famous adage “Training is the best racing,” applies nowhere better than crits. Your local weeknight training crit is perfect for simulating hard efforts, honing cornering skills, improving your ability to move through packs, and testing out breakaway and final sprint tactics.

Sue George resides in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Prior to her retirement from road racing, she participated in several hundred crits. She is the author of Road Cycling in Central Virginia: A Guide.