If you\u2019re brand new to racing, it\u2019s pretty straightforward to know which racing category you should\u00a0start out in. But what if you\u2019re coming back to racing? What category should you race and, more interestingly, what does it say about you as a racer? These are just a couple questions I\u2019m about to dig into.<\/p>\n
Cycling is a sport with well-established rank and file that plays a large part in creating the rich culture of cycling. These aspects are uniting, but in the same hand, gives its riders a snooty reputation. Bare in mind, reputations are just that, reputations<\/em> \u2014 not facts.<\/p>\n All too often we tend to identify and rank ourselves and others by our racing category. More often than not this leads us to incorrect assumptions. It\u2019s time to drop some of our hard-held beliefs and take a new look. Here are some of the most stereotype-breaking things I\u2019ve learned about racing categories and their associated rider reputations.<\/p>\n In the USA, road racers compete in five categories of racing, while mountain bikers only have three categories. This varies for other disciplines such as cyclocross or gravity oriented racing; it also varies country to country. In almost every case, and no matter the discipline’s number of categories, Cat 1 always represents the most competitive amateur racing classification.<\/p>\n In order to move from one category to the next, points need to be earned by the rider. These points are handed out based on your finishing position and how many people were in the field. Each racing organization\u2019s upgrade requirements will differ and it may be harder to upgrade in a certain geographical area due to a few factors. The competitiveness of the racing, the number of available races and the number of racers all have a much more profound affect on a rider\u2019s ability to upgrade categories than we give them credit for.<\/p>\n This brings us to my main point: Not all riders within a category are alike. While there are certain generalizations<\/a> you can attach to a category, there are more anomalies to these blanketed statements than we realize. Here\u2019s a list of famous misnomers and surprising bits of information that relate to racing categories.<\/p>\n Not true. Other than a very select few of the most elite mountain bikers or cross riders, every rider regardless of their experience or fitness needs to start at the bottom.<\/p>\n This creates an unpredictable mix of beginners and very fast athletes who could have near professional-level fitness but simply lack the upgrade points needed to move on to the next category. In some cases, the normalized power<\/a> of the racer who wins the Cat 5 race will be higher than that of the winners in\u00a0faster\u00a0categories. For this reason, attaching a specific range of power-to-weight ratios or ability levels is very tough for Cat 5 racers.<\/p>\n It\u2019s always worth remembering that there will almost always be somebody faster than you in a race. Interestingly enough, of all the racing categories Cat 5 races may be the toughest ones for a breakaway to stick. It is very common to see a lack of team tactics or organization in early category races. The racing nous needed to operate as a team and manage breakways in a race is something built over time by dedicated athletes. In nearly every case, those athletes have accrued enough points to be racing in faster\u00a0categories by the time they are able to race as a team.<\/p>\n The result is a pack of extremely eager racers who don\u2019t quite know their abilities yet or how to judge a breakaway, and don\u2019t want to miss a single move. More experienced racers know that they can let a breakaway leave as long as they work together as a team later in the race to chase them down.<\/p>\n I once thought I could just ride off the front at the Sea Otter Classic in a Cat 4 race. After three failed breakaway attempts I crossed the line just inside the top ten with a normalized power of 325 for 70 minutes while weighing 141pounds. That\u2019s just over 5 w\/kg for those keeping score \u2014way more than what many people would assume a Cat 4 race winner would need.<\/p>\n In the USA, every Cat 5 rider needs to complete ten races in order to upgrade. You could place dead last in every one of these races or win them all, it doesn\u2019t matter. USAC wants you to accrue experience, and no efforts of persuasion will change that, even a link to your impressive list of KOMs on Strava. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n The same thing applies to higher categories, albeit with less absolutism. It\u2019s always best to avoid thinking you are better than the category you are racing in. Be content where you are and focus on working hard.<\/p>\n Peter Sagan seems to make a \u201cYou won\u2019t believe what this rider did next\u201d<\/a> highlight reel after every race, but remember that he is commonly\u00a0having to dodge a group of downed riders when he displays those impressive bike skills.<\/p>\n Even within the pro peloton there are plenty of racers who have incredibly strong fitness but lack in the bike handling department. Bike handling is a skill that is developed just like fitness: through specific focus and practice, not just riding around on your bike.<\/p>\n Like most endurance sports, cycling sees amateur racers get stronger as they age into their thirties and forties. In fact, many Masters racers were once successful Elite racers that have years of experience and fitness to pull from.<\/p>\n This mix of Uncle Rico types<\/a> and confident seasoned vets makes for competitive and organized racing that can push a younger elite racer past his limits.<\/p>\n In short, your racing category shouldn\u2019t say a whole lot other than how much time you\u2019ve dedicated to racing. (Keep in mind that time isn\u2019t synonymous with speed or ability.) Conversely, it can say a lot of incorrect things about you as a racer.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re getting back into racing after a hiatus, don\u2019t let pride keep you from dropping down to whatever category is needed. It will only help you get stronger at the right pace, avoiding burnout and fatigue.<\/p>\n You\u2019re a racer \u2014 the category is just the arena. Over time that arena will change, but the important thing is to constantly improve your fitness, technical ability and racing tact along the way.<\/p>\n What Your Racing Category Says About You\u00a0is just one topic\u00a0we covered\u00a0in episode 32 of the\u00a0Ask a Cycling Coach podcast<\/a><\/em>. Listen to the episode’s full recording below to hear this and other questions from cyclists get answered by our certified cycling coaches.<\/p>\nOverview of Racing Categories<\/h2>\n
\u201cCat 5 races are easy.\u201d<\/h2>\n
\u201cWith your speed, you will be able to just ride off the front of that race.\u201d<\/h2>\n
\u201cNot enough upgrade points? Just send in a petition.\u201d<\/h2>\n
\u201cCat 1 racers are good bike handlers.\u201d<\/h2>\n
\u201cMasters Racing is easier than Elite.\u201d<\/h2>\n
So What Does Your Category Say About You As a Racer?<\/h2>\n
\nListen to Certified Cycling Coaches Discuss\u00a0Racing Categories<\/h2>\n