crits play out in a number of ways…so, if you aren’t a sprinter, reverse engineer the race; how can you win?
Maybe you can win a sprint from a small group, so you need to surf the front and use a match to bridge to what looks like a good break. You can’t make every single one of them, so be wise. Go when the fast riders go. You’ll start to get a sixth sense.
Maybe you have some solid 5 minute power and can give them hell with a last couple laps attack. Especailly since you are new, people may not chase you down right away, everyone looks at each other JUUUUST long enough, and you’re gone, for the win.
Someone else said it: experiment. Find your limiters. Work on them; improve. Try again. And again.
Just go race. It’ll be fun.