CoachingAnswer

HOW DO I PREPARE FOR MY FIRST ROAD RACE?

By Anthony WalshRoadman CyclingUpdated 26 May 2026

WHO THIS IS FOR

IS THIS YOU?

The fit rider new to racing

You've got decent numbers from training but have never pinned a number on.

The club rider stepping up

You do the chain gang and want to race properly without getting dropped on lap one.

THE ROADMAN VIEW

Almost every first-timer makes the same discovery: road racing barely resembles their training. You can have a perfectly good FTP and still get shelled in the first ten minutes, because a race isn't a steady effort — it's a series of violent surges out of corners and up rises, with long stretches of sitting in between. The riders who get dropped are usually the fittest-looking ones who never learned to handle the accelerations or hold position in a bunch.

Cory Williams talks about this on the podcast in the context of criteriums, and it applies to your first road race too: the energy you save by sitting in the front third, on good wheels, out of the wind, is enormous compared to the rider fighting at the back, closing gaps every time the pace lifts. Brian Smith, who's directed at the top of the sport, frames racing as a thinking game — knowing where to be and when, not just how hard you can pull. That's a skill you train, not one you're born with.

So prepare like a racer, not just a fit rider. Do the short, repeated efforts that mirror race surges. Get into bunch rides and practise being comfortable inches off a wheel. Fuel from the start because you'll burn through glycogen faster than on any training ride. And set the right first goal — not to win, but to still be in the pack at the finish. Do that and you've already beaten most debutants.

EXPERT EVIDENCE

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

Cory WilliamsPro criterium racer, founder of Legion Cycling
Bunch racing rewards positioning over raw power. Staying near the front, out of the wind and ready for the surges, saves the energy that decides whether you finish with the group or get spat out the back.
Hear it: Criterium Secrets: Get Ahead of 99% of Your Competition | Cory Williams
Brian SmithFormer British champion and WorldTour sports director
Racing is a thinking sport — reading the race, knowing where to position, and conserving energy matter as much as fitness. First-timers improve fastest by learning tactics and bunch skills, not by chasing more watts.
Hear it: Brian Smith on Suffering, Coaching & Winning | Roadman Cycling Podcast

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

DO THIS WEEK

Train the surges
Add sessions of short, repeated hard efforts — 30s to 2min near and above threshold, off an easy base — to mimic the stochastic accelerations of a race. Steady threshold work alone won't prepare you for the punchy reality.
Practise riding in a bunch
Do fast group rides and chain gangs before race day. Get comfortable holding a wheel, riding close, and cornering in a pack. Handling confidence keeps you safe and saves energy.
Fuel from the start
Eat a carb-rich meal beforehand and take on carbs from early in the race — you'll burn glycogen faster than in any training ride. Don't wait until you feel empty in a race that may already be decided by then.
Set a finish-in-the-bunch goal
For race one, aim to stay near the front third, on wheels, and finish in the pack. Learning to survive and read the race is the foundation; chasing results comes later.

COMMON MISTAKES

WHAT CYCLISTS GET WRONG

MISTAKESitting at the back to 'stay out of trouble'.
FIXThe back is where you close gaps all day and get dropped. Ride the front third — it's safer and far less tiring.
MISTAKETraining only steady efforts for a stochastic race.
FIXAdd short, repeated surges. Racing is accelerations off corners and rises, not a flat threshold test.
MISTAKEShowing up with no bunch-riding experience.
FIXPractise in group rides first. Poor handling in a pack is dangerous and burns energy fighting for position.

FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How fit do I need to be for my first road race?

Fitter than a casual rider, but most people who do regular fast group rides have enough fitness to finish. The bigger gap for first-timers is racecraft — positioning, surges and bunch skills — not raw FTP.

What's the most common first-race mistake?

Sitting at the back. It feels safe but it's the hardest place to ride: you're constantly closing gaps when the pace surges, you can't see what's happening, and you're first to get dropped. Ride the front third instead.

How do I train for the surges in a race?

Add short, repeated hard efforts to your week — sets of 30-second to 2-minute efforts near and above threshold, with easy recovery. These mimic the accelerations out of corners and over rises that decide who stays in the bunch.

Should I eat during a short road race?

Yes — fuel beforehand and take carbs early, even in a sub-90-minute race. The intensity burns glycogen fast, and running empty in the closing laps is a common way first-timers fade exactly when the race heats up.

What category do I start racing in?

The lowest category for newcomers in your federation (a cat 4 or equivalent). Field sizes and speeds are more manageable, and you'll learn bunch skills against riders at a similar level before stepping up.

How do I not get dropped in my first race?

Position near the front, stay on wheels and out of the wind, anticipate the surges rather than reacting late, and fuel from the start. Most riders get dropped from poor positioning and missed accelerations, not from lack of fitness.

RELATED EPISODES

HEAR THE CONVERSATIONS

Criterium Secrets: Get Ahead of 99% of Your Competition | Cory Williams

Brian Smith on Suffering, Coaching & Winning | Roadman Cycling Podcast

André Greipel on Sprinting, Burnout & Cycling Coaching | Roadman