Criterium Race Tactics and Strategies
Frank Overton
Every week the FasCat Coaches get together to discuss and share ways to help out our athletes. We cover a variety of topics like off season and resistance training, indoor trainer workouts, TSS, the Performance Manager Chart, intervals, sweet spot training and weight loss to name a few. We often talk about race tactics and strategies in order to teach athletes how to race. See our road race tactics tip and read below for our criterium race tactics and strategies:
Allen: Learn how to “surf” the riders in the front but never actually be the rider in the front. It takes some work but it is a whole lot easier than trying to ride in the back of the pack and eventually getting gapped. If you do find yourself on the front, take a short pull and let someone else come around.

Jake: If you are not passing a rider moving up, chances are you are being passed and moving backwards. Follow wheels up (see 'surf' above) and don’t use your own energy. Use an early prime or mid race sprint to gage the finish and how to take the last couple of corners. You don’t need to give it your all to show everyone, but feel it out. Don’t wait for others to start the sprint. If you wait someone else will get the jump. Know how far the sprint is from the last corner. Think about how long the effort will be and when YOU should go. You won’t be able to come around more than 1 or 2 riders in a sprint.
Carson: Rather sitting in the middle of the pack, try to draft on the outside of the bunch. This allows you to slot in behind riders as they pass you (see Coach Jake and Allen above 'surf') to move up and prevents you from being boxed in so you can follow attacks if they happen. You also have a safe place to ride in the event there's a crash in front of you. However, beware if you are on the inside of a turn, because you'll be more likely forced to brake which sets you up to accelerate hard out of the corner.
Isaiah: Play your strengths. If your kick(sprint) is your weakest link, then don’t wait for the sprint on the last lap. Follow wheels and/or attack when the field takes a breather to try to get away solo or with a group. Remember though, once you are out there you have to be able to hold it. If you find that you don’t think you can do the work to stay away, there is no shame to sitting up (or not working if in a break) and going back to the field. With enough practice, experience and attempts, eventually you'll have the strength to hold a breakaway all the way to the line provided you commit to the effort. If the course is 'fast' or the peloton's average speed is high be aware that a breakaway attempt may take 4-5 strong motivated riders all sharing the work.
Frank: The race begins on the last lap. Until then, sit in. With 5 laps to go, ‘get to the front’ - aka not on the front but at the front. Use wheels coming by you to jump on and take you up to the front. Ideally you are in top 3, top 5 at least with 1 to go and the 2 riders in front of you are going for it. If they aren’t, plan on riders from behind coming up and you hoping on their wheel. Don't get swarmed. Whoever exits the last corner first usually wins. Also race with a teammate or friend: one teammate sells out for the other chasing down attacks and on the last lap leads you out. Then the next race swap team work roles and you lead him/her out!
And there you have it: learn how to surf wheels to stay positioned at the front of the race. Wait for the last lap if you are a sprinter and don't if you aren't and implement team work. Oh and cornering skills are a must so be sure to practice at home!
If you are looking for specific guidance on workouts that will help you improve your performance at crits, check out this training tip.
Copyright 2020 , FasCat Coaching
For more information about criterium training, check out this "Watts UP" training tip or Join our *FREE* Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The Effect of Altitude
Criterium Training






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- Complete 4 month Training Plan with 3 Power Tests
- new Professional Level with 18 - 26 hours / week

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- Off-season cyclocross plan is a combination of weight lifting and sweet spot base
- 24-week plan is perfect to begin in January-March to prepare for the Spring/Summer season

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- Increase power and endurance
- Combines Weight Lifting then Sweet Spot Base Training

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- 12 wks of TT specific threshold intervals
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- Includes, Course Recons, a Taper into the Race + Leg Openers!

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- This program is modified from our tried 'n true 10 week weight lifting plan

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- Perfect for putting your speed & skills to the test
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- Includes a taper and leg openers to prepare you for your first race of the season

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- Perfect for the CX athlete that likes to plan ahead and build a solid base
- Includes structured Sweet Spot intervals + skill work so no watts are left on the table!

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- Perfect for all cyclists beginning off season training
- Raise your CTL and the all-important muscle tension intervals

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- For the rider that has loftier goals than just finishing
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- Perfect for winter indoors
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- Indoor cycling training plan has advanced aerobic endurance
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- 6-week cross-country interval training plan
- Endurance mountain bike hammer rides, VO2's, threshold, diabolical tabatas, and race starts to prepare you to crush your goal race!

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- 6-week Intervals for Time Trials training plan
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- Leadville 100 MTB Training Plan, starts Monday July 1st for the August 10, 2024 race
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- Complete similar workouts to what Phil does to prepare for all his KOM's
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- Includes VO2's, anaerobic intervals, diabolical tabatas

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- Weekend racing and group rides with weekday training and recovery
- anaerobic efforts like criss cross, Over/Unders Sweet Spot, Threshold

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- Includes Sweet Spot, VO2, Anaerobic, Threshold

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- This plan begins before the season starts so you have time to get faster
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- Raises your CTL to peak for Cyclocross Nationals
- Strategically timed training block around Thanksgiving
- Includes an age-based taper

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- This plan gets you ready to climb a ride a 50-100-mile event
- This Plan was featured in Outside Magazine, click view details to learn what they had to say!

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- Increase aerobic fitness and power output
- Perfect starting point for the foundation of your training

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- Begin to Build Your Base
- Increase FTP by 5 - 20% !
- Home of Sweet Spot training

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- Increase aerobic fitness and power output
- Perfect continuation from Sweet Spot part 1

Sweet Spot Part 3: Base to Race
- The transition from base to race
- Increase aerobic fitness and power output
- Perfect continuation from Sweet Spot part 2

Sweet Spot Part 4: Fresh and Fast
- ideal for summer training
- Increases FTP & Improves Endurance
- Balance of Sweet Spot and VO2 Max work

Triple Bypass
- Features Sweet Spot, Tempo & Threshold Intervals to prepare you for the long sustained climbs!
- Group Rides & Simulation Rides on the Weekend
- Includes a Taper into the Race + Leg Openers

100 Mile Mountain Bike Race

16 Weeks Of Sweet Spot
- Builds a Big Aerobic Base
- Complete 4 month Training Plan with 3 Power Tests
- new Professional Level with 18 - 26 hours / week

24 Week Off-Season Cyclocross Training
- Off-season cyclocross plan is a combination of weight lifting and sweet spot base
- 24-week plan is perfect to begin in January-March to prepare for the Spring/Summer season

30 Week Weights + Sweet Spot Base
- Increase power and endurance
- Combines Weight Lifting then Sweet Spot Base Training

40k Time Trial
- 12 wks of TT specific threshold intervals
- Raise your threshold power output with VO2's
- Includes, Course Recons, a Taper into the Race + Leg Openers!

At Home Weight Lifting Plan: 10 Weeks (new for 2024)
- Increase your Power Output in 10 weeks
- This program is modified from our tried 'n true 10 week weight lifting plan

Boulder Roubaix

Breck Epic Sweet Spot Training Plan

Climbing Intervals
- This plan will put you on the start line prepared to crush some massive climbs!
- Tempo, SS & Threshold intervals during the week + group rides and/or harder efforts on the weekend

Crusher in the Tushar
- Prepares you to CRUSH the Tushar Crusher this upcoming July
- Includes Sweet Spot, Threshold, VO2 work, and Simulation Rides

CX Race & Recover: In-Season
- Perfect for putting your speed & skills to the test
- Keeps your 'cross skills sharp so you are ready to race and balances recovery so you can continue to perform well

Cyclocross Intervals
- Suitable for the cyclocross athlete that wants to get ready to race
- Includes a taper and leg openers to prepare you for your first race of the season

Cyclocross Summer Sweet Spot
- Perfect for the CX athlete that likes to plan ahead and build a solid base
- Includes structured Sweet Spot intervals + skill work so no watts are left on the table!

Foundation : 3 Weeks
- Perfect for all cyclists beginning off season training
- Raise your CTL and the all-important muscle tension intervals

Gran Fondo Plan
- For the rider that has loftier goals than just finishing
- Includes longer rides and cycling specific nutrition guidance

Gravel In-Season

Gravel Training Plan

Haute Route

Iceman Cometh
- Start this six week plan Sept 25th
- XC MTB specific training for the IceMan

Indoor / Outdoor for Zwift & Smart Trainers
- Perfect for winter indoors
- Sweet Spot, Tempo intervals, Threshold Intervals

Indoor Cycling
- Indoor cycling training plan has advanced aerobic endurance
- Workouts are geared towards you riding indoors on the trainer

Intervals for Cross Country MTB
- 6-week cross-country interval training plan
- Endurance mountain bike hammer rides, VO2's, threshold, diabolical tabatas, and race starts to prepare you to crush your goal race!

Intervals for Time Trials
- 6-week Intervals for Time Trials training plan
- Use your training zones to ride just hard enough to get faster & stronger

Leadville 100 MTB
- Leadville 100 MTB Training Plan, starts Monday July 1st for the August 10, 2024 race
- Preps you for the grueling alpine climbs in Leadville
- Include simulation rides and nutrition guidance

Phil Gaimon's FONDO
- Complete similar workouts to what Phil does to prepare for all his KOM's
- Sweet Spot training, threshold intervals, and some anaerobic work

Phil Gaimon's Strava PR Plan
- Perfect Plan for Those with Less Training Time, starts at 15 minutes per day
- VO2's, 1 minuters, Tabatas, threshold, suprathreshold, and even Sweet Spot

Road & Crit Intervals
- Get race ready for the road season with our Intervals
- Includes VO2's, anaerobic intervals, diabolical tabatas

Road Race In-Season
- Weekend racing and group rides with weekday training and recovery
- anaerobic efforts like criss cross, Over/Unders Sweet Spot, Threshold

Road Racing Intervals
- Increase your functional and race-specific power output
- Includes Sweet Spot, VO2, Anaerobic, Threshold

Six Weeks Till Cyclocross
- This plan begins before the season starts so you have time to get faster
- Rock this plan and move onto the Cyclocross Intervals plan before the season starts

Six Weeks to Peak for CX Nationals
- Raises your CTL to peak for Cyclocross Nationals
- Strategically timed training block around Thanksgiving
- Includes an age-based taper

Stage Race Intervals
- Incorporates training races along with the weekend group rides
- For stage racers combines plenty of threshold work in the aero position

Steamboat Gravel

Sweet Spot + Resistance Training
- 16 Weeks of training perfect for building your aerobic base in the off season
- Four Phases of resistance training with neuromuscular sprint work
- Combines our 10 weeks of weight & Sweet Spot Part 2

Sweet Spot Marathon MTB Plan
- This plan gets you ready to climb a ride a 50-100-mile event
- This Plan was featured in Outside Magazine, click view details to learn what they had to say!

Sweet Spot Part 1 for the Triathlete
- Increase aerobic fitness and power output
- Perfect starting point for the foundation of your training

Sweet Spot Part 1: Build Your Base
- Begin to Build Your Base
- Increase FTP by 5 - 20% !
- Home of Sweet Spot training

Sweet Spot Part 2: Boost Your Base
- Boost Your Base
- Increase aerobic fitness and power output
- Perfect continuation from Sweet Spot part 1

Sweet Spot Part 3: Base to Race
- The transition from base to race
- Increase aerobic fitness and power output
- Perfect continuation from Sweet Spot part 2

Sweet Spot Part 4: Fresh and Fast
- ideal for summer training
- Increases FTP & Improves Endurance
- Balance of Sweet Spot and VO2 Max work

Triple Bypass
- Features Sweet Spot, Tempo & Threshold Intervals to prepare you for the long sustained climbs!
- Group Rides & Simulation Rides on the Weekend
- Includes a Taper into the Race + Leg Openers