[jyalpert]

Hi all, I'm wondering how the more advanced racers think and approach XC races where there are no definitive climbs. I think I'm on a good path regarding fitness, but my riding efficiency seems to be pretty poor. Coming from road riding and recreational trail riding, some of the habits I've developed seem to be killing my racing.

How do you all think about efficiency and carrying momentum? Is this top of mind? Are you always thinking about this?

E.g. use the brakes as little as possible, mess with the dropper as little as possible (?), always be pedaling (no coasting), slow down for corners as little as possible, keep pushing any small climb all the way to the start of the descent so you have some speed coming in, etc. Mostly it seems maintaining momentum is a huge key to being successful on these kinds of courses.

Any thoughts?

 

[MudderNutter]

It's all about average speed. Pedal over the crest of hills to get back up to speed before you back off to recover, and do the same out of corners. Take breaks from pedaling on downhills to restore your legs, and practice pumping and weighting the bike over natural terrain for free speed. The best part about just focusing on these things is that you can practice them on solo rides when you're not at race pace! Make getting back up to speed habitual.

 

[127.0.0.1]

head down back flat and frickin pedal hard

 

[jimPacNW]

Absolutely, I always think about maintaining speed and being efficient while racing.

Braking is a big one: "slow in fast out", brake early enough that you can go through the corner smoothly with maximum exit speed. I've noticed a friend that I often ride with sometimes gets going a little too 'hot' and skids into the corners (too fast too deeply in), which hurts his exit speed, and I can carry better exit speed while he's pedaling harder to get back up to speed.
If a small drop has a very short climb after, consider building some momentum on the down to carry better speed through the up.
Try to avoid burning the big matches, and favor a more steady power output.

 

[wolfmw]

sounds like you've got the right ideas.

No climbs also usually means no recovery on downhills, so sometimes that might mean strategically holding back to keep a sustainable power output. Sprinting up a small hill to be greeted by a long false flat is no fun...

 

[Kawigreen636]

The road riding should be a big help on that type of course when it comes to fitness. My local trails are probably something like you decribe, and like you said, momentum is key. The majority of my riding/racing has been on a single speed, and your ride will quickly suck if you don't maintain momentum.