Why you shouldn’t sit up in the bell lap of a crit

This note was prompted by a rider who sat up at the last turn of the bell lap of the 2008 Trofeo de Evesham in New Jersey, saying “I’m not contesting the sprint.”

Speed and safety in criteriums are based on the principle of relative velocity. When everyone maintains approximately the same velocity, relative velocity is near zero: the effect of the draft is maximized and available reaction time is high. The peloton moves fast and safely.

This is why licensed races are categorized – when all the riders in the race have roughly the same strength (assuming a given level of skill), the principle of relative velocity works. This is also why Cat 4 and 5 races tend to have the most crashes (and the lowest speeds, relative to strength). These races contain riders with the most variation in strength, resulting in vastly differing velocities in the field, compromising both safety and speed.

The last lap of a crit is where testosterone levels are maxed out, everyone is focused on a narrow field of vision – straight ahead – and the majority of riders are jockeying for position, trying to find wheels and then daylight. A rider of who plans to sit up has the luxury of surveying the field in front with a wide ranging view and is tempted to think “if I fade to the left of the rider in front of me, the field will pass on my right.” No matter how narrow the field seems up front, it will be wider behind – and unless you are in the gutter, there are almost always riders looking to pass you on both sides. You can't see them: no one has eyes on the back of his or her head! Slowing down just as others are speeding up directly violates the principle of relative velocity, greatly increasing the risk of a crash.

So if you are in the bell lap, keep riding as hard as you can till you hit the line. It doesn’t matter how hammered you are, just try to keep your speed constant and line straight, others can come around you with safety. If you don’t want to do the last lap, fade out before it starts, preferably around the start-finish line, going wide of the field into the wind on a straight section of road.

Back in the day when race promoters had limited equipment, races entries were five bucks, primes were water bottles and prize lists were limited to the first six (since these places got USCF points), we all lived by the adage: “If you’re out of the money, sit the f___ up.” Whether you were 7^th or 37^th, you got an FIF: finished in the field. Well, those days are gone. Races cost 30, 40, even 50 bucks, promoters have the equipment to record everyone’s finish and everyone gets USA Cycling points. No one’s sitting up just because they’re out of the money; they’re all going for the line.