“How to race and win bike races”
To be successful in cycle racing coaches and athletes need to understand and implement effective racing tactics. The definition of a tactic is “the application of skills in order to gain an advantage or achieve success.
Cycling is a unique sport in that it has so many elements. First of all, its a race that is mainly dependent on physical ability yet skill and decision-making are such key parts of success. By nature it is an individual sport whilst being a team sport at the same time, but only the winner stands on the podium. Competitors are forced to work together but turn on each other in an instant. There are rules to learn and unwritten etiquette to understand. It’s a hard and mysterious sport, tricky to understand difficult to do well.
All of this means that there is a lot to learn and that’s where coaches and clubs are invaluable in the development of successful bike racers. Bike racers need to allocate time to learning the intricacies of these techniques and learn tactics in order to maximize their physical potential and increase their chances of achieving their goals.
Tactical workshops
- Tactical Techniques & Survival Skills Saturday 11th June Enter here
- Race Tactics Sunday 14th August Enter here
- Advanced & Team Tactics September TBC
FAQ’s
What is it?
“How to Race and Win” bike races is a series of Tactical coaching sessions and workshops.
Who is it for?
They are for coaches and riders that race. The vast majority of 2nd, 3rd and 4th category racers will find the sessions very beneficial. Ideally coaches and the riders they coach should attend together, but is not essential.
Is there a lower age limit?
Yes, tactics become more relevant at junior level for several reasons, so the minimum age is 15 years old.
What do the sessions involve?
There are three separate sessions in the “How to race and Win” series.
- Tactical Techniques and Survival Skills
- Racing Tactics
- Advanced & Team Tactics
Each session is a day long and involves practical and workshop elements.
What will I learn?
- What racing tactics are
- How and when to execute race tactics
- How to read, respond and counter race tactics
- How to race as an individual and team to achieve a result
- How to plan and execute a race strategy
Why should I attend?
- To achieve better results in races
- To maximise your potential
- To increase your understanding of road cycling
- To become a better coach
How fit do you need to be?
You need to be fit enough to race.
Why use East fortune race circuit?
Teaching tactics is best done recreating real situations that mimic a race or parts of a race. Therefore we need a venue that will enable us to do this safely and away from traffic.
Are these national or region events?
This is a Scotland wide coaching programme.
Is this part of a performance programme?
No, there are no links to SC performance programmes. This is a coaching programme designed to primarily educate coaches on racing tactics but as explained this is best done in real life thus it is a session for both coaches and riders.
Why does it cost?
The main reason is to cover the venue and development cost. The idea is not to make money and in reality the series will probably make a small loss but any profit that is made will be used for further coach education programmes.
Spaces
Spaces are limited. We have allocated a set number of places for both coaches and riders of different levels and types in order to increase the impact of the workshops and provide an effective learning environment.
“I attended the first “How to Race and Win” sessions with Scottish Cycling’s Craig McCulloch and James McCallum of One Pro Cycling. They gave a brilliant insight into tactics in which various scenarios were discussed, the video analysis used was a great visual demonstration of how to get things right (and sometimes not so right!) when executing your strategy or tactics.”
Archie Johnstone, Stirling Bike Club. Senior Coach - Wallace Warriors. Level 3 coach.
“I found the first session on “Tactical Techniques and Survival Skills” really useful. It was great having a combination of James McCallum and Craig McCulloch talk us through real world bike race scenarios. We watched videos and discussed the actions of the riders in the races that we watched. Having a group of likeminded and enthusiastic coaches in the same room made for a very beneficial experience. “
Jarlath Flynn, Edinburgh Road Club. Coach - ERC Junior team. Level 2 Road Coach
“Brilliant! This was so good to be involved in. It kick started my memory and the multiple echelons from racing in windy Holland. Feeling so enthused again!
I thought Craig and James worked really well together - well done and thank you. Neil and I drove home buzzing.”
Sarah Rowe, Deeside Thistle CC. Former International bike rider and Olympian. Level 3 coach
“The tactical workshop was a great investment of my time. Hearing from experienced coaches on how things are done at the next level up gave me ideas for my own sessions. I found the informal way the workshop was delivered allowed and encouraged the freedom for questions and answers which then provoked discussion. I’m really looking forward to the next workshop.”
Neil Daly, Dunfermline Cycling Club, Level 2 Road Coach
