You have decided to try road bike racing and now what do you do? Here are a few tips to get you going:

Take a look at the clubs to see if there is club in your area that you could contact to get help started with preparing for your first race. Many clubs have club races, group rides and experienced racers who would be happy to share their enthusiasm for racing.

You can also check out the athlete info page for training tips and all sorts of information on racing in Saskatchewan.

Check out the event calendar to see when and where the races are and choose an event to participate in. Each event will have a link to information on that event as it becomes available. There is also a generic event entry form on the event calendar as well to print out and mail to the organizer.

Registering for a race:

There are two approaches to registering for a race. If you intend on doing more than two events during the year, you must use the second approach. If you are not sure how many races you will do or are trying racing for the first time, it is probably better to use the first approach.

The first approach assumes that you either have a general Saskatchewan Cycling Association membership or no membership in the association. Print out the generic event entry form from the event calendar page.

Fill in all the blanks on the form with the race information and your personal information. Choose your race category based on the guidelines found on the road racing page.

Entry fees will range from $10.00-$50.00 for a race for early registration. Early registration deadline is usually the Thursday before the event. After the deadline, entry usually goes up by $10.00. If you don't have a CCA race license, you will also require a single event license of $20.00 to cover you under insurance for the duration of the event. A single event license is good for one event and only one can be purchased one per year.

Mail, fax or drop-off your registration with the race organizer. Remember that you must include payment to be included in early registration otherwise you will have to pay the late registration fee. You can also register for the event on the day of the event. Some races do not have a registration deadline and you just show up at the sign-on time of the event and pay then.

The second approach requires the purchase of a race license from the Saskatchewan Cycling Association. With a race license, you must purchase a general membership from the SCA. The membership form can be downloaded either in web or pdf format from the column to your left. Fill in the appropriate information, check the racing general membership, select a club and choose the appropriate box depending upon your age for your license. You will notice that the license is not appreciably more expensive than a one-day license and the SCA membership has many benefits. Once you have filled out the membership form, mail it to the SCA and you will be sent a race license with your license number on it. This will allow you to register for races without incurring the one-day license fee.

When you head out to a race there is often a significant amount of equipment and items to be packed and it is terrible to travel two hours to a race only to realize that you have forgotten something important like your helmet.

Clothing:

• Helmet, shorts, eye-wear, gloves, shoes, jersey, socks
• Wet weather gear (weather can change quickly in Saskatchewan)
• Cold weather gear (jacket, tights, warmer jersey)
• A clean set of clothes to change into after the race.

Equipment:

• Your bicycle.
• A minimum of a spare tube, small tool kit, and bike pump.
• Road races have support cars from which you can get a spare wheel if you flat so it is a good idea to bring a second set of wheels if you have them. Its a lot faster than changing a tube.
• Possibly spare tires for different conditions such as rain or rough roads.
• Possibly a more complete tool kit to handle major repairs if you break something before the race or need to do major repairs between stages.

 Food and Drink:

• Bring snacks for before and after the race.
• During a race you will require water depending on the temperature so bring lots of water and water bottles for both before, during and after the race.
• For races longer than an hour it is highly recommended that you have some sort of food during the race to keep your energy up. Powergels and Gatorade are two of the most popular choices because they are easy to consume and digest quickly.

Know the Course:
It is very important to study the race course on either a map or to drive through it before hand so that you know the race route. If you have the chance to preview the course, note the locations of important corners, hills, and other terrain. Its also a good idea to note the condition of the road so that you are not surprised by pot-holes or loose pavement sections.

The Day of the Event:
Refer to the race information provided for the schedule of events and when sign-on is. If you have a race license you must show it to the person doing sign-on.

It is a very good idea to go out for a warm-up ride before the race to loosen up the muscles and get the blood flowing. Always keep an eye on the time and make sure you are back at the start at least 10 minutes before the start time.

The organizers will have a list of race categories and the number of laps or distance that each category will do during the race.

A few minutes before the event starts, the officials will call everyone to the start line and group them into their categories. They will have a role call to ensure that everyone is there and give final instructions to the riders.

Here are some helpful hints that will help you during your race:

• The start of a road race is usually more relaxed but always be ready for a jump if the pack decides to take off. Criteriums often start very fast and its important to go all out to make sure you stay with the pack until the pace steadies after a lap or two.
• Drink regularly. Many people forget to drink until they are thirsty and by then its too late. Dehydration come quickly and will really slow you down.
• Do everything in your power to stay with the pack. A single rider is much slower than a group and has to work much harder so there is generally no chance of catching back up if you get dropped early on.
• You use less energy climbing when seated so only stand when absolutely necessary.
• Keep your eyes open and look ahead for obstacles on the road. It is polite to point out rocks or pot-holes for the riders coming behind you. Also watch the riders in front of you as a sudden motion or braking by them can cause you to crash if you hit their wheel.
• Know the course and count your laps, the officials cannot tell you when you are done and spectators make give you incorrect information!