How to Race Like a Champion in Cycling Competition？

Cycling, the popular sports, is one of the most fetching recreational and relaxing activities. For almost riders, riding seeks for fun, for happiness, and for health. As for mountain biking, racing is just like riding, it is only for keeps. On a race, you need to apply what you have occupied, plus a few excellent techniques to give you an extraordinary edge. In other words, whether you win or not, during the race, you should act as a champion. Racing like a champ is not so easy. And next, I would like to learn some effective strategies together with you.

How to strengthen your mind?
In any competitive race, there is a crowd of people owning the physical strength and skills to win. But some with outstanding power and finesses cannot become the final winner. Why? Because they don't strengthen their mind before. In order to win, you are required the emotional and mental skills to hold it together throughout the riding race. Therefore, dressing up your mind is an indispensable part of racing like a champ.

You race for the right reasons. Generally speaking, we would often have a motivation before taking action to do something, and racing is the same. Racing needs the reason, for happiness, for honor, for reputation or something else. And racing looks like riding, only a result sheet tells you exactly where is your ranking among the competitors. Competition can push you up and inspire you to reach a new degree. What matters much isn't whether you win or lose the race but how you perform in relation to your expectations and goals. And before standing at the starting line, you should spare time to figure out what you exactly expect to get from the race. With the clear goals, you can handle the race in order. By setting clear expectations, you would know what to strive for, and you would know how to measure your success. You should the information as follows in mind.

Why is stronger than what. Ponder over the reasons you race. You essential goals would drive you the inevitable difficulties and the success.

racing like a champion

Enjoy yourself during the process. Cycling is a project to improve your strength and skills with no end. For your taking part in riding races, the most significant thing you should is to enjoy it fully. Don't let other meaningless things bother your interest.

It is only one cycling race. There are many races you can join in. but you are the only one you in the world. Even if you win the race, you are only the fastest or first cyclist on that day. When you cannot go on anyway or you feel weak, you should remember that it is just one racing, giving it up in devout.

Own a reasonable expectation. A reasonable expectation can drive you forward and increase the possibility to succeed.

Get into the racing zone. Apart from the strong mind, your familiarity with the racing zone matters a lot. Having been familiar with the racing ground before competing, you can make better tactics.

Visualize. Vision is the key to a wonderful performance. Involved in sight, sounds and sensations as detailed as you can, you can make your race in a real time. And you can use imagination to help you. Imagine what would happen if you get off the line or pass it. The more detail you imagine, the more real it seems to be.

Be concentrated on but relaxed. Racing requires concentration. But if you tighten your mind too tightly, you would feel nervous, which leaves bad effect on you. So, remain your mind quiet, with no extra ideas. And own positive thought and keep away from the negative one. Be relaxed and keep your spirit and body in the same pace to do what you want to do.

Follow the pre-race route you decided before. You have the opportunity to observe and appreciate the route ahead of real racing. After watching the ground, you would make the general solution including the route. Coming to race, you have better to take the road you chose before. Out of consideration, if something unexpected happens, you can deal with it in calm.

racing like a champion

Remain yourself with keywords. Throughout the race, giving you some hints by yourself is also constructive. If necessary, remain yourself some keywords such as spin, float and so on.

What should you do for bikercross?
As for cycling races, bikercross (aka mountain cross, four cross, and 4X) is an important part. In this kind of races, four racers blast out of a steel gate and race down with humping, jumping, flat turns, and berms. It seems to be exciting. How to deal with it?

Quick speed, start like a bullet. In aka mountain cross, your start matters so much. Occupying a quick and right start attributes to you a lot. And starting like a bullet includes sides as follows.

Choose the right lane. During the race, what lane you choose could make or break it. Generally, the fastest riders get the first lane choice. And the shortest route to the first corner usually would win. On most cases, the first lane is the shortest one. Of course, sometimes, lane 1 is so far inside that you need to swing into the second lane to enter the first turn. Considering your competitors' strength and the real fact around you, make the right choice of lane.

racing like a champion

Apply the right gear. As for cycling, gears are important. For the four cross races, you want a gear which is not so hard which you would bog down and not so easy that you spin out. The grade and the length of the run-out affect your gear choice. Choosing a low gear, it can get you out front right away. The higher frequency you can spin, the faster speed you can achieve before shifting.

The first turn. When the signal of beginning delivers, there is only one great line connecting the first turn. At the fierce moment, it is impossible for racers to get in the line politely just in accordance with their qualifying times. How to handle it?

Push all your energy and spirit forward. Looking forward, holding your line and keeping straight. Just care yourself. Don't give your attention to the racers next to you.

Keep the pedaling. Your second and third pedaling is as important as the first one. When you feel difficult to snap forward, you should pull the other foot forward for the second stroking.

Be yourself. If you are ahead slightly, you get the chance to move toward the good lane. At the same time, other riders may be intimidated by closeness. Don't follow them. Just be yourself, holding your course. They might be back down.

Call patience. If you fail to make the first turn, back off and do it again. Don't risk to a nasty tangle.

Train these skills. If you urge to own a better performance for bikercross, you can practice some specific affairs.

Starts. The course of starting is a huge project. You can become a member of one club and then show up for practice sessions. And you should remember that quality is much more important than quantity. Try to do 10 starts per session.

Jumps. For maintaining race, jumping cannot be less. And jumping requires your maximum speed. On the daily training, you can work on bigger jumps and a variety of skips. As a result, it decreases the probability for you to get caught off guard at the competitions.

racing like a champion

Berms. Practice the high-to-low and low-to-high lines. And get on the gas as early as you can. Dicing with your friends can get the better result.

Intensity. You can train half minute at a time as hard as possible. And then repeat to do it. Of course, it needs rest.