how fast do you need to be to race?
 

I looked up the results from a local cat 5 crit. Guy who won is in my club. I looked him up on strava. He recently did a 60 mile rally with a few rollers, averaged about 250 watts the whole way. I'm depressed. I could never do 250 watts for 60 miles. :(

I can now do 265 watts for 60 minutes straight on the trainer.

Crits are different. Are you asking how fast you need to be to win? You are fast enough to compete.

I would say 260-275 for 50 miles.

Depends on what level of racing I suppose.

This is the guy who won the local P123 race both Saturday and Sunday. Look at this power.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21BrvLkDkFc

I think I know which guy I was talking about in the above post where he did 250 watts for 60 miles....well, now I have a bit more experience.

It's not all about watts!!!

For example, that guy weighs a lot more than me. That means he has to do more watts to reach the same watts/kg as me.

Moreover, if it is the same guy, I performed about as well as him in a "race rally" last summer before I had put in serious miles. It's a rally that is not a race, but treated as a race.

And here's probably the most important part. It's kind of dumb to idolize guys who are top finishers in Cat 4/5. If they are that good, they are going to cat up to 3 when they first get the chance. If they are not so good, they are going to hang out at 4 just to win beginner races.

So what does that mean? No one need idolize me. Several podiums in local crits in my first 12 races. Just means I am one of the fastest among the slowest racers.

It's more of an achievement to be fast among the fast guys.

Having said that, there's a HUGE jump from being a rec rider to being on the podium as a Cat 4. However, as I have demonstrated, with serious training over less than one year, one can make that leap.