| There are many things that you need to know to get | | | | before the race. You need to warm-up for at least |
| ready specifically for any criterium race day to | | | | 30-45 minutes on your bike trainer or bike roller until 20 |
| guarantee optimum performance. | | | | minutes before your start time so this way you get |
| The most important thing you need to know the day | | | | your circulatory system dilated in preparation for the |
| of your criterium cycling race is the start time because | | | | high intensity that a criterium demands. Your arteries |
| based on this you can time when to eat before the | | | | that deliver blood to your legs need to be stretched |
| race, when to warm-up and when to start getting | | | | out to the maximum in order to match the high blood |
| close to the start/finish line to get a good race start | | | | volume that the heart will start pumping to your legs |
| position. | | | | once the race starts. |
| When getting ready for a criterium race day you need | | | | And last but not least, you need to start getting close |
| to eat 2-3 hours before the race so that you can race | | | | to the start/finish line 10 minutes before the start time, |
| on an empty stomach. This is better because your | | | | so that when they call the riders to the start line to |
| diaphragm has more room to function during the | | | | start the race, you can be one of the first riders to get |
| respiration process, allowing you to fill your lungs with | | | | a front position. This will allow you to ride in the front of |
| oxygen to 100% capacity, helping your heart to send | | | | the peloton at the beginning of the race, so you can be |
| more oxygenated blood to your muscles while racing. | | | | ready to join any breakaway that usually happens |
| Also, racing on an empty stomach allows you to send | | | | early on in technical criterium cycling races. |
| more oxygenated blood to your legs rather than to the | | | | Always remember to bring at least 2 energy gels and |
| digestion process of your food. | | | | 2 bottles of your favorite sports drink to stay hydrated |
| Another important thing to time is your warm-up | | | | and energized during your crit race. |