VOOM cycling ambassador Daniella Cullum had a brilliant performance to win the British Cycling National Masters Circuit Championships on Sunday, 14th of July. The race took place at Lee Valley VeloPark, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London, which was a four-hour drive from Daniella’s home in Grimsby. We heard from Daniella after the race…
I'm incredibly proud to have earned the National ChampionsJersey and the Gold Medal. The challenging 55-minute race peaked my heart rate at 196, and my watts hit 835 so it was definitely full on! I battled against a determined field of women, facing a barrage of tactical moves and attacks.
What is a ‘crit’ race?
A criterium race or ‘crits’ for short, are cycling races held on closed loop circuits, typically fairly flat and with varying degrees of technicality. The races require a blend of fitness and tactical strategy in order to win. At higher levels team dynamics come into play as riders work together to control the race, get team members into breakaways, or provide lead outs for the strongest sprinters.
How to Fuel for a Crit race
My fuel for the crit race was a weak fusion mix with 500ml of water which I sipped on during the car journey. It was quite hot in London so electrolytes were important! For the warm up on the rollers I had a Lemon and Lime pocket rocket and during the race a Caffeine Kick pink grapefruit.
Best Training Session for Crit Racing
My favourite training session to prepare for crit racing is 40s/20s. It helps to build up resistance to fatigue and also to recover for the next effort within a limited time frame. The hard efforts build up lactic acid with the aim of getting the body more efficient at lactate removal, and building lactate tolerance.
- 10 min warm up
- 40 seconds hard (Zone 5/6), 20 secs easy (Zone 1) x 10
- 5 min rest (Zone 1-2)
- 40 sec hard / 20 sec easy x10
- 5 min rest
- 40 sec hard / 20 sec easy x10
- 10 min cool down
Did team tactics play a part?
There were only a couple of riders from the same team, but it felt like every man was competing for the National Title. With the results being split into the age categories its difficult to have
How did the race play out?
It was a race within a race, and it was easier to spot who you were competing against with different coloured bib numbers. Numerous attacks throughout the race led to a couple of riders getting dropped, and unfortunately, one rider had a mechanical issue. At times I struggled to hold the wheel as I was racing with higher category riders. Their attacks were clever and really showed their experience.
I remembered everyone slowed down, looking at each other, waiting, and I felt I just had to keep the pace up. I didn't realise they had let me break away. I had to keep checking back, but on the last lap, I knew I had it and I held on to win solo.
What’s next for you?
With just four more points needed to attain my 2nd cat licence I have two more target races on the horizon and I'm feeling confident about the road ahead!
