You sit on the starting line, anxiously awaiting the gun, the pain! Your mind races. Did you remember to tighten the front skewer? Did you train enough? Too much? Is a cold bowl of cereal enough for a 30 mile cross country? Did you remember to replace the tube with the hole in it in your seat pack?

These and other dilemmas have been faced by every racer at one time or another. The difference is those who learn how to avoid the questions and focus on the performance. To win, or even to finish in many cases, you must have your pre race ritual down to a science. Here are some tips on how to prepare for everything from the local criterium series to the World Championships Downhill!

1. Pre Event Check List

2. Pre Ride the Course

3. Pre Event Meal

4. Warm Up Time

5. Visualization and Stretching

6. On the Starting Line

7. The Start

These and other refinements of your race preparation protocols will help insure that you are maximally prepared for when the gun goes off.