This tip is so important that it’s almost a shame I’m blowing it now before anyone is even reading, but I have a feeling I’ll be bringing it up again.

The single most effective thing new racers in Chicago can do to improve their racing is to ride the Tuesday night practice races in south suburban Matteson.

Riding Matteson will do you more good than a PowerTap, private coaching or fancy wheels. You’ll learn more in a night than from reading a hundred books or race reports.

The South Chicago Wheelmen have been putting on these races for years and are excellent hosts. Riders break themselves up into two groups, A and B, based on experience. The groups stagger their starts and race simultaneously around the Ace Hardware paint factory.

Each night there are three races with lengths dictated by weather and available light. A typical night might be 15 laps, 30 laps and then 10 laps on the kilometer course with licensed officials keeping track of results. USCF licenses are required, and entry costs $7.

Most beginning riders fear criteriums because they are not accustomed to cornering in packs at great speed. Matteson is a golden opportunity to work on that skill. In a single night you might do 50 laps of racing. That’s 200 corners!

Once racers are comfortable riding in a pack, they can hone their tactics. With nothing more than pride and Gatorade on the line, it’s a chance to take risks and try something new. Happy with your sprint? Try to break away. Need work on your sprint? Practice being patient and sitting in until the final corner.

Then once you graduate to the A races, hold on tight and observe as Team Clif Bar Midwest, XXX Racing-AthletiCo and South Chicago Wheelmen put on weekly seminars in team tactics.

One needs to leave the city in the early afternoon, but it’s worth taking time off work to do so. Leave early to beat traffic and spend the afternoon telecommuting from the Matteson Panera.