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Your first Time Trial

Speed is lost at the start and the turn of a time trial. This should be minimized as much as possible.
Spinning is potentially faster than pushing a large gear. For example if a rider is riding at 40 km per hr at 83 RPM, the force on the pedals is about 39 lbs. If the rider is riding at the same speed at 100 RPM the force is about 32 lbs. spinning requires less force on the pedals.
Your position on the bike is very important. If you want to go fast, make sure your position on the bike is set up as well as possible.

Start slow and increase intensity. Do 10 minutes of Z1, 5 minutes Z2 and 3 repeats of 1 minute at RACE SPEED with 2X recovery.
You should finish the last effort about 5 to 10 minutes prior to your start. Get to the start line 5 minutes before your scheduled start.
When you arrive at the start, you will be assigned your position. Remove extra clothing etc.
Pick the correct gear to start in, about 1 cog lower than what you will ride during the event. Do this before you are being held at the start.

While being held, keep hands on drops and brakes on. Use visualization techniques to review the course and relax.
Pedal position should be at 2:00/8:00 position.
During count down, get out of saddle at 3 seconds from the start, keep your brakes on until the count-down reaches “0”.
Accelerate out of the saddle; hands on the drops, arms relatively straight to prevent rocking of the bike (and change of direction) and remain out of the saddle for about 20-25 revolutions of the pedals or until you achieve or exceeded top speed. The effort should be at about 90% of your ITT effort.
Accelerate crisply, but don’t accelerate like you are only riding 500 metre event. Keep the body over the pedals so the bike doesn’t change direction.
You should be back far enough on the bike so that your hamstrings are very close to the nose of the saddle.
Keep your hips level (don’t move them up and down a lot as you accelerate as this up and down motion limits pedal speed.) Your leg should remain slightly bent at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Do not straight leg the pedals. Try to use your muscles to push down not your weight.
Pull up on the opposing pedal on the upstroke and try to push all the way around the pedal stroke.
At full speed, sit down and maintain your speed.
Shift up at a larger gear if necessary. This may be after a distance of 500 meters is covered.

Any course can be broken into sections or segments. Decide where they are and how you will ride each segment. Look ahead to read the course.
Pay attention to sheltered spots on the course and increase speed immediately if you have entered an area where you are protected from the wind.
Review vital sign on a regular basis. Pedal speed, bike speed, position, how you feel etc.
Shift down before you have to.
Set goals in terms of catching other riders.

As you approach the turn, shift to 1 gear lower than you were riding during the event.
Look behind and check for cars or other cyclists before you turn. If the road is open, wait until it is safe to turn.
Make your turn (coast the corner with inside pedal up) and accelerate to full speed out of the saddle. Be careful on wet or slippery surfaces.

Keep your head up. You will run into something if you are looking down. It has been done before.
Spin the pedals in the 100 rpm range.
Ride in the drops or on tri-bars
Ride your bike in a straight line.
The fastest parts of the road are the painted lines.
Watch out for painted lines in wet weather, they can be slippery.
Concentrate and visualize the course as you are riding it.