Get a set of rollers for handling skills.
To get an idea of cycling, think of a running race that played out on the track as such, using guys in 14-15minute 5k shape...
Gun goes off. You start jogging. 5 minutes later somebody picks it up and your are turning 65's per lap to hang with the group. After 3 laps of that, you slow down to 85's. 1 lap of that and then suddenly everybody starts (gasp!) walking. You literally walk for 5 laps. Then bam somebody drops a 54 and the pack lets him go, but responds with running at 70second per lap pace. The guy off the front is running 68's now, increasing his lead. Three guys take off after the lone soldier and catch him after 2 laps. Suddenly the four of them are, wtf!, running 52's, and do so for 8 laps straight. The pack doesn't like that and suddenly there is a group of 30 guys running 48 second laps. They do so until the four guys off the front are caught. Those four are unable to hang onto that 48 second pace. The last 200 meters to the finish line are covered in 21.3 seconds by the first, second and third placed finishers.
Running races aren't like that scenario above of course, but cycling is. Train accordingly.