I used some of the tricks previously listed last summer at the cycle grand prix in Austin, TX last summer. The simplest is pre-focus to a location where the action is coming towards you, wait and shoot bursts.
With a little crop and image size reduction... K-3 at ISO-1100, 1/4000 using a 55-300 at 300 f/13. And, I was basically taking snapshots on a family outing. If I wanted to get poster-quality commercial prints I wouldn't have been sitting in the bleacher seats, free handing the camera with a beer between my feet.