And its success is based on getting into a real race situation, and feeling like you've been there before and were successful. A part of successful visualization that is often overlooked is recruiting all of your senses. Many riders see mind pictures from an outside perspective, as though they were watching someone else. That clearly won't duplicate a race experience. You need to visualize the race as if you were in it - and that means through all your senses including sights, sounds, breathing, and discomfort.
Good visualization is a skill that needs to be learned and practiced.
This is often as simple as remembering what you plan to do on the day of the ride. Like visualization, but done during a race. These pictures are self-fulfilling prophesies. Trying to ban the pictures is usually impossible. It's much better to replace them with a very brief mind picture of a successful outcome.