It takes two to make a bad start to a race (5)
I believe the answer is:
brace
'it takes two' is the definition.
The definition suggests a singular noun which matches the answer.
'make a bad start to a race' is the wordplay.
'make' indicates an anagram.
'start' suggests taking the first letters.
'to a' means one lot of letters go next to another (I've seen this in other clues).
The first letter of 'bad' is 'b'.
'b' put after 'race' is 'raceb'.
'raceb' anagrammed gives 'BRACE'.
'to' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for brace that I've seen before include "Pair; hand drill" , "Strengthening piece" , "Steady; pair" , "Two of a kind" , "Pair - supporting beam" .)