Zwift Chat

[Breedon]

Yep, couldnt get a leader. usual guys were on Velo and need some recovery time Actually, the ZA is messing with things a bit given it becomes increasingly demanding.

I will be on tonight but either W5 ZA or one of the other event rides.

Looks like a trainerroad FTP test then if you see me probably doing that via zwift

 

[JLaw]

Just did my first Zwift race this year and found the mini map to very helpful. However, I was not entirely sure where I was placed during the race. I though I finished top 30, but the grim reality was there in the results: 72th

My avg. power was ok though, about the same as the winner. I think I need to learn a few tricks in order to climb the leader board.

Is there a way to check ones position during the race?

Zwiftpower's live results. IIUC it picks up data at the various points on the course (KOM markers, sprint markers, start/finish line, etc) every 30 seconds. SO it's slightly out-of-date, but useful to get a sense of where you are.

 

[bobinski]

LB, I think Jeff is your man for tactics. Generally, fast out the gates, try not to get dropped by lead group and hang on until settles down. If you get dropped find a group to work with and then leapfrog nearer front as early speedsters drop back.

 

[CXRAndy]

Just did my first Zwift race this year and found the mini map to very helpful. However, I was not entirely sure where I was placed during the race. I though I finished top 30, but the grim reality was there in the results: 72th

My avg. power was ok though, about the same as the winner. I think I need to learn a few tricks in order to climb the leader board.

Is there a way to check ones position during the race?

You came 30th Cat B 3.29W/KG, places you just over Cat C. So easy cat C races or very hard cat B

Zwift - KISS AMERICAS AM B

https://zwiftpower.com/race.php?id=12078

Fast out of gates, get to know the names who are front runners and try to stay with them. Once dropped you will burn matches to just get back in the pack. Read their watt/kg to gauge their efforts, but mainly keep your eyes on the riders and stay in the draft as much as possible. If you're still at the front on the last lap, prepare for the sprint up the last hill or last mile or two increase in pace

 

[JLaw]

Just did my first Zwift race this year and found the mini map to very helpful. However, I was not entirely sure where I was placed during the race. I though I finished top 30, but the grim reality was there in the results: 72th

My avg. power was ok though, about the same as the winner. I think I need to learn a few tricks in order to climb the leader board.

Is there a way to check ones position during the race?

Draft, draft draft.

Ideally you'll give it enough gas to latch onto the qualified lead group at the start. Identifying "qualified" lead is tough, particularly with the large fields we're seeing with ZA. Zwiftpower can help, but it's more a trailing indicator -- and if you missed, you're going to have to jump groups and hopefully you're not too far behind when you realize it.

What's showing promise is to find a target rider. Juanjo in the C group is often on the podium, so if you can find him and stick it's a reasonable strategy. He seems to want to get away on short climbs and when there's a mixing of groups, so watch out at those points. Identifying his jersey helps. He's on a tron bike which helps him stand out too.

Also note if you do have to jump groups, you're probably on your own -- I havent seen much cooperation going on in those situations. On a positive note the groups don't seem concerned about lone riders joining from behind -- so they're not likely to up the pace to keep you from joining or to drop you after joining.

On volcano ccw I like to jump on the little bump as we exit the interior and catch early on the short downhill so I can rest at bit on the flats in the draft before the little climb back in. I don't have favorite spots on the other courses yet -- probably because I'm not as competitive with the top of the C class on those courses. For whatever reason volcano ccw suits me.

 

[JLaw]

You came 30th Cat B 3.29W/KG, places you just over Cat C. So easy cat C races or very hard cat B

Zwift - KISS AMERICAS AM B

https://zwiftpower.com/race.php?id=12078

Fast out of gates, get to know the names who are front runners and try to stay with them. Once dropped you will burn matches to just get back in the pack. Read their watt/kg to gauge their efforts, but mainly keep your eyes on the riders and stay in the draft as much as possible. If you're still at the front on the last lap, prepare for the sprint up the last hill or last mile or two increase in pace

Yea, he'd probably ride away from the C group and have to hold back to avoid going over on w/kg and if riding B will be searing his legs and lungs. Of course doing a lot of the latter will make it less painful over time.

I suspect he'd rank higher on the flatter courses where raw power is more important than w/kg. I'm finding that's true for myself as well.

 

[CXRAndy]

270 Watts will put LBHIFI on the front end of the pack, but may be out gunned for raw power, but smart racing will allow him to draft till the end and then throw everything at the sprint

 

[LBHIFI]

I'm need to do W5 ZA as well and it looks brutal.

Wait´ll you get to W7

 

[LBHIFI]

Yea, he'd probably ride away from the C group and have to hold back to avoid going over on w/kg and if riding B will be searing his legs and lungs. Of course doing a lot of the latter will make it less painful over time.

I suspect he'd rank higher on the flatter courses where raw power is more important than w/kg. I'm finding that's true for myself as well.

I'm a few kgs lighter than my Zwift profile, so that probably would have helped, but I usually gain those kg during winter, so I'll just leave it at 78.

About the drafting - I never saw the "Close the gap" message when closing in on riders, as I did in the group rides. I was in a group and didn't notice any difference if I was in front or in the back. Are you supposed to feel the draft?

 

[JLaw]

I'm a few kgs lighter than my Zwift profile, so that probably would have helped, but I usually gain those kg during winter, so I'll just leave it at 78.

About the drafting - I never saw the "Close the gap" message when closing in on riders, as I did in the group rides. I was in a group and didn't notice any difference if I was in front or in the back. Are you supposed to feel the draft?

I can't say I've ever felt the the draft. I go based on the avatar's actions -- it changes position if you're in the draft vs pulling. For the former the avatar sits up and for the latter it goes into the drops. Note this only happens at a particular minimum speed. I think I've gotten pretty good at sticking in the draft as much as possible and it's part of what helps keep me up at the front of the flat rides.

I do know that drafting works as I've been out on the courses putting out more power for less speed by myself when compared to riding with the pack in a race.

 

[Breedon]

Are you riding a tt bike if you are you wont get any draft benefit and you wont see the "close the gap"

 

[bobinski]

W5 is frigging BRUTAL!

Bike slipped twice, once in Cool down and the sprint 9 of 24 15s at 750w- not that I hit 750. So slipping made no difference.
Jeff, you will love it

 

[Breedon]

Well did the FTP test i had a minimum of 250 and a maximum of 255 watts that i wanted, my avg for the 20 mins was 266 but 15 seconds before the end i had absolutely nothing left to give and only just turned the pedals over so i lost about 3 watts so my new ftp is 249, 1 watt out

Thought i was going to be sick at one point so much so i was looking at the floor looking at the best place to puke up , max heart rate was 189 been awhile since it was that high.
Going to rise the ftp in trainerroad to about 255 or 260 for the training got a ride thats got a TSS score of 142 this week.

@Whorty did my eyes deceive me or was you actually on zwift.

Feel a bit blah at the minute.

 

[Breedon]

View attachment 375530 View attachment 375529 W5 is frigging BRUTAL!

Bike slipped twice, once in Cool down and the sprint 9 of 24 15s at 750w- not that I hit 750. So slipping made no difference.
Jeff, you will love it

You've got to hit 750 watts for 15 seconds

 

[LBHIFI]

Are you riding a tt bike if you are you wont get any draft benefit and you wont see the "close the gap"

I saw the live stream on youtube. He mentions an idiot on tt bike. Wonder if that is me .