Zwift Chat

[Joffey]

Our nemesis Jason B was too strong on the climbs and shot off winning by a minute.

I was running Zwift Power Live alongside Zwift and could see that the 2 lads with Jason were Cat C and we were comfortably 2nd and 3rd by 2 mins from the rest of the eligible pack.

Myself and @steverob just plodded on round with a sandbagger and picked up the primes then had an epic sprint at the finish and Steve just pipped me at the end! Bloody hills

Another good night for Cat D, should make some gains in the team comp.

Roll on InnsbruckRing next week!

 

[JLaw]

@steverob @JLaw

Not sure if JLaw is racing tonight - not yet signed up. Hope he can make it.

What's the plan tonight Steve? Just the usual? Follow Jason and then try and nick it?

No way to join today. Race lands in the middle of a meeting where my attendance is mandatory... sigh

 

[Alongo]

I got off to a decent start today and was feeling pretty fresh , which is a good job because the constant rolling nature of the course . Saw @Norry1 go for the first sprint and followed a bit behind but realised I’d be burning too many matches chasing the sprints , so eased off . Couple of times group was splitting going down the hills mainly and had to make a few surges to catch up . Had about 16 in group and tried to keep at back of those contesting the sprints , which seemed to work ok . Made a total mess of the finish , made a big surge with about 600 m to go but the little kicker up to the finish line totally blew my legs and nearly all the group came by with much better timed sprints . Came 15 th on ZP , could have scored a few sprint points , not sure . @Norry1 scored in the sprints a couple of times, well done Martin, well done @BurningLegs for managing to type whilst at 196 bpm. Nice one @Milzy, @Del C and @Brusgaard .

 

[Whorty]

Always feels a bit unfair that I finished a min and a half behind Carl but will probably leapfrog with sprint points.

I did think when dropped I'd probably recover and ride comfortably over the big hills then back myself to put sprint most of the second group (as I'd have a good recovery because there was a 3 min gap) but still. I didn't have much choice as I was just wrecked.

Sometimes feels like a points classification and a time one would make more sense? Sprints seems to have too much emphasis in this series but I shouldn't complain.

Edit; I know this isn't an original idea. I've just described every stage race ever.

All's fair mate I have a choice to go, or not, on the sprints .... by not sprinting I can hang on longer. If I sprint I'd be off the back in no time

 

[steverob]

Quite a small field in D this week, which was a little disappointing but at the same time probably worked to our advantage. A group of ten formed quickly within the first mile but only @Joffey, me and our rival JB were legitimate riders in it according to ZwiftPower.

As we predicted, JB was going to use the Harlem Hill bit to launch his attacks, which he did successfully, although to be fair Joffey (on the 1st lap) and myself (on the 2nd lap) were the riders who managed to stay with him the longest - we forced him to really go into the red to drop us, when all the others had already given up. Because of that, he (cleverly) decided to do only just enough to stay away until the sprint point, then cruise to let the group catch up to him for the rest of the lap, then launch another attack at the same point next lap.

For quite a lot of the rest of the race, Joffey and me decided to do some prep work for Friday night and essentially ran a two-up team time trial! It was enough for us to distance whoever was in 4th according to ZP and also meant occasionally we'd catch up to the lead group and ride with them for a short while.

I magnanimously told Joffey I'd let him have the sprint points each lap (as he was closer to JB in the overall standings) and then promptly went and cocked it up on the first lap! It didn't matter whether he won or not from our group, as none of the others were on ZP, he only needed to beat me, so I just soft pedalled as we approached the sprint and let him do his thing. Trouble was I lost concentration and then started to get gapped as others sprinted and I had to up my pace to make sure I wasn't dropped - except I put down too much power and started to overtake Joffey as the line approached! I hurriedly freewheeled and thought that I'd done enough to stay behind him (certainly it looked like it on screen) but ZwiftPower has me winning the first sprint. SORRY! I made it up to him by staying WAY back on the 2nd and 3rd lap sprints.

By the third lap, both of us were struggling and we let most of the leaders go (one stayed with us - C.Miranda, who I nicknamed Carmen) but we still kept a reasonable pace as we needed to make sure none of the riders behind caught us. They were two minutes down, but it was best to be sure.

At this point we decided that we'd have an honest race for the finish line and see who won. I assumed Joffey would make a go for it quite a way out, but wasn't expecting him to go as soon as we passed the sprint banner! However, I was able to keep him in my sights and I never let his lead go over 3 seconds, knowing that I had the weight advantage for the final climb (hah, first time I've ever been able to be called the lightweight of a group!). Yet even then I still had to hold over 500 watts for 15 seconds to reel him in, only just pipping him with maybe 30 meters to go. Absolutely crashed as I went over the line - legs like jelly!

 

[Milzy]

Typing at 196 bpm hahaha 😆

 

[Joffey]

No way to join today. Race lands in the middle of a meeting where my attendance is mandatory... sigh

No problem, you were with us in spirit

 

[Joffey]

Quite a small field in D this week, which was a little disappointing but at the same time probably worked to our advantage. A group of ten formed quickly within the first mile but only @Joffey, me and our rival JB were legitimate riders in it according to ZwiftPower.

As we predicted, JB was going to use the Harlem Hill bit to launch his attacks, which he did successfully, although to be fair Joffey (on the 1st lap) and myself (on the 2nd lap) were the riders who managed to stay with him the longest - we forced him to really go into the red to drop us, when all the others had already given up. Because of that, he (cleverly) decided to do only just enough to stay away until the sprint point, then cruise to let the group catch up to him for the rest of the lap, then launch another attack at the same point next lap.

For quite a lot of the rest of the race, Joffey and me decided to do some prep work for Friday night and essentially ran a two-up team time trial! It was enough for us to distance whoever was in 4th according to ZP and also meant occasionally we'd catch up to the lead group and ride with them for a short while.

I magnanimously told Joffey I'd let him have the sprint points each lap (as he was closer to JB in the overall standings) and then promptly went and cocked it up on the first lap! It didn't matter whether he won or not from our group, as none of the others were on ZP, he only needed to beat me, so I just soft pedalled as we approached the sprint and let him do his thing. Trouble was I lost concentration and then started to get gapped as others sprinted and I had to up my pace to make sure I wasn't dropped - except I put down too much power and started to overtake Joffey as the line approached! I hurriedly freewheeled and thought that I'd done enough to stay behind him (certainly it looked like it on screen) but ZwiftPower has me winning the first sprint. SORRY! I made it up to him by staying WAY back on the 2nd and 3rd lap sprints.

By the third lap, both of us were struggling and we let most of the leaders go (one stayed with us - C.Miranda, who I nicknamed Carmen) but we still kept a reasonable pace as we needed to make sure none of the riders behind caught us. They were two minutes down, but it was best to be sure.

At this point we decided that we'd have an honest race for the finish line and see who won. I assumed Joffey would make a go for it quite a way out, but wasn't expecting him to go as soon as we passed the sprint banner! However, I was able to keep him in my sights and I never let the lead go over 3 seconds, knowing that I had the weight advantage for the final climb (hah, first time I've ever been able to be called the lightweight of a group!). Yet even then I still had to hold over 500 watts for 15 seconds to reel him in, only just pipping him with maybe 30 meters to go. Absolutely crashed as I went over the line - legs like jelly!

Great team effort Steve. Thanks for the Primes and roll on Friday

 

[Whorty]

It's about time Zwift was kind to me with it's pictures

 

[Freelanderuk]

Well done all riders tonight ,some strong rides again to keep the teams in the top positions

 

[BurningLegs]

Great finishing position there @Alongo and well done in those sprints @Norry1. @Alongo - I made that whelp comment about my 196bpm once it had dropped a few BPM but was still going like the clappers!

In the end I was dropped from the main group and crossed the line in a small group (I think it was 7?) with @Norry1 and @Del C - I had a few little digs in the final lap to see if our group would split but it stayed together quite well and I wasn't sure if it was putting pressure on @Norry1?

Quite pleased with my finish again - I'm not exactly an explosive finisher but I felt like I got the right tactics. I made sure I was at the back of the group for the downhill leading towards the finish, which meant I carried more speed onto the final uphill kick than the group, and hung onto the wheel of a sprinter. I was never going to catch him but I was able to chase him which always helps squeeze a few extra watts. Unfortunately I was pipped on the line by another sprinter.

19th on Zwiftpower but I see there are two riders who are over power, so might end up gaining a couple of places.

 

[CXRAndy]

It's about time Zwift was kind to me with it's pictures

View attachment 521603

Conversely I dont like Zwift

 

[JuhaL]

Conversely I dont like Zwift

View attachment 521607

I can imagine. Did you feel like Yosemite Sam on that video?.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXvQMfKjuC8

 

[Brendan Parker]

well, I've just about got myself up off the floor, boy that was tough, for some reason i had in my head it was 2 laps after the kicks i was really on the limit staying with the group then with 11km i was getting dropped, @Whorty you went through and i couldn't hold on, then the group must of eased a bit as just manged after another km to latch on, managed to stay there till the end and just lost it on the sprint, 4th on ZP, might have some sprint points for lap 2. Video processing will put up once its done if anyone gives a sh88!
great riding everyone all cats
edit, obviously not 6th now that Petersons tactics are bang on the money

 

[Del C]

Looks like some good performances tonight. We had 16 riders across B, C and D which is pretty good.

7 finishers in B. Looks like a great ride from @Alongo and good placings for @Norry1 and @BurningLegs . Your step up to B continues to be impressive, Nick.

Slightly further back @Milzy me and @Brusgaard .

Probably my best ride in B. Got a reasonable start this time, but was still hanging on to the back of the group and then suddenly slingshotted through the pack and I was in 2nd place. A momentary 'what the f**k am I doing here' was soon over as the pack swallowed me up and nearly slung me straight out the back.

The pace was high but I was hanging in and could see the other CC riders around me, but I think it was the 2nd climb that brought that to an end. I just couldn't quite hold the pace and both @Brusgaard and me were out the back.

I kept working hard and a group of 5 of us formed and things didn't seem so bad. Then 5 became 7 as @Milzy came back to us. I was settling in and feeling ok, when the same hill caught me out on lap 2 and spat me and another of the group out the back again. I worked really hard with the other guy to get back on and so nearly made it, only to be defeated again by another little kicker. The group with @Milzy pulled away but I dropped the other guy at the same time, Suddenly I was around 5 seconds behind the mini group and 5 seconds ahead of the other guy.

From that point I decided to just try and TT it all the way to the line. I wasn't going to catch the mini group, but decided to just try and gap the other guy. I aimed to try and stay as near to 250W as I could and kept pushing the gap out. I pushed up every climb as hard as I could and then spun hard on the descents and gradually pushed the gap out to 45 seconds. By the end of the race it was back nearer 25 seconds, but I felt good. Gave it everything and it looks like I may have hit my highest average power according to Zwiftpower. The only problem is I did all that to finish 32 out of 41!

Same old story for me. Top end power cost me, especially on a brutal, rolling course like tonight. But it was better and I'm feeling a bit more like a B Cat rider at the moment.