Zwift Chat

[<Tommy>]

It's strange isn't it .... I can't hit B numbers (I'm no longer even a 'nearly' B in ZP) yet I can hold on to mid range B riders and chase most top C's down. I reckon I could have stayed with the lead group for the full ride tonight (but I much more enjoyed riding with a team mate). I think it shows it's not 100% about power and/or w/kg it's how and when it's applied.

I certainly learnt a lot when racing the DBR league about how to micro rest and apply power as needed. Tonight was different for me - I rarely fully sit on the front and pull so I was trying to learn a new skill tonight. A rolling course doesn't make it too easy to pace properly and I was trying so hard not to pull too much, but equally not to slow you down. I think we worked really well together - be great to have @Spartak with us next time too.

This shows the difference in power needed to lead a group rather than sitting in a group. I think it can be as much as twice the watts sometimes. The guys that are right at the front at the end are the ones that can hit the higher limits of the cat boundaries. Either by brute force, canny racing, or a combination of the two!


I think that’s what will be great about tonight’s maiden, new look, cc race series. Because we have a rolling start, I fully expect a large group, if not all of us, to stay together maybe even until the volcano climb. Hopefully in turn this means that even when the group splits it splits into smaller groups rather than scattering the corpses of dropped riders all over roadside!

Of course with the amount of climbing involved, we all expect Lee and Legs to steam ahead, and duke it out in ‘the battle of the half pinters’. But it should make for an interesting race up and down the peloton!

 

[BurningLegs]

I can’t race tonight due to a mechanical issue

Shame because it is a course that suits me if I can stick it out on the flat.

 

[bobinski]

This shows the difference in power needed to lead a group rather than sitting in a group. I think it can be as much as twice the watts sometimes. The guys that are right at the front at the end are the ones that can hit the higher limits of the cat boundaries. Either by brute force, canny racing, or a combination of the two!


I think that’s what will be great about tonight’s maiden, new look, cc race series. Because we have a rolling start, I fully expect a large group, if not all of us, to stay together maybe even until the volcano climb. Hopefully in turn this means that even when the group splits it splits into smaller groups rather than scattering the corpses of dropped riders all over roadside!

Of course with the amount of climbing involved, we all expect Lee and Legs to steam ahead, and duke it out in ‘the battle of the half pinters’. But it should make for an interesting race up and down the peloton!

half pinters? That’s unusually generous mate😀

 

[IrishAl]

Sorry for your loss @Del C. Thinking of you and your family.

 

[Joffey]

Yeah, I remember that one - your 30+ second lead on the final Richmond climb suddenly started dropping and didn't stop until it was just 2 seconds, before thankfully you got it going again in time to stay clear of the chasers!

I wimped out on doing Yorkshire tonight and instead joined one of the group rides around the new French world. Quit the event after one lap in order to U-turn and navigate manually - meant I could take the road that this event didn't cover, so at least I can say I've seen the whole map except for Ventoux. Very pretty as well - some absolutely great work done by Zwift on the scenery.

That's the one!

I'm gonna have a go at that little trick soon!

 

[Whorty]

So two more hilly stages then flat...but ITT. Well, going to be good workouts anyway.

There seemed to be less people showing up for this race, not sure if that's because of better weather or people avoiding a challenging course? Maybe less randoms hopping on at the last minute

We had a few sandbaggers - an A and 3 Bs. I think the guy who won C used these riders to pull away from the chasers. Shame that this is still allowed to happen after all these years of Zwift racing.

 

[Whorty]

@Whorty @Ketty

I've been bumped up to Cat. B by Zwiftpower after The Curse of Crit City struck last week.

Oh yes, forgot about that I'm further away from B than before having been demoted to 'just C' rather than 'nearly B'

 

[IrishAl]

Just catching up on all of the fun from last night. That was a tough one alright. Absolutely no hiding room after the first climb. I was caught somewhat offguard with the first sprint coming a km earlier than I thought (must read the roadbook next time 🙄). Thankfully I was staying close to the front so I was able to jump when I realised we were on the sprint. Just behind @mjd1988 - we’ll done chap! - to pick up some points. I tried to open things up a bit on the long 3% draggy section and had 5 seconds on the bunch for a bit but no one followed so I slipped back - I real life I would have held a poker face but i was gasping away in the comfort of my living room 😂

Again lack of roadbook reading I thought the points were on on the return leg KOM so I didnt truly contest the first time up it but I was on the limit chasing a small group and we crested more or less together. The group of about 10 then split In half on the return climb with moi firmly in the second bunch. My group splintered again with 2k to go - 2 got away from me on the descent near the end as they had a small gap over the top. In hindsight I should have put in a dig earlier to get back on as I was pulling the same power to chase but their gap just kept growing. Shows how it pays to be properly attentive and put in the effort to close the gaps at important points.

In the end I came in 7/8th on the road but did manage to collect some points at each prime.

im not sure why numbers were down last night. Probably a combination of the course - a tough one and with best 6of 9 counting a few will have cried off at the thought of it. Also the TdF rides, and yesterday being a public holiday here in NI Would have taken a few away. Maybe also just a sign of the summer Zwift season as numbers in general are very low.

 

[IrishAl]

We have 12 signed up for tonight but a few have said they can’t or might not make it.
links and full details below for anyone else that can join in the fun...remember to join Cat B and wait for 5 mins after the Official event start and then 1mile / 1.6km neutralised rolling start. I’ll have a stopwatch And will call the race star at the end of neutralised zone. 🥳

Sign on at - https://www.zwift.com/events/view/948635

 

[mjd1988]

Just catching up on all of the fun from last night. That was a tough one alright. Absolutely no hiding room after the first climb. I was caught somewhat offguard with the first sprint coming a km earlier than I thought (must read the roadbook next time 🙄). Thankfully I was staying close to the front so I was able to jump when I realised we were on the sprint. Just behind @mjd1988 - we’ll done chap! - to pick up some points. I tried to open things up a bit on the long 3% draggy section and had 5 seconds on the bunch for a bit but no one followed so I slipped back - I real life I would have held a poker face but i was gasping away in the comfort of my living room 😂

Again lack of roadbook reading I thought the points were on on the return leg KOM so I didnt truly contest the first time up it but I was on the limit chasing a small group and we crested more or less together. The group of about 10 then split In half on the return climb with moi firmly in the second bunch. My group splintered again with 2k to go - 2 got away from me on the descent near the end as they had a small gap over the top. In hindsight I should have put in a dig earlier to get back on as I was pulling the same power to chase but their gap just kept growing. Shows how it pays to be properly attentive and put in the effort to close the gaps at important points.

In the end I came in 7/8th on the road but did manage to collect some points at each prime.

im not sure why numbers were down last night. Probably a combination of the course - a tough one and with best 6of 9 counting a few will have cried off at the thought of it. Also the TdF rides, and yesterday being a public holiday here in NI Would have taken a few away. Maybe also just a sign of the summer Zwift season as numbers in general are very low.

Feel bad taking a sprint point off you in hindsight, didn't realise you were behind me, much more use to you than to me!

That youngster took 50 points I see. On a course like that he's unbeatable at 51kg (and sprinting 15/16w/kg uphill!)

 

[Brendan Parker]

We have 12 signed up for tonight but a few have said they can’t or might not make it.
links and full details below for anyone else that can join in the fun...remember to join Cat B and wait for 5 mins after the Official event start and then 1mile / 1.6km neutralised rolling start. I’ll have a stopwatch And will call the race star at the end of neutralised zone. 🥳

Just to clarify in my simple old head. We wait 5 mins from the official start and then roll out together for 1.6km then boom 💥

 

[Whorty]

Yeah, I remember that one - your 30+ second lead on the final Richmond climb suddenly started dropping and didn't stop until it was just 2 seconds, before thankfully you got it going again in time to stay clear of the chasers!

I wimped out on doing Yorkshire tonight and instead joined one of the group rides around the new French world. Quit the event after one lap in order to U-turn and navigate manually - meant I could take the road that this event didn't cover, so at least I can say I've seen the whole map except for Ventoux. Very pretty as well - some absolutely great work done by Zwift on the scenery.

I just wished they had used the real france map/world rather than some fictional world as that would have given them a massive world of roads to add on (plus possibly Italy, Belgium, Spain too). Missed opportunity, or was this forced by the TdF organisers?

 

[Whorty]

This shows the difference in power needed to lead a group rather than sitting in a group. I think it can be as much as twice the watts sometimes. The guys that are right at the front at the end are the ones that can hit the higher limits of the cat boundaries. Either by brute force, canny racing, or a combination of the two!


I think that’s what will be great about tonight’s maiden, new look, cc race series. Because we have a rolling start, I fully expect a large group, if not all of us, to stay together maybe even until the volcano climb. Hopefully in turn this means that even when the group splits it splits into smaller groups rather than scattering the corpses of dropped riders all over roadside!

Of course with the amount of climbing involved, we all expect Lee and Legs to steam ahead, and duke it out in ‘the battle of the half pinters’. But it should make for an interesting race up and down the peloton!

Can't do tonight as it would take too long at that time of night and I wouldn't be able to feed Rach at a suitable time. Sorry!

 

[Whorty]

This shows the difference in power needed to lead a group rather than sitting in a group. I think it can be as much as twice the watts sometimes. The guys that are right at the front at the end are the ones that can hit the higher limits of the cat boundaries. Either by brute force, canny racing, or a combination of the two!

Agreed, and it's also the ability to surge when necessary then grab some micro rests ready to surge again. I think some people try to push constantly and pop but others (certainly me) will try to do a little bit at the front to show I'm trying but mostly I'll be surfing wheels to ready for the surges.

 

[mjd1988]

I just wished they had used the real france map/world rather than some fictional world as that would have given them a massive world of roads to add on (plus possibly Italy, Belgium, Spain too). Missed opportunity, or was this forced by the TdF organisers?

Yeah youd think they could do that with Paris. Paris nice, Paris Roubaix etc