Zwift Chat

[<Tommy>]

As gentlemanly as it sounds to drop the hammer up the climbs then roll across the flats I doubt it’ll go like that. I just can’t fathom how those numbers have been estimated. If the groups climb at those speeds they’ll all end up getting an immediate upgrade in ZP!

Plus I’m officially an A (but riding at B power) for at least another month so wouldn’t be permitted 😢

If I’m B at the next series then I’m in (for reserve at least) 👍

I don’t know to be honest.

I just looked at a race I did around Innsbruck a week or so back. I was in the front group most of the way around. On the three climbs up the leg sapper I was doing between around 460w and 480w (ish) which is around 6w/kg. And on the final kom I was around 4.2 w/kg for 20 minutes. I got dropped on that climb and finished 12th I think. So maybe to win I have to be around their estimate for that long climb? When you look at my average for the entire race is was around 3.5 w/kg. In these hilly races I do think the pack naturally anticipate the hills by easing off / recovering on the flatter ground.

When I first saw the numbers Bob put up I thought they were really high. But maybe the truth is they’re somewhere in the middle?

 

[<Tommy>]

..... and that was what time?

😄

Can’t believe there wasn’t a poll... but I think we’re sticking with the later times by default

 

[IrishAl]

I don’t know to be honest.

I just looked at a race I did around Innsbruck a week or so back. I was in the front group most of the way around. On the three climbs up the leg sapper I was doing between around 460w and 480w (ish) which is around 6w/kg. And on the final kom I was around 4.2 w/kg for 20 minutes. I got dropped on that climb and finished 12th I think. So maybe to win I have to be around their estimate for that long climb? When you look at my average for the entire race is was around 3.5 w/kg. In these hilly races I do think the pack naturally anticipate the hills by easing off / recovering on the flatter ground.

When I first saw the numbers Bob put up I thought they were really high. But maybe the truth is they’re somewhere in the middle?

I think those numbers aren’t far off the mark. Races tend to see the riders go full gas on the climbs. You’ll ride well above FTP on those and recover on the descents.

 

[IrishAl]

Mixed feelings about the team irl race today. I was targeting sprint but didn't have time to do homework, and Ballsed up the sprint...and also choose the wrong sprint segment. Had a mini sprint at the end for my group though and judged it to perfection to 40ish place 😀

Surprisingly legs felt good though, pushed 308 watts for 20 minutes which is just a few short of PB. Now if only I weighed 50kg...

Edit: chose the right sprint and actually came 5th on zwiftpower. So happy with that. I went waaay too early but had burnt a lot of matches to get in position

Well done mate. I was watching the action and seen you up there for the intermediate sprint.

HERD race series round 8 for me in the morning. London Pretzel 🤢. Points on box and fox hill and then the finish.

 

[steverob]

The expected times below suggest I am a Cat C 😬😁

My best times on those four climbs are 3:20, 5:52, 10:59 and 2:45. Glad I'm not taking part really!

 

[bobinski]

Have I missed something here? Are these the expected times for the ZRL/WTRL races?

Those numbers don’t relate to the ZP categories - any rider hitting those numbers on those segments is going to get DQd unless they back right off and coast on the flats, which in my experience doesn’t tend to happen in any Zwift races?!

Are the cat boundaries different in ZRL?

No cat boundary changes just the expected times for the lead riders in each category .And a bit of perspective on what’s needed to be near the pointy end.

 

[<Tommy>]

No cat boundary changes just the expected times for the lead riders in each category .And a bit of perspective on what’s needed to be near the pointy end.

The other thing about those numbers is they probably don’t take the cumulative effect of the hills into account. The first climb will get hit a lot harder than the second climb generally. I think it’s a couple of things. As you go through the hills people realise that the ‘natural selection‘ has mostly happened and you won’t be able to shake the people around you off without compromising your self too much. And also obviously fatigue gets greater and greater so it makes it tougher to find the same power number hill after hill.

I don’t think it’s worth thinking about specific numbers during the race. It’s more just can you or can’t you hold on to the wheels around you.

Lots of talk before the race. Lots of talk after the race! It’s all good. But in the race the questions and answers are a lot more simple 😄

 

[mjd1988]

View: https://youtu.be/nymQlnybfmY

This is a good video, particularly for those who couldn't make the recce.

So most probably going for an aero setup hopefully based on zwiftinsider.

Any thoughts on trainer difficulty? Toying with turning down to 40% as an experiment. Not sure if that is frowned upon though.

I know it's the same power, I'm crap with gear selection on the volcano climb.

 

[bobinski]

I used the diesel Dan pace bot to do a nice easy 50km last night. Watched a bit of Netflix. Much more relaxing than a slow group ride with everyone moaning about this or that.

 

[IrishAl]

I used the diesel Dan pace bot to do a nice easy 50km last night. Watched a bit of Netflix. Much more relaxing than a slow group ride with everyone moaning about this or that.

Group rides can be a bit of a moan fest alright. Ive done ride leader for some of the Team IRL Wednesday social rides which are 2.0wkg pace. There are always flyers, but nearly worse are the people that join and for whatever reason they get left behind at the start...before you know it they are 30 seconds behind and you can get some right moaners giving out “I thought this was an easy ride” blah blah blah 🤣

 

[mjd1988]

I used the diesel Dan pace bot to do a nice easy 50km last night. Watched a bit of Netflix. Much more relaxing than a slow group ride with everyone moaning about this or that.

The bots are great. So nice to know you can jump on anytime and there will be people to ride with.

No weird surges and as you and Alan say no one saying they are 15 minutes off the back and can they be brought back(!)

There's a drops multiplier if you are within a certain distance of the bot for long enough as well apparently.

 

[<Tommy>]

This is a good video, particularly for those who couldn't make the recce.

So most probably going for an aero setup hopefully based on zwiftinsider.

Any thoughts on trainer difficulty? Toying with turning down to 40% as an experiment. Not sure if that is frowned upon though.

I know it's the same power, I'm crap with gear selection on the volcano climb.

I think my difficulty is around 30 or 40%. It doesn’t make the hills any easier so let people frown! Says more about them than anything else!

 

[CXRAndy]

S Yates out of the Giro with Covid positive test. Explains his lack of pace.

Covid has hit our home with our son positive. We've had to go into 14 day isolation- ourselves awaiting test results 👨‍⚕️👩‍⚕️

 

[Whorty]

Any thoughts on trainer difficulty? Toying with turning down to 40% as an experiment. Not sure if that is frowned upon though.

I know it's the same power, I'm crap with gear selection on the volcano climb.

Sure I read somewhere that the top racers on Zwift have it around 40%. I tend to race at 40% and set it back to 100% when I'm free riding. My gear changes are less than 'slick' so I need all the help I can get

I tried 0% once and this was a total fail

 

[Whorty]

S Yates out of the Giro with Covid positive test. Explains his lack of pace.

Covid has hit our home with our son positive. We've had to go into 14 day isolation- ourselves awaiting test results 👨‍⚕️👩‍⚕️

Fingers crossed Andy that it's mild and you're all ok.