The Zwift Games Epic Championship took place over the weekend, with the men and women taking on the same tough long course. Below you’ll find Zwift’s complete press release on the women’s event (read the men’s here).
For the second week in a row, the world’s best Zwifters lined up on the start line, this time for the Zwift Games Women’s Epic Race. On a brand new course specially built for the Zwift Games, the racers took on over 80 kilometres with over 800 metres of climbing. Two primes at the top of Titans Grove, with $1,000 on offer on top of the $7,000 for first place laid the foundations for action-filled racing.
The first meaningful split came just over 20 minutes into the race, 1 kilometre from the first prime. Maria Holdcroft reached over 10 watts per kilo as she crossed the line first. Commentator Hannah Walker’s tongue in cheek comment “$1,000 in the pocket, thanks for coming”, ended up holding some truth as that was the last we saw of the rider in the front group.
There were a number of attacks over the next hour of racing. Emma Belforth and Kristen Kulchinsky tested their legs, and their competitors, but it would be late on in the race until the big names went head to head.
UCI WorldTour Pros from Fenix-Deceuninck Carina Schrempf and Olha Kulynych featured in the front group but felt the increased pace as they dropped from the front group as the second prime approached. Kulchinsky, with her trademark out-of-the-saddle style, made winning the final prime look easy.
As the riders hit the final ascent of the QOM the attritional race meant there were only just over 15 riders left in the lead group.
Lou Bates attacked at over 9 w/kg as the climb reached its steepest gradients, Gabriela Guerra matched her pedal stroke for pedal stroke, Kulchinsky sat in third wheel refusing to be distanced by the lead two. With 500 metres to go, Fuhrer, resplendent in the Gold Leaders Jersey, riding the Gold Concept Z1, passed Kulchinsky, then Guerra, then dropped her featherweight powerup. Bates dropped hers in reply but couldn’t match her power. Fuhrer hit peak power just as she came out of Bates’ draft. Two wins from two from the Swiss rider.
The question is, can she make it three?
Tune in next week for the Zwift Games Climb Championships and to find out who wins the Wahoo Overall Championships.
