Zwift is hosting an epic Mountain Time Trial up the Epic KOM inspired by the drama of Stage 20 of the 2020 edition of the Tour de France.
(Stage 20 is where Tadej Pogačar outclimbed his fellow countryman Primož Roglič, winning the iTT stage while simultaneously ripping the yellow jersey off Roglič’s shoulders and winning the Tour de France.)
The event is called Monday’s Mountain Massif TT, and it’s my own personal brainchild. It happens this Monday, March 29 at 8 pm, CET… here are the details.
Event Details
The event is super unique. It is a 12.2km Mountain Time Trial on a shortened version of Watopia’s Mountain 8 route. Riders will race up the reverse of the Epic KOM, finishing at the Radio Tower!
Equipment selection is crucial. With a short flat section from the pens before the start of the climb, do you opt for a full TT setup before switching to a Climbing setup? Or do you opt for an all-rounder setup? Your choices will dictate your result.
With no draft and no power ups, “It’s just you against the clock and the mountain.”
There will be the standard A-D categories, including E, exclusively for Women and all will start at the same time. Heart Rate monitors are required for official results, which will be on Zwift Power, with a winner for each category.
This event is a pilot and if it receives positive feedback and is well attended, then Zwift will look to run this in a regular, weekly slot.
You can join the event at zwift.com/events/view/1933915
The description of the event from the Companion app is as follows:
What do you get if you cross a mountain race and a time trial? An absolutely intense, but highly unique event that will test the ability of any rider.
This is the chance to push yourself beyond your perceived limits and do something that you haven’t done before. This is a unique event.
To time trial up a mountain will take absolute discipline and requires you to pace the ride as well as employ tactics. Do you opt for a TT bike to the base of the climb before changing to a lightweight climbing setup? Do you opt for a lightweight setup from the start? Only you can decide and the decision you make will impact your results.
If you are not interested in racing for the victory, treat this event as a 20 minute FTP test. Generate a consistently high power for 20 minutes and boost your ratings in Zwift Power.
This race is unique and offers something for all.
My thoughts on the event
I think this will be an extremely exciting event, and pacing is going to be critical for success. Go too hard on the lower slopes and that last kilometer to the Radio Tower will be torture. But that is part of the fun: getting the pacing and tactics right means the strongest riders might not win.
I am already looking forward to the event. It will certainly be a new experience, as I have never done a Mountain TT before! As the organizer, I’ve reached out to many people who I have been fortunate enough to engage with while writing Zwift Insider articles. I can share that Olympic Gold Medal winner and current triple jump World Record holder Jonathan Edwards has confirmed he will take part, actually making this his first race on Zwift (read my interview with him). Former pro cyclists and Grand Tour Mountain Stage winners Andy and Frank Schleck have been invited, with Frank confirming he will attend (his response being a classic “Ouch, this is gonna hurt!”) I reached out to Ed Laverack, British Hill Climbing Champion to invite him along and his response was “I’m due a 20min test!” (For us mortals, it will take longer than 20 minutes!)
Hope to see you there!
Sounds like absolute torture – which suits me down to the ground. Sadly I’m working a 13 hour shift on Monday so won’t be able to race/ride ☹️
Worried you would miss the fun, my event is back – permanently at 7pm CET – https://www.zwift.com/events/view/1981008
I love the idea of an Epic KOM time trial! I hope it becomes a regular event as I would probably do it a few times a year, like I do Bologna.
Looking forward to seeing you there, spread the word 👍
It’s back – permanently, Monday’s 7pm – CET – https://www.zwift.com/events/view/1981008
An article is coming soon to tell the inside story
Good idea but I’m guaranteed a sleepless night if I go full out at 8PM ! Could you make it an option to do it any time of the day or have a start at 2PM CET ?
If this is popular, then perhaps Zwift will be able to host it at several different times, but the important thing is people attend and feedback on the event, if they enjoy it. If there is a demand and people like it, I am sure Zwift will accommodate.
I am sure I am not racing at 8 PM on Monday, even though this race format is very interesting for me. Make the start at 6 PM and on another day and I might be in. Mondays are my days off of bike.
What are days off?
I know what you mean 🙂 I just prefer to have a day completely without bike instead of a short and easy rege ride.
https://www.zwift.com/events/view/1981008
It is back – permanently and at an earlier time to suit. 7pm
https://www.zwift.com/events/view/1981008
If the 7pm is popular, I’ll ask to run it again, earlier in the day, as a second session.
great event!
But I visit Zwift insider to get a hint about the best material, for the race. Please give me a hint!
Thanks for the feedback. It is a tough selection to make about the equipment, I don’t have an answer. Do you go full TT, zip along the flat and then struggle up the mountain? Do you go full Climbing set-up and lose time on the flat? Or do you swap setups before the climb? Or go with a mixed setup like the Tron? I haven’t got an answer which adds a dynamic to the event and will be a talking point. Hopefully you can do the event and then let me know what you went for. I think I might go for the balanced set-up. Hopefully people will enjoy it and this can be a regular event and data can be gathered about the best set-up. 👍
Here you go Ronald – I made it for you personally 😉
https://youtu.be/DCVXATZ-yzQ
Great video Ben, this gives the answers you crave, Ronald!
Nice video, thanks!
I was thinking of the tron- bike for the better part of the week. But changed one hour before the event to the tarmac with the DT-Swiss. Finished in 30:45, don’t know if another bike made much more difference.
ps. It was a great event! It was a long time ago that my legs were so sore. I really enjoyed it. I blew up on the radio tower climb.
Great effort. That was a hard race and I only had myself to blame :-), I was suffering towards the end and was battling up the radio tower too. Great time of 30 minutes. The feedback has been positive so I will collate it and feedback to Zwift. I am relieved people enjoyed the event and had a good event, that was my main goal, to offer something different and the fact you pushed so hard your legs are sore proves I got it right. Even myself, my heart rate was way higher, showing I went extra hard. Zwift – there is nothing like it – Esports – it is a discipline of its own.
Thank you for coming and supporting the event. 👍
It was alo the first event where I was so overthinking my bike choice. I really loved the prep for the event. All total it made a great experience
I am glad you thought it was a good experience, that is important. I wanted people to come away and think “yeah, I enjoyed that” – thank you. My next task is to get this made a permanent fixture.
Loved the video – race is now a permanent Monday fixture at 7pm CET
https://www.zwift.com/events/view/1981008
Fancy another go, every Monday? It is now a permanent fixture, Monday 7pm CET – https://www.zwift.com/events/view/1981008
Nice one! Just checking: is it the steeper, shorter reverse Epic KoM?
And how does the race start? Do we all start together as normal, but just no drafting benefits…
Oh… and is steering enabled? I need every corner cutting advantage I can get
Yes, it is the steeper, shorter climb, with the switchbacks. It is a mass start, see how that works, if this is a success and the event becomes a regular thing, we can review what is the best start process, for example, A’s have an X minute delay. Ultimately, this for the Zwift Community, so see what people think.
I love ITT and i love gradients, but i’m racing in the TFC Mad Monday series at that time 🙁
Hopefully this event will come up again.
Hopefully, if we get positive feedback and people take part, Zwift are open to making this a regular event, but this is a “pilot” to see if it works and people like it. So, if you can’t make it, spread the word and get your friends to attend.
https://www.zwift.com/events/view/1981008 – put it earlier so you won’t miss the fun
I love the idea. I can’t make the time. I hope it’s a big success.
Thank you, I hope it is a success so it can become a regular event and perhaps, the concept can be hosted at different times to cater for everyone around the world. As mentioned, this is a “pilot” to see if people like it.
Sorry you missed it, don’t worry, it is a permanent fixture in the calender. Every Monday at 7pm – https://www.zwift.com/events/view/1981008
So roughly a 5km flat lead-in and then maybe 20mins full power up to the top of radio tower? Sounds fun and painful.
Will join if I can make time at 1PM CT. Perfect early evening time for people in Europe, not so much in the US.
Hi Alex, I really appreciate and understand your point about the time zones. I am hopeful that if people enjoy the event and this “pilot” event is a success, then it can be implemented across the time zones to cater for all. We opted for 8pm CET as it means it is 7pm UK, so caters for the British and European market and we thought the 8 hours behind is the West Coast of the US, so for some it would be suitable for a lunchtime TT as it is not a time intensive event. The key thing is that people enjoy it and participate and then conversations can be had around timings and event scheduling, but only if it is a success. If this is supported by the community, I will do my best to ensure all time zones are catered.
Great idea and I would definitely do it if it wasn’t at 2am on a work night for me here in Perth
Hi Francis, thank you for the feedback. If this is a success, hopefully we will be able to host the event at times to cater for everyone across the world and be fully inclusive. As this is a “pilot” we wanted to check that people liked it first. Get the concept right and support of the community and then we have something to discuss with Zwift.
Thanks Tim, I’ll look out for it.
cheers
francis
Hi Francis, it has taken 3 months but I have now launched a second time slot for this event to cater for riders in the Southern Hemisphere. Hope this time slot works for you:
https://www.zwift.com/events/view/2153030
Francis and Tim, First I’m glad to hear that you are considering more times in the future! Second, my “trick” for events that happen at 2 AM is to load up Zwift before going to bed (Camera 8 helicopter aka screen saver mode) and let it automatically drop me into the event. Then when I wake up I just ride it the next morning when I wake up and ready to ride. Not good when you are worried about drafting. But in this “no draft” TT it should work!
I have never heard that trick. What a unique and novel idea.
Why do you have to post stuff like this? Now my 26-year old brain and 57-year old body are going to spend the rest of the weak arguing the pros and cons of me doing/not doing this event. Groan. I just hope they argue softly while I’m trying to sleep.
I know, I am looking forward to hosting it and nervous at the same time. I hope it is well received by the community so it can be a regular event and be hosted at different times to cater for all. I fully appreciate that for some people, the timing is not ideal. I am already upgrading my Zwift setup in preparation as I had 2 dropped Bluetooth connections in two rides and don’t want that in my own event!
It is a regular Monday event now, 7pm CET. https://www.zwift.com/events/view/1981008
The first ever tt climbing event was from the zwift team Greece at 14 of March on vent top .
This is the first one up the Epic KOM reverse. How was your event? Any tips you can give to people doing the event? Are you running another one? I would be keen to try it.
Tell your friends- it is a regular event https://www.zwift.com/events/view/1981008
Might be an idea to invite the current British Hill Climbing Champion (Andrew Feather) as well as the former one?
Good idea, do you have any contact details? I couldn’t find him on Zwift, when I looked.
Just curious…can you literally start an event anywhere for official events like this? I think it would be fun on 4/1/21 to host a Ven-Top race to the bottom! Start at the top and race down as fast as possible! Boom! Super-Sonic!
Thanks for putting this together Tim! My plans for Monday just changed. It would be great to see more scheduled mountain-top finish races.
Hi – it is a regular event now – https://www.zwift.com/events/view/1981008
hey Tim, will the TT HUD display be enabled?
I didn’t request it, maybe if this gets approved for a weekly schedule, I can request these details that I have missed. Good shout Tim, very good shout. Hope to see you there.
Very nice event! 🙂 If this becomes a regular event it would be great
Thank you, I will present your kind feedback to Zwift to see if it can be a regular event. Thank you for supporting the event and glad you enjoyed it, it certainly was a challenge.
Enjoy your Monday nights now as this is a regular event 👍 https://www.zwift.com/events/view/1981008
That was great, thanks for organizing! I blew up badly, I was a little too optimistic on the lower slopes. I think if you want the bike swap to be a serious consideration, the flat lead in would need to be longer.
Don’t worry about blowing up, have another go this Monday now it is a regular event- https://www.zwift.com/events/view/1981008
Thanks for organizing! I’ll certainly do more of these if it becomes more of a regular event! Nice addition could be to make it into a real TT event. Would be cool to have another climbing TT besides Bologna.
Thank you, I am glad you enjoyed it, I am writing to Zwift as we speak, hopefully feedback like this will convince them. Watch this space.
Job done – it’s a regular Monday event, 7pm CET – https://www.zwift.com/events/view/1981008