Tiny Race Series – January 31 Routes – Watopia-Makuri Punch
See zwiftinsider.com/tiny for current Tiny Race details.
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Zwift Climb Portal Schedule
Zwift Climb Portal Schedule
Zwift’s Climb Portal gives Zwifters access to a growing library of famous real-life climbs in a gamified environment where roads are colored based on gradient. Learn more about the Climb Portal >
While the library of climbs continues to grow, only up to three climbs are accessible on any given day. The climb of the month (in green below) is available in France, while a second climb rotates every few days and is only available in Watopia. Both of these climbs can be selected at the bottom left of your Zwift homescreen (scroll down).
There is also a third place where another climb is featured: in the Climb of the Week box on the homescreen. Learn more >
Learn more about a climb by clicking it in the schedule below.
Access the currently featured climbs easily from the bottom of the Zwift homescreen under “Just Ride”:
Zwift Update Version 1.106 (158210) Released
Zwift version 1.106 begins its phased rollout today. This is a minor update containing mostly bug fixes, but it also coincides with a broader rollout of the Personalized Recommendations feature. See details below…
Personalized Recommendations Rollout
Zwift rolled out the initial beta version of Personalized Recommendations to a small cohort in early November. This exciting new feature looks at your Zwift activities and any outdoor rides (if you’ve connected your Garmin, Wahoo, or Karoo account), then recommends a session for the day based on your habits, fitness, freshness, and in-game content.
Since the initial beta release, Zwift has made important changes to dial in (and dial up) features and functionality based on feedback and metrics. Personally, I’ve seen it evolve from a “5 out of 10” feature to, let’s say, a 7 out of 10. There are plenty of improvements still to be made, and lots of untapped potential, but it works quite well at this point.
So Zwift is doing a “Full English Rollout” of Personalized Recommendations this week. No, the feature isn’t being bundled with black pudding and baked beans. But if you have English set as your in-game language, you’ll see Personalized Recommendations on your homescreen by the end of the week. (As of Monday, January 26, approximately 30% of English users had the feature enabled.)
Not an English speaker? Zwift says Personalized Recommendations should be released for all other supported languages by the end of February. They’re just taking some extra time to make sure the translations are accurate.
Pairing Screen Changes
Today’s release includes some updates to the pairing screen UI. Icons now indicate how your devices are connected to Zwift: WiFi, Ethernet, Bluetooth, ANT+, or Sensor Relay (through a trainer).
More Missing Socks
Zwift’s release notes say, “Fixed an issue that could potentially cause cycling socks to be at their minimum height, or missing. Seems we caught the triathlon bug.”
We reported that Zwift had stolen socks in the previous update, and since then, an inordinate number of sockless avatars have been spotted on Zwift’s roads. Does this update fix the problem? Well, maybe. But it makes things worse before it makes them better.
I had adjusted my socks back to roadie height after the v105 release took them away. But once today’s v106 release was installed, my socks were, once again, missing:
Zwift assures me that this is known behavior, and once you fix your socks in v106 they’ll be fixed for good. But I say fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…
New RoboPacer (Sofia) and Expanded RoboPacer Routes
There are two late additions to Zwift’s release notes for this update, both related to RoboPacers:
- Introducing Sophia! Our 10th RoboPacer rides at 0.8 w/kg, ideal for new and lower-FTP Zwifters.
- Expanded the route rotation for RoboPacers to include more pacer-friendly routes from our recent map expansions.
Read all the details in our dedicated post: Zwift Adds “Sofia” RoboPacer and Modifies RoboPacer Route Schedule.
Release Notes
Zwift supplied the following additional release notes:
- The Empire Elevation route in New York is now available for free rides and meet-ups. Go get that badge!
- Minor refinements to draft indicator behavior.
- Fixed an issue that could make workout arch pulses difficult to see.
- Fixed an issue that could cause Tour de Zwift reward previews to display incorrectly when a handcycle is equipped.
- Improved readability of bike frame description text in the Garage.
- Various visual improvements in Richmond and New York.
- Apple TV: Fixed a crash that could potentially occur in the Pairing screen.
- Windows: Fixed a crash that could potentially occur when saving or discarding an activity.
Discuss this update in Zwift’s forum >
Questions or Comments?
If you spotted any other changes or bugs in the update, please comment below!
Zwift Adds “Sofia” RoboPacer and Modifies RoboPacer Route Schedule
Zwift Adds “Sofia” RoboPacer and Modifies RoboPacer Route Schedule
Today, Zwift made some noticeable changes to their RoboPacer setup.
First, they added a 10th cycling RoboPacer named “Sofia” at 0.8 W/kg (63 watts), “designed for new and lower-FTP users.”
Next, they’ve modified and expanded the list of routes used by RoboPacers “to include more pacer-friendly routes from our recent world expansions.” This means you can expect to see a much wider variety of routes, especially on maps with lots of routes like Watopia, Makuri Islands, and New York. And you can expect to see newer routes in the rotation, especially on recently-updated maps like France and New York.
See the current RoboPacer schedule >
As an example, here are the routes Zwift was formerly rotating through in Watopia, and the routes being used this week:
| Old Watopia Routes | New Watopia Routes |
| Triple Flat Loops | The Classic |
| The Big Ring | Two Bridges Loop |
| Volcano Circuit | Jarvis Seaside Sprint |
| Flat Route | Big Flat 8 |
| Sugar Cookie | Loop de Loop |
| Volcano Flat | Waisted 8 |
| Watopia’s Waistband | The Magnificent 8 |
| Tick Tock | Ocean Lava Cliffside Loop |
| Tempus Fugit | Sand and Sequoias |
| Triple Twist |
This is an entirely fresh set of routes, although it appears that we’ll be seeing the old routes rotated in as well. So instead of Watopia’s RoboPacers just rotating through the same 9 routes (changing weekly), they will be rotating through, perhaps, 15-20 routes.
Another good example is France, where RoboPacers are now mostly on routes that include the new cobbled roads from the April 2025 expansion:
| Old France Routes | New France Routes |
| Petit Boucle | Petit Boucle |
| Casse-Pattes | Casse-Pattes |
| Roule Ma Poule | Roule Ma Poule |
| Champs-Élysées | Three Musketeers |
| R.G.V. | Lutece Express |
| Douce France | Gentil 8 |
| Tire-Bouchon | Knights of the Roundabout |
| Lutece Express | Petite Douleur |
| Croissant | |
| Sacre Bleu |
While three of the routes on France’s new rotation were included in the old rotation as well, I have a hunch we’ll see this and other maps’ rotations change in the coming weeks as Zwift tightens up their route selections based on user feedback and metrics.
What do you think?
What do you think of Zwift’s RoboPacer changes? Share your thoughts below!
Zwift RoboPacer Cycling Route Schedule
Zwift RoboPacer Cycling Route Schedule
Planning a ride with a friendly RoboPacer but aren’t sure which route they’re riding? We’ve got you. This is Zwift’s cycling RoboPacer route rotation schedule for upcoming days. According to Zwift, Robopacers swap at 00:00 Pacific Time/08:00 UTC. Click a route for details!
Monday-Tuesday, January 26-27
Wednesday-Thursday, January 28-29
Friday-Saturday, January 30-31
Sunday, February 1
Questions or Comments?
Read all about RoboPacers here if you’ve got general RoboPacer questions. Questions or comments about RoboPacer route rotation? Post below!
Zwift Course Calendar – Current Guest World Schedule
Watopia is available every day while the other maps rotate as “Guest Worlds” according to the calendar below. This gives Zwifters access to three worlds (Watopia + two guest worlds) at any given time.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1ParisParis FranceFrance | 2ParisParis FranceFrance | 3YorkshireYorkshire LondonLondon | 4YorkshireYorkshire LondonLondon | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5LondonLondon RichmondRichmond | 6LondonLondon RichmondRichmond | 7RichmondRichmond InnsbruckInnsbruck | 8Makuri IslandsMakuri Islands ScotlandScotland | 9Makuri IslandsMakuri Islands ScotlandScotland | 10New YorkNew York Makuri IslandsMakuri Islands | 11New YorkNew York Makuri IslandsMakuri Islands | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 12ParisParis FranceFrance | 13ParisParis FranceFrance | 14LondonLondon RichmondRichmond | 15LondonLondon RichmondRichmond | 16RichmondRichmond InnsbruckInnsbruck | 17Makuri IslandsMakuri Islands ScotlandScotland | 18Makuri IslandsMakuri Islands ScotlandScotland | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 19New YorkNew York Makuri IslandsMakuri Islands | 20New YorkNew York Makuri IslandsMakuri Islands | 21YorkshireYorkshire LondonLondon | 22YorkshireYorkshire LondonLondon | 23LondonLondon RichmondRichmond | 24LondonLondon RichmondRichmond | 25RichmondRichmond InnsbruckInnsbruck | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 26ParisParis FranceFrance | 27ParisParis FranceFrance | 28Makuri IslandsMakuri Islands ScotlandScotland | 29Makuri IslandsMakuri Islands ScotlandScotland | 30New YorkNew York Makuri IslandsMakuri Islands | 31New YorkNew York Makuri IslandsMakuri Islands | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Keep in mind the guest course changeover happens at midnight Eastern/9pm Pacific (4am UTC the following day).
If you’d like to ride an off-schedule course, see How To Access the Route You Want.
Top 5 Zwift Videos: Strength Training, Pain Caves, and The Grade
Looking to add some watts to your top-end power? In this week’s top video, hear about one Zwifter’s experience with using strength training to increase sprint power.
Also included in this week’s post are videos about pain cave setups, climbing “The Grade,” tackling Alpe du Zwift, and completing the Rapha 500 in one ride.
Does Strength Training Improve Sprint Power? I Tested It
Inside My Cycling Pain Cave: Bike, PC Streaming & Full Setup Tour
Is The Grade Actually a Good FTP Test?
Finally! I Attempted Alpe Du Zwift
Attempting to Cycle 500km in One Ride!
Got a Great Zwift Video?
Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!
Review: Tour de Zwift 2026 Kit by Pedal Mafia
Review: Tour de Zwift 2026 Kit by Pedal Mafia
Tour de Zwift 2026 is underway, and Zwift has partnered with Pedal Mafia to create a real-life version of the eye-popping in-game kit.
Zwift has worked with Pedal Mafia on several kits in recent years, including:
- Tour de Zwift 2023 Kit (read my review)
- Zwift’s 10-Year Anniversary kit (which was originally only going to exist in game, but people liked the look so much that Zwift eventually had it produced)
- Kits of Zwift Community Live 2025 in Mallorca
- The fresh Watopia Essentials kit now available at zwift.com (read my review)
This means I’ve grown very familiar with Pedal Mafia’s offerings. Fortunately, I like the fit and feel of Pedal Mafia’s stuff!
This year’s Tour de Zwift kit is nearly identical in construction to the Watopia Essentials kit I recently reviewed, since both are based on Pedal Mafia’s workhorse “Core” collection. Therefore, much of the content below will be duplicated from my recent review. (The two kits are built the same, but of course, use very different colors.)
Note: You may have noticed cycling influencers wearing this kit recently in social media posts. In the past year or two, Zwift has clearly pivoted away from traditional paid marketing campaigns and leaned instead into the influencer space, where you get more bang for your buck. That’s why you’re seeing more big-name riders pitching Zwift Ride and early-release versions of Zwift merch. And while I’m not a big-name rider by any stretch, I was sent this kit free of charge, like other “Zwinfluencers.” It’s how the cycling world works these days!
Also: sizing can be tricky with cycling kit. For reference, I’m 5′-10″ tall (178cm) and currently around 185 lbs (84 kg). I put my actual measurements in the text below where appropriate.
Tour De Zwift 26 Bib Shorts
Priced at $168USD, the bib shorts are from Pedal Mafia’s Core collection. (This is the more affordable “do everything” collection vs the more expensive “Pro” line.)
The most distinctive thing about these shorts is their bright turquoise color, which will certainly stand out in a crowd. I’d go so far as to call them high vis shorts, which isn’t something you see every day!
Speaking of colors, it’s worth noting that, like any non-black kit, sweat darkens these shorts (see the second photo below), which may or may not concern you.
I have a 34.5″ waist and 39.5″ hips, so I went with the medium bib as recommended by the sizing chart.
The Tour De Zwift 26 bibs aren’t indoor-specific, so they don’t include some of the extra-breathable features indoor kits often have, like mesh panels, minimal chamois, or super lightweight strapping. That said, the brace paneling on the back and lower front is nicely perforated, even though the straps themselves are not, and the main short fabric (75% recycled warp knit lycra) is just the right thickness to allow sweat to evaporate indoors while still working well outside in most conditions.
While I haven’t had time to run the Tour De Zwift 26 bibs through the wringer across many rides (since they were just released), I do own multiple pairs of Pedal Mafia’s core bibs, so I know what kind of durability to expect. I’d say these shorts hold up as well as other mid-range bibs, with the first point of failure for me being some frayed stitching in the inner leg area due to saddle rub. (This hasn’t affected the feel or wearability of the bibs, but it’s something worth noting.)
Chamois fit is a very personal thing, but I prefer thinner pads, especially for indoor riding. I’d say the Tour De Zwift 26 bibs’ chamois is on the thin side as chamois go, while still having plenty of thickness for all-day/outdoor wear.
Leg length on Pedal Mafia bibs tends to be on the longer side, as this “pro look” is the trend in today’s kits. I don’t particularly love super-long legs, as they aren’t helpful for indoor riding. That said, I ordered the medium bibs, which fit great on my frame.
If you look closely, you’ll see some nice finishing touches on these bibs: a little pocket on the back brace to hold a gel or even your phone, a logo on the chamois, plus the feel-good factor of 75% recycled lycra composition… these aren’t just basic bibs. They also feature an extra-wide leg gripper, which is actually the only difference I can see between these and the Watopia Essentials bibs, which feature a Pedal Mafia-branded leg gripper via the more “generic” diamond gripper of the TdZ bibs (see below).
Tour De Zwift 26 Jersey
The Tour De Zwift 26 jersey, like the bibs, is based on Pedal Mafia’s “Core” line. Priced at $128USD, this is a well-made, indoor-friendly jersey with some nice finishing touches.
It’s interesting that the IRL jersey doesn’t quite match the in-game jersey, for whatever reason. The overall color panels match, as do a few of the graphics and their placements. But there are lots of differences, too. How many can you spot? 😄
Based on my chest measurement of 38″ (and my experience with wearing other PM Core kits) I went with a medium jersey, as I prefer a tighter fit.
While the sizing chart would have placed me in a large jersey (just barely), I went with a medium because I prefer a tighter fit, and because I’ve got a few medium Pedal Mafia core jerseys in my closet already. These jerseys fit nicely, with plenty of length in the arms and rear torso without being too long in the front. (I hate it when jerseys bunch up in front when you’re hunched over the bike.)
While this isn’t an indoor-specific jersey, it is a very breathable top that works well outdoors in summer heat as well as indoors on the trainer. The arms and side panels use a 3D mesh material that keeps you dry and cool without being so fragile that it breaks down in the wash (not an easy balance to strike!). The front and back use a denser but still lightweight perforated fabric that provides more coverage but still wicks sweat and allows airflow for drying.
In my experience, it takes a lot of riding to wear out a jersey, unless it’s a super-light one made specifically for indoor riding or hot weather. All of my Pedal Mafia Core jerseys have held up well with no tears from washing or frayed stitching, so I expect the Tour De Zwift 26 jersey to do the same.
There are lots of small finishing touches on this jersey. These include a PM-branded waist gripper, a tag with spaces to write your emergency details, a zippered side pocket, and various TdZ 26 graphics (see pics above).
Final Notes
Overall, I’d say the Tour De Zwift 26 kit does what Pedal Mafia’s core line is known for: walking the line between quality and price. It performs where you want kit to perform, without soaring into the upper price ranges.
The colors will be a sticking point with some, for sure. The bright bibs, especially, will prove to be a fashion bridge too far for some riders! But others will love the distinctive look of this kit. Tour de Zwift kits have historically been playful and brightly colored, and this year’s design clearly builds on that tradition.
Lastly, I should mention: it’s always fun to have the same in-game kit as you’re physically wearing, like I’m doing above. To unlock the TdZ 26 kit in game, you must complete all 6 stages.
Read all about Tour de Zwift 2026 here >
Questions or Comments?
Post below!
Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of January 24-25
This week, all of our event picks are from community organizers. Zwift-sponsored events like Tour de Zwift and the Fondo Series are always popular (and fun), but that’s mostly because they get a lot of exposure! Hopefully, shining some light on the events below brings even more participation to these deserving rides…
🤝 BMTR Cares Flat 125 (Miles) – Pedaling for a Purpose!
✅ Popular ✅ Good Cause
We regularly feature BMTR’s popular Flat 100 ride, but this week it’s an extra-special event, as it’s being increased to 125 miles “to highlight the significance of the cause we are passionate about supporting.” Several members of BMTR are riding 225 miles on the day to support the Autism Society of America (ASA) (donate here). Be sure to read the event details for more info!
Three pace groups are available, all riding on France’s Sacre Bleu route.
Saturday, January 24 @ 1:10pm UTC/8:10am ET/5:10am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5369952
🤝Vatternrundan Group Ride Series #3
✅ Popular ✅ Endurance Training ✅ Tour de Zwift Route
The Vätternrundan group ride series seems to be getting more popular as the rides get longer! This week the ride has increased to 120 minutes, and there are over 250 riders signed up when this post was composed, making it the most popular event of the weekend.
The premise of the series is simple: rides increase in duration from January 11 to March 1, with the goal of preparing you to handle many hours on the bike when the IRL race day arrives in June. (The Vätternrundan Group Ride Series is part of Vätternrundan’s official training program.)
This week’s ride is on Greatest London Flat (a Tour de Zwift stage 4 route), and there are two pace group options (1.8-2.2 and 1.5-1.8 W/kg).
Sunday, January 25 @ 8am UTC/3am ET/12am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5203599
🥇Level Racing Chase Race
✅ Chase Race ✅ Popular
Chase Races are fun events we don’t see often enough in Zwift, and this event from Level Racing has lots of signups already, which is always a good sign!
Related: Zwift Chase Race Basics, Strategies, and More
This race is on two laps of Makuri Islands’ Sprinter’s Playground route (24.9km, 135m).
Sunday, January 25 @ 2pm UTC/9am ET/6am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5356937
🤝Zwift Riders Scotland: Badge Hunters on PRL Full
✅ Endurance Challenge ✅ Route Badge
What’s that… you still haven’t completed The PRL Full, Zwift’s longest route (173.5km, 2625m)? Take it from me: you want to do it in a group. And here’s your chance! Join Zwift Riders Scotland for eleven repeats of Box Hill, and earn that coveted route badge with its 3460 XP bonus.
Related: The Longest Route: 7 Tips for London’s PRL Full
Saturday, January 24 @ 8am UTC/3am ET/12am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5327954
🤝(Rubber-Banded) TDZ Ride with James’ Friends!
✅ Banded ✅ Tour de Zwift Route
This beginner-friendly banded ride is on Yorkshire Double Loop, so completing it will count as completing Tour de Zwift stage 3.
Ride at whatever pace you’d like. As long as you keep pedaling, you’ll stay with the group!
Saturday, January 24 @ 1:30pm UTC/8:30am ET/5:30am PT
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/5369957
How We Make Our Picks
We choose each weekend’s Notable Events based on a variety of factors including:
- Is the event unique/innovative in some way?
- Are celebrities (pro riders, etc) attending/leading?
- Are signup counts already high, meaning the event is extra-popular?
- Does the ride include desirable unlocks or prizes?
- Does the event appeal to ladies on Zwift? (We like to support this under-represented group!)
- Is it for a good cause?
- Is it just plain crazy (extra long races, world record attempts, etc)?
- Is it a long-running, popular weekly event with a dedicated leader who deserves a shout out?
In the end, we want to call attention to events that are extra-special and therefore extra-appealing to Zwifters. If you think your event qualifies, comment below with a link/details and we may just include it in an upcoming post!
How the Race Was Lost: ZRL Powerup Roulette on Countryside Tour
How the Race Was Lost: ZRL Powerup Roulette on Countryside Tour
This week’s ZRL scratch race was the longest of Round 3, with A/B teams completing 3 laps of Makuri Islands’ Countryside Tour for a total of 47.8km with 556m of elevation.
There are two key features of this route – one I love, and one I hate:
- I love the finish, because it’s downhill and fast.
- I hate the Temple KOM. This dirty little 7-minute monster has been my nemesis in many races.
As it turned out, my real nemesis would be the Zwift gods and their capricious powerup assignments. Or the “powerup roulette,” as I’ve decided to label it today. Read on to see how my race unfolded…
Race Prep and Warmup
The days leading up to this race saw the usual team chat on Discord as we figured out who would be racing this week and how to attack the race most effectively as a team.
Our team would feature Captain Neil, Chris, Dylan, Andrew, Enrico, and me. Additionally, and perhaps most excitingly, this week we welcomed Sarah, Neil’s wife, to the virtual team car as our DS.
What was our strategy? Pretty simple, really:
- Don’t push the pace on the front during the Temple KOM, because the slower the pack moves on that climb, the better it is for us
- Push hard to hang onto the front group over the KOM
I made two slight modifications to my nutrition/supplement routine for this race. First, I chewed an extra piece of caffeine gum, which combined with my two lattes earlier in the day meant I had 300-400mg of go-go juice coursing through my veins. I wanted to see if I’d notice the difference.
Secondly, I stockpiled two SiS energy gels for the race, instead of the usual one, just to make sure I had plenty of carbs since it would be a longer effort.
After a short warmup, in which I observed my heart rate being nicely responsive to harder efforts (thanks, caffeine!), I joined my team at the start line. Let’s go!
Lap 1
We jumped out of the Yumezi start pen and quickly headed downhill. There were 70 riders in the pack, but that number would drop dramatically by the end of the long race, which we guessed would take over 75 minutes to complete.
Sarah did a lovely job of making sure we all knew the powerup situation as we rode through the flat farmlands at a fairly leisurely pace. Since we were getting feathers, draft boosts, or aero powerups at each arch (equal probability of each), it was smart to “burn” your powerup if you didn’t have a feather yet, so you could get a new powerup at the sprint arch and hopefully have a feather in your pocket heading into the key climb up the road.
So I did just that, using my draft boost so I could spin the roulette wheel of powerups at the green arch. And I got a feather! Excellent.
The pace picked up a bit after the sprint arch as we hit the slack climb up through Village Onsen and on to the fishing village. This ~4.5km lead-in to the Temple KOM wakes the legs up, but riders typically don’t push hard, because they know the big climb is just up the road.
Soon enough we were there, turning left off the tarmac and onto the dirt singletrack of the dreaded Temple KOM. The moment of truth.
I tried to stay positioned near the front of the group, in that magic spot where you get just a bit of draft without being so far back that gaps can open up and you get stranded in a chase group.
This climb breaks up into 4 sections for me:
- The first bit up through the Temple building
- The second bit up to where it flattens out at the first bridges
- The final climby stretch, with its steep, straight final pitch into the left hairpin
- The last bit, which is mostly flat and on wooden bridges
If I can survive to the end of the second section – to that first set of bridges – I find I can usually survive to the top.
To my surprise, I found myself able to hold position consistently as we climbed toward the mystical tree. I wasn’t even on the limit! (Not that it was easy, mind you. But we’ve all felt the difference between a hard push and a max effort. Sometimes it’s only a few watts… but that’s all it takes.)
Over the top of the Temple KOM, our group had shrunk from 70 to 42 riders. A long descent followed, during which I essentially soft-pedaled for 5 minutes, letting the legs recharge for the next go at the KOM.
The Countryside Tour loop breaks down into 4 distinct sections. Here are my times and power numbers on the first lap (pulled from Strava, so times and power have some margin for error, apart from the Temple KOM which is an actual segment):
- Flat Start: 234W (~8 minutes)
- Lead-In climb: 290W (~6.5 minutes)
- Temple KOM: 330W (6:28)
- Descent: 167W (~5 minutes)
- Full Lap: 258W (25:16)
Laps 2 and 3 would be remarkably similar. I’ll put those times below.
Lap 2
The second lap was, unsurprisingly, the chillest of the three. The big selection had already happened; it was clear nobody was chasing back on, and everyone wanted to save their legs for the third KOM.
My team had three riders in the front group: Enrico, Andrew, and myself. Dylan, Chris, and Neil were in groups behind. (Because we were hurting for riders, this was Neil’s second ZRL race of the day. So I was just impressed that he was alive!)
The second Temple KOM was the slowest of the three, which was fine with me, since I hadn’t managed to grab a feather despite my best efforts. I used my aero powerup on the first set of bridges, giving myself a bit of respite before the final push. And I survived the KOM a second time!
Sauce showed the second KOM had shrunk the peloton to 33 riders. As we chilled on the descent, I took the chance to survey the front group. We still had three riders, but unfortunately (and unsurprisingly) I saw our rivals, Team SEA, had 4 riders in the front pack. As far as I could tell, no other teams had 4 riders in front – but that’s also not easy to see with some jerseys looking like others in a churning group of 30+ riders.
The second lap’s numbers:
- Flat start: 211W (~8 minutes)
- Lead-In climb: 258W (~6.5 minutes)
- Temple KOM: 327W (6:34)
- Descent: 145W (~5 minutes)
- Full Lap: 235W (26:27)
Lap 3
In the flat start of the final lap, I sucked down my second SiS gel and tried to seriously entertain the idea that I could survive the final climb and be in contention for the win. My pessimistic side was saying this race would be like last week, where I got dropped on the final climb. But I knew I needed to think positively, and the first two climbs hadn’t pushed me to my limit, which was a great sign.
I also had a feather from the lap arch, so I was holding onto that for the KOM, and hoping I would land either a draft or aero at the top of the KOM for use on the fast, downhill finish.
Apart from one slight attack on the flats from SZR, we stayed gruppo compatto. Everyone else seemed nervous about the final KOM as well.
Soon enough, we were there. The pace was definitely a bit higher than the previous lap, but I had plenty of virtual gears to use and kept my cadence high, where it felt like I could make good power with the least effort. Enrico put in a bit of a dig with his feather powerup on the final push, and I sat in the wheels behind, once again pushing hard but not quite on the limit.
I’d made it! Honestly, I could hardly believe it. And while I was silently jumping for joy, as we went through the KOM arch, the Zwift gods rained on my parade by handing me a feather powerup for the final sprint.
The front group had shrunk to 20 riders. Enrico was still with me, but Andrew had been dropped on the final KOM. As I spun lightly on the descent, I tried to figure out the best plan of attack for the finish. Should I use my feather at all? When should I go?
I decided not to use the feather. I figured it was a toss-up: the feather would take away weight on the downhill, which would slow me down, but it would also make me a bit smaller (in terms of CdA), so I would be a bit more aero. (Note to self: I really should test the effect of feathers on downhill sprints…)
The descent gave me plenty of recovery, and I was feeling good as I dropped the hammer with 400 meters to go, entering the right hairpin with its steep downward drop. I had my head down, hammering in a seated sprint. Glancing up, I saw there were still a few riders ahead, and the finishing arch was just peaking out in the distance.
Keep pushing!
The aero helmets and draft vans were everywhere. I hammered with everything I had, but crossed the line in 7th.
The final lap, by the numbers:
- Flat start: 207W (~8 minutes)
- Lead-In climb: 256W (~6.5 minutes)
- Temple KOM: 335W (6:27)
- Descent: 168W (~5 minutes)
- Final Sprint: 813W for 20 seconds
- Full Lap: 260W (26:20)
Watch the Video
Results and Takeaways
COALITION Delusion finished the race in 4th place, and I was surprised to see Team SEA finish second, behind ZU4R Peacock. Nice work, all!
That means we’re sitting in 2nd place overall midway through Round 3:
Personally, I was both stoked and disappointed with this race. Stoked that I was able to hang with the front group to the finish, which was unexpected. But disappointed in how the powerup roulette worked out this time around.
I analyzed my race video afterward, trying to find a mistake I could blame on myself instead of being annoyed at the universe. Should I have used my feather in the finish? Should I have held onto an aero and tried to survive the final KOM without a powerup?
(Hindsight is 20/20, of course. Knowing what I know now, I would have held onto my aero powerup for the finish, because I could have survived the final KOM without the feather.)
Powerups don’t always play a huge role in Zwift races. But this week, they certainly did. In fact, every rider who finished ahead of me triggered either an aero or draft boost in the final sprint. (The two riders who magically glided past me without powerups over their heads in the final seconds? They triggered their aero powerups at the perfect time, so they would run out with a few seconds to go…)
The final moments of the sprint, as recorded by Zwift…
That’s frustrating. While I’m typically a fan of powerups – I like the strategic element they add – I don’t like it when they’re assigned randomly on a course where they affect the outcome so dramatically. (This is why Zwift Insider’s Tiny Races have always given the same powerups to all.)
But that’s bike racing for you, isn’t it? You know the rules going in, and you try to play it as smart as you can. But you can’t eliminate all the randomness. You can’t control every factor. Sometimes the odds work in your favor. Sometimes they don’t.
Hopefully, my airing of frustration doesn’t sound like me trying to cheapen my competitors’ results, as that’s not my intent at all. They played the game well and beat me, fair and square. (Plus, for all I know, some of them may have held onto a draft or aero powerup up the final KOM, like I should have. Respect to anyone who made that brave, 200-IQ move.)
We finished with our customary team photo, featuring DS Sarah, who did a mighty fine job:
What about you?
How did your race 3 go? Did you win at powerup roulette? Share below!