Zwift-based “Chasing Cancellara” events first launched in 2019, and they’ve always drawn a crowd as riders jump in to try to beat Fabian’s TT time and (of course) unlock the event-only kit.
Now in its 5th year, event organizers have refreshed the kit and added a RoboPacer.
If you’re looking to push yourself hard and go up against a time set by one of cycling’s all-time greatest, check out this weekend’s stage 2 events! Here are the details…
Who is Fabian Cancellara?
Fabian Cancellara (or “Spartacus” as he is nicknamed, due to his stature) is a retired Swiss professional road cycling legend and Time Trial Specialist.
His achievements are impressive. He was the 4x World Time Trial Champion and 2x Olympic Time Trial Champion, winning three of cycling’s most prestigious races (the “monuments”) multiple times. In addition, he won 8 stages of the Tour de France, including wearing yellow for 29 days.
Main Events
On March 3-5 individual TT events will be held on one lap of Richmond’s 2015 UCI Worlds route. This is the longer of the two stages, and the time to beat is 24m 51sec.
Remember, this is a TT, so there is no drafting! Everyone will be placed on the same bike – the BMC Team Machine (a road bike, not a TT frame) with DT Swiss wheels.
A RoboPacer will be on course to help pace you to a finish that beats Fabian’s time.
(It’s worth noting that the course time to beat is fairly fast – sort of high B, low A territory. Average speed is 40.3kph.)
Sign up and see what you can do!
Social Ride with Spartacus
Fabian is leading a social ride on Wednesday, a few days after the stage 2 events, at 7pm UTC/2pm ET/11am PT.
The ride is open-based and held on one lap of Scotland’s The Muckle Yin.
Unlock the Kit
When you finish one of the Chasing Cancellara races or the social ride, you’ll unlock the exclusive 2023 in-game Chasing Cancellara kit shown below.
Questions or Comments?
Post below!
FWIW – completing stage 1 also unlocked the ABUS Gamechanger helmet in addition to the Cancellara kit.
Helmet unlock is nice surprise, already thought at the start – I have not seen this helmet before.
I don’t think that is “high B low A” It’s definitely a “solid A” pacing. Don’t forget this year it’s the normal road bike without drafting effect, and it’s not on TT bike like last year. I will attempt it again for sure. Last year I missed by just a few seconds.
any idea why they opted to
forgo a TT setup?
That was Fabian’s choice, apparently!
There was no kit unlock for me in bologna
:((
I think it you did the event last year, you already have the kit, so no new unlock. I didn’t get an unlock in Bologna either, just the helmet.
I got it last week from doing Bologna. I think it was last years kit.
is there somewhere an overall ranking (that includes all riders from all the time slots)?
The ‘refreshed kit’ must have been for last year and the ‘exclusive 2023 in-game Chasing Cancellara kit’ you mention is labelled Chasing Cancellara 2022 in both the companion app and the in-game garage!
Earned mine today… I wonder if I had to beat Spartacus to get the 2023 kit.
It is def a low A level TT. Averaging well above 4.4 for the ride. Unsure why a TTbike was not provided. Good fun though