The Tour of Britannia was fun. You will have perhaps already read my adventures during the race. It was a hugely successful series that built on the success of the first series in France. And now Flamme Rouge Racing (FRR) is launching its third event – Tour Watopia.
Past Success
FRR’s first series, hosted on the roads of France, saw 22 teams and 100 riders. The second series (Britannia) saw 87 teams and over 800 riders competing. And now Tour Watopia is going to be even bigger, because most of the teams are returning.
Tour Watopia
Watopia starts Sunday, January 2th and completes on the 9th. The event covers 6 stages in 8 days. 260km of total distance with 3,900m of climbing using three racing formats: iTT, Points, and TTT. This diversity in events makes it fun and competitive as you struggle through the stages in anticipation of the one that caters for your abilities.
Pre-registration of teams is open now, and must be completed by December 24th.
No Gimmicks + Fair Racing
The previous Tours saw certain things implemented to keep the racing fair. There is no use of powerups, the same bike frames are enforced, and while the neutralized start doesn’t affect the overall race, it is an enormously welcomed feature and prevents the overly hectic starts that have become customary on Zwift.
Feedback & Changes
FRR actively requested feedback from teams and riders to improve the next event. The feedback-inspired changes in this tour include:
- 4 race times per stage
- Weekend times equate to 0800-1000 locally
- Weekday times equate to 1830-1930 locally
- Rider categories split by power ranges
- Power refers to the rider w/kg 95% of best three races in last 90 days
- Expected to provide more competitive races, across all rider categories and ultimately a better event experience
- Team event where all riders can ride and the best six scoring riders count (refer to rules for qualifying scores)
- Points weighted more for riders finishing higher in the result, rather than segments
- Ladies can race a mixed category down (as in real life) subject to revised power limits
Event Routes and Schedule
Once again, routes are varied. An opening iTT up the Volcano which is a rarity, followed by a Neon points stage around Neokyo (technically not in Watopia but it’s there by popular demand and FRR couldn’t resist slotting it in).
Later stages move through the desert, Titans Grove, visit some sisters and Watopia wouldn’t be complete unless the Alpe featured somewhere…
- Stage 1 (2 January): Whole Lotta Lava iTT
- Stage 2 (2 January: Neokyo All-Nighter 2 laps
- Stage 3 (4 January): Sand and Sequoias TTT 2 laps
- Stage 4 (7 January): Three Sisters
- Stage 5 (8 January): Figure 8 Reverse 2 laps
- Stage 6 (9 January): Quatch Quest
The key to success is managing fatigue, which is very much part of the intention of these events.
Event Registration
Teams and single riders must pre-register to take part in the event, using the website (FlammeRougeRacing.com) before the closing date of 10pm GMT December 24th.
I have registered for the event and the platform to register is easy to navigate. You do need a ZwiftPower account to participate and will need to take note of your Rider ID.
A full list of the rules and points available can be read here.
FRR can be emailed at [email protected] for further information, but everything can be found on the registration page, rules, and event poster.
Once registered, team managers can create and manage teams. All riders can access the event content, race communications, and most importantly the results.
FRR now has a Facebook page and a Private FRR Event User Group page for managers and riders to join, discuss, and have input into events the community would like.
Summing Up
I really enjoyed the previous FRR tour. The racing was fun, competitive, and inclusive. I also liked the unique additions such as the neutralized start.
I have already signed up and am certainly looking forward to the racing. But I’d better watch what I eat over the Christmas period if I want to go into this at my fighting weight!
Questions or Comments?
Post below!
Whatever webpushr is, I don’t know, but this website is really annoying nagging with stuff to do with push notifications. We really don’t want this, it’s like these annoying pop-ups from years ago.
Are there any bonuses attached to this event e.g. kit to unlock, extra xp?
Hi James – I’ll have to ask Zwift on that – however as we build we want to offer some real life prizes …. so watch the FRR racing space
Have I got this right? You have to be in a team to ride the Tour?
Hi Phil .. the Tour series is Team based however should you not have a team you can register as a single rider and we place you a team….though we are just considering a privateer option….
Are stages one and two on the same day (2-Jan-22)?
Yes, start times are one hour apart.
Correct …if they were too close then riders may miss the second helping and we wouldn’t want that….
They are Tim, shirt iTT followed by a not too overly testing points stage….fatigue management is very much part of the Tour
In reading the rules, the heat categories are a bit confusing. It’s like split categories, but Ghost and Haberno (B+ and B) are still starting in the same pens and same points?
In EMEA you will have separate race pens as we expect numbers to be higher. In the other time zones we are watching numbers… really don’t want 20 riders in 2 pens would rather have 40 and then split out the result ….just a new way of thinking rather than watch we have all been painted with via zwiftpower….it will take time
Thanks Richard. Had lots of fun in the Tour of Brittania and looking forward to this one. For the US timezones, if it’s all one pen, maybe racers could be asked to put the heat rating in the screename somehow?
We will be asking all riders to except CRPs to add their heat CAT for identification…but first SANTA
Whats up with all the F’ing Hills right after Christmas!
http://www.pevelo.dk
ZwfitInsider… you should cover this Tour at least by the end of week 1. The International Tour is under way… and the racing is more tactical than the WTRL hammer-fest and the “race your way, your time” is super convenient.
WTRL is to Classics as FRR International Tour is to Grand Tours (I am guessing… having never ridden a classic or grand tour.
Anyway… check it out.
This coming weekend is going to be brutal with Achterbahn and la reine routes on tap. The mix of 2 itt and 2 ttt on top of sprints, rolling, and mountain stages this is a zwift grand tour. As they say irl it is a hard road to Paris. Hundreds of racers signed up. How many will do all 12 stages over two weeks?