The second race of Zwift Racing League 2024/25 Round 1 happens Tuesday, September 17, and we’ll be in Watopia for our first-ever ZRL event on the Sugar Cookie route.
There’s much to discuss, including ZRL scoring changes for points races, tricky bike decisions, strategic options, and crucial segments. Let’s go!
Looking at the Route: Sugar Cookie
Watopia’s Sugar Cookie route has never been raced in ZRL, since it has only been in game for less than a year. It’s a big loop with just one substantial climb.
All riders will be racing a single lap of the route for a total of 39.2km with 260m of climbing.
Let’s discuss the key parts of this route, beginning just after we blast out of the start pen:
Lead-In: we begin from the Jungle pens with a long (5.6km) lead-in, descending to the Jungle Circuit arch. Yes, the Jungle is dirt. No, you don’t want to use a gravel or mountain bike (read more about Zwift Crr). Mind your pack position, but don’t expect any big moves yet. Powerup at Jungle arch: aero boost (helmet)
Stoneway Sprint @7.7km (FAL): this sprint feels longer than its 400-meter length because it begins on a 3% slope that slowly tapers to flat ground. Use your aero powerup wisely stay off the front of the charging pack and you just may grab some points across the line! Powerup at arch: aero boost (helmet)
Acropolis Sprint @10.3km (FTS): another longish sprint (450m), this one turns into a false flat through the finish. You’ll want to use your aero boost and position yourself for maximum drafting throughout the sprint if you’re chasing the FTS points on offer. Powerup at arch: aero boost (helmet)
Sasquatch Sprint @16.1km (FAL): this sprint starts just after you see the Sasquatch warning sign on the left. Slightly uphill and 350 meters long, this segment is only awarding FAL points, so it’s all about drafting smart and timing your powerup and final kick! Powerup at arch: aero boost (helmet)
Woodland Sprint @20.8km (FAL): the longest sprint of our four (500m), it’s also mostly downhill, so it’ll be fast! FAL points only, so using your aero and timing your kick will be key. Powerup at arch: lightweight (feather)
Climb to Epic KOM Bypass @28.1km: this will be the key selection point in the race. While the climb is ~2km long, it’s the steep first ~700 meters that often shatters a group. We recommend using your feather here if you feel yourself losing position, or want to put in an extra-effective attack. If you’re struggling, find a good wheel to hold for the final draggy 1.3km over the bridge, as this section only serves to increase the gaps that have already formed.
Descent to the Finish: from the start of the Epic KOM Bypass to the Jungle floor, riders have around 8km of mostly downhill road. Anyone dropped on the key climb may be able to bridge up if they find enough help and ride smart, but it may also turn into a strategic choice of which teams you’re willing to work with.
Finish at Jungle arch: after the long descent through the Jungle, expect riders to have fresher legs than usual, which means a willingness to rev up the watts a bit early. The final effort will kick off in earnest somewhere in the watery cave section, but it’s the final 200 meters of dirt hardpack that will decide the winner. You can’t see the finish arch until you’re just 115m from the line, so it pays to know your route, watch your HUD, and mind your pack position!
Read more about the Sugar Cookie route >
Points Race Changes
It’s important to note that FAL and FTS segment points as well as finishing points have changed this round for ZRL racers!
FAL points now go to the first 20 riders over the line (20-19-18…1 points, respectively). FTS points only go to the fastest 5 riders through the segment (10-8-6-4-2 points, respectively).
Finish points are now based on how many riders finish, but there are also new podium bonus points for the first 5 riders across the line. Example: if 60 riders finish, 1st place gets 60 points, 2nd place gets 59, etc. But podium bonus points are also awarded to the top 5 riders (10-8-6-4-2, respectively) so that 1st place rider would actually get 60+10=70 points for their finishing position.
See the ZRL scoring page for more details >
PowerUp Notes
Riders will receive particular powerups at each arch. See notes above for which powerups are given at each arch, and read our guide to powerups if you don’t understand how they work.
Study the route and the powerups and you’ll see WTRL has assigned powerups logically, so you can use each one before hitting the next arch. That said, if you’re confident in your climbing ability and agreeable to not contesting the Woodland Sprint, there’s a 200IQ move that may win you the race… see our note under “Strategic Options” below.
Bike Frame + Wheel Choice
This route features lots of flats and descents, plus a flat finish. But it also features a key climb with a steep bit where w/kg will be key! All of this makes bike choice a less-than-straightforward matter.
An aero bike will maximize your sprint speeds and let you sit in most easily on the flats, rollers, and descents that make up the vast majority of your overall mileage. But a lighter bike would give you a slight edge on the key climb where riders will be dropped and efforts are sure to be high.
Given the strong performance of the new Pinarello Dogma F 2024, it’s hard not to recommend it as the best pick here, coupled with the DT Swiss disc wheel. This setup loses very little (2 seconds in our ~50-minute test) to the traditional Venge+Disc combo, while gaining 11 seconds in our ~50-minute climb test.
That said, there are several options that will all perform well on this route. The Venge+Disc is the most aero setup available. The Tron bike is still a strong all-arounder. Will you pick a setup that helps you in your weakness, or one that emphasizes your strength?
See Speed Tests: Tron Bike vs Top Performers (Scatter Plot) for more nerd-level detail on frame and wheel performance.
More Route Recons
Lots of recon events are scheduled on upcoming ZRL routes, led by various teams. See upcoming ZRL recons for this race at zwift.com/events/tag/zrlrecon.
In The Drops
John Rice
(Note that John’s video doesn’t explain the recent FAL+FTS+Finish points changes explained above, nor does it specify that some of the sprints award FAL while only one rewards FTS. John can be forgiven for this, though, as WTRL’s website hasn’t been very clear about this info…)
Strategic Options
Points Distribution, Sugar Cookie (1 Lap)
This chart shows the maximum points a team of 6 could earn in a race with 60 participants.
With segment points and finish points evenly split, there’s no clear best approach that applies to all teams and all riders. Here are some predictions of strategies we’ll see on Tuesday:
- All-In For the Sprints: as you can see from the chart above, sprints make up almost half the points a team could earn in this race. Riders who know they can’t hold the front of the race up the key climb may go all-in for sprints.
- Chasing Finish Points: riders who aren’t strong sprinters will save themselves for the key climb so they can hang with the front group and hopefully sprint against a reduced pack for finish points.
- Post-Climb Bridges: the long descent after the key climb provides ample opportunities for heavier riders to bridge up to riders who had dropped them on the uphill. Strategic team decisions will need to be made, and communication will be crucial.
- Keeping an Aero In the Quiver: riders who are confident they can hang onto the front group up the key climb without the help of a feather may hold onto their last aero powerup, saving it for the finishing sprint. If it works, it’s a 200IQ move. But if you get dropped on the climb you’re buying the team beers!
Your Thoughts
Any insights or further thoughts on this race? Share below!
