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A Complete List of Cycling Workouts for Zwift Club Events

Eric Schlange
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16
A Complete List of Cycling Workouts for Zwift Club Events

A Complete List of Cycling Workouts for Zwift Club Events

Over two years ago, Zwift launched the ability to hold group workouts via Club events organized using the Companion app. While the feature launched with a library of just 11 workouts, did you know Clubs currently have access to 59 workouts for events?

Here’s a complete list of workouts that can be used for Club events, including screenshots so you can get an idea of what each workout entails. (Keep in mind the power figures in the workout screenshots are based on a rider FTP of 250W. When you create a Club workout event, the intervals shown are based on the FTP stored in your profile. In the actual event, of course, the intervals will be customized to each rider’s FTP.)

Under 30 Minutes

Alphabetical List:

  • 2 By 2
  • At/Overs
  • Brisk Burn
  • Calorie Crush
  • Control the Burn
  • Emily’s Short Mix
  • Expand
  • Flash Burn
  • Heat Wave
  • Instant Inferno
  • Jon’s Short Mix
  • Knife-Edge
  • Lactate Shuttle Short
  • Lavender Unicorn
  • Lunar Light
  • Micro Wave
  • Miracle
  • Sevens
  • Twenty Torch
  • Vault
  • Wave Rider
  • Wild Iris

As shown in Companion app:

Under 60 Minutes

Alphabetical List:

  • 2×15 FTP Intervals
  • Aerobic Conditioning
  • Aerobic Power
  • Anaerobic Depletion
  • Depleting Workout
  • FTP Gains
  • FTP Short Blogs
  • Grin and Bear It
  • Intensive Aerobic
  • Jon’s Mix
  • Low Cadence Intervals
  • Primed FTP
  • Pyramids
  • SST (Short)
  • Step By Step
  • Strength Endurance/Threshold Combo
  • The Gorby
  • The McCarthy Special
  • The Volcano
  • The Wringer
  • Threshold Development
  • VO2 Capacity

As shown in Companion app:

Over 60 Minutes

Alphabetical List:

  • 2×20 FTP Intervals
  • Aerobic Threshold Development
  • Anaerobic Resilience
  • Capacity Reloaded
  • Endurance Stimulation
  • Endurance Strength Development
  • Extensive Anaerobic 1min
  • High Intensity Recovery
  • Mat Hayman Paris-Roubaix
  • Over Ones
  • SST (Med)
  • Strength Reloaded
  • VO2 Development

As shown in Companion app:

Ramp Tests

Creating a Group Workout Event for Your Club

Creating a workout event for your Club is easy and intuitive, much like creating a non-workout event. At a minimum it requires four easy steps:

  1. Tap “Group Workout” on the initial Create Event screen
  2. Tap the workout template you want to use
  3. Fill in the event details (everything is pre-filled except for date/time, but you’ll probably want to customize the title and event description, among other things)
  4. Tap “Publish Event”
Tap “Group Workout”
Select your desired workout template
Choose your date/time and further customize the event
Additional settings

In practice, creating an engaging and high-quality group workout event will require a bit more work:

  1. Tap “Group Workout” on the initial Create Event screen
  2. Tap the workout template you want to use
  3. Fill in the event details (everything is pre-filled except for date/time, but you’ll probably want to customize the title and event description as well)
    • Tap “Change Route” to change which route the event uses. Each workout template is attached to a particular route by default.
    • Select a ride leader if desired
    • Tap “Change settings” at the bottom and turn off Late Join (see below for more on this). You may also want to make the event visible to anyone with the event link.
  4. Tap “Publish Event”
  5. Notify your Club members of the new event, by whatever means you’d like

Note: rubber-banding (“keep together mode”) is enabled for all Club Workout events at this time, and cannot be disabled.

Next Steps

The Clubs workout library has expanded nicely beyond its initial launch, but there are several ways workouts for Clubs could still be improved. Here are my ideas:

  • Disable Late Join by Default: Late Join is currently enabled for Club Workouts by default. But late joining a workout is probably not an ideal experience, as it places you in the middle of the workout, wherever everyone else is at! (An especially terrible idea for a Ramp Test.) My recommendation: disable it by default, but let event organizers enable it for those odd workouts where it may make sense.
  • Toggle keep-together mode: keep together mode is enabled for all Club Workouts by default, and cannot be disabled. It’s possible, though, that Club owners may want to host workouts where riders aren’t rubber-banded together. Give them that option.
  • More workouts: give Club owners more options for workouts to host from the on-demand library. Of course, if Zwift is going to make its full workout library available then a search/filtering interface will need to be developed to help Club owners comb through the hundreds of available workouts.
  • Custom workouts: this will be a common request, especially from Clubs centered around a coach who puts together team workouts. But implementing this feature will be a more involved project than just adding additional on-demand workouts, due to the way Zwift stores custom workouts on a per-individual basis.
  • Group metrics: this idea is more of a stretch than the others, but how cool would it be if we could see metrics (real-time or after the event) showing how many group riders finished each interval, who had the highest wattage or w/kg, how many riders started vs finished, which interval riders failed the most, how many riders adjusted their FTP bias mid-event, total group calories burned, etc. (This would be interesting for all group workouts, not just Club events.)

Questions or Comments?

Post below!

All About the 2023 Rapha Festive 500 on Zwift

Eric Schlange
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35
All About the 2023 Rapha Festive 500 on Zwift

All About the 2023 Rapha Festive 500 on Zwift

Rapha’s Festive 500 began in 2010 as a simple challenge: brave the winter elements and ride 500 kilometers between December 24-31. Since then, riders have covered over 290 million Festive kilometers, including many virtual kilometers after Covid lockdowns opened the Festive 500 challenge to virtual rides.

This year, as in years past, Zwift is working with Rapha to host events and give unlocks to finishers. Here are all the details!

The Challenge

Your task is to ride 500 kilometers (310.7 miles) in eight days, from December 24-31, 2023. Outdoor bike and handcycle rides count toward the total, and so do virtual rides, as long as you upload them to Strava.

This is all tracked through Strava, so you’ll need to sign up for the Strava Challenge and upload your rides to Strava if you want to be considered an official finisher.

RoboPacer-Led Festive 500 Events

Any miles you do on Zwift count toward the Festive 500 challenge, but Zwift is spinning up RoboPacer-led events to encourage riders to go the distance. Events are scheduled every two hours, and each event includes five category options, each led by a pace partner:

  • A: 3.2 w/kg Pace Partner
  • B: 2.6 w/kg Pace Partner
  • C: 2.2 w/kg Pace Partner
  • D: 1.8 w/kg Pace Partner
  • E 2.2 w/kg Pace Partner (Women Only)

Events will be held on one lap of the following routes on the following dates:

See all of Zwift’s Festive 500 Group Rides at zwift.com/events/tag/f500

Kit Unlock

Complete any of the official Zwift Festive 500 rides above and unlock the Rapha Festive 500 2023 kit, which mirrors the IRL kit available from Rapha:

Prize Drawing

Details of the Strava challenge say those who finish will earn the following:

  • Entry into the prize draw to win a brand new Cannondale road bike (pictured below, specs not provided) and a US$1,000 Rapha voucher
  • A digital roundel for your Strava Trophy Case
  • A 20% off code to spend at Rapha
  • The chance to win more prizes in the Rapha Spirit of the Festive 500 awards

More Events from the Community

Community teams always create special events (group rides and even races) to help riders hit the Festive 500km goal. In fact, at least one crazy group has done the entire 500km in one event!

Check out the ride calendar in Zwift Companion to find more fun Festive 500 rides.

Questions or Comments?

Are you up for the challenge? I know I’m in, just like last year. Share below!

Zwift Grand Prix: Round 5 Women’s Team Time Trial

Zach Nehr
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0
Zwift Grand Prix: Round 5 Women’s Team Time Trial

Zwift Grand Prix: Round 5 Women’s Team Time Trial

Round 5 of the 2023/2024 Zwift Grand Prix featured one of the longest team time trials (TTTs) in Zwift GP history, with 36.3km on Triple Flat Loops in Watopia. This was the final time that the 2023/2024 Zwift Grand Prix featured the same race as the Zwift Racing League – those of you reading this have your chance to take on the Triple Flat Loops TTT on Tuesday, December 19th. 

Watch the Livestream

In the TTT, a team’s time is taken on the rear wheel of the 3rd rider across the line, and big points on offer for the win. Triple Flat Loops isn’t as pan-flat as it sounds, and teams would have to contend with the undulations while staying in TTT formation. 

As the Zwift Grand Prix Series leaders, Coalition Alpha was the last team to start, and it wasn’t long before they got into the ideal TTT formation. 

Zwift’s broadcast had live timings on the screen, plus the speed, leader, and gap between one team and another. It was fascinating to watch the gaps unfold in real time, and soon there were a few teams who were about to get caught. Wahoo Le Col had a strong start to the TTT, and they were right on the heels of two other teams near the halfway point of the race. 

Aeonian held a narrow lead over Coalition Alpha with 18km to go, and Wahoo Le Col wasn’t far behind. A few kilometers later, Coalition Alpha moved into the lead…and a few kilometers later, Aeonian took the lead back. Then, Wahoo Le Col moved into the mix, less than a second off of the lead. 

As the kilometers ticked down, the first few teams arrived at the finish, and it was ABUS – Synergy who took an early lead ahead of Beastmode p/b Rose and NeXT eSports pb Enshored. However, the fastest teams were still out on the road, and there were less than two seconds between Aeonian and Wahoo Le Col in the fight for the victory. 

Wahoo Le Col was down to three riders in the closing kilometers, flying towards the finish with Z. Langham, E. Gallegos, and J. Patterson. The trio crossed the line shoulder to shoulder and set the new fastest time of 49:42. 

Aeonian was next on course, and they were absolutely flying. With one final push, Aeonian crossed the line with a time of 49:36 to beat Wahoo Le Col by only six seconds. 

Instead of dropping riders with a few kilometers to go, Coalition Alpha opted to keep all five riders together, and they came flying into the finish looking to challenge for the podium. With the series lead on the line, Coalition Alpha crossed the line with a time of 49:54, beating 4th place Virginia Blue Ridge TWENTY24 by nearly a minute. 

When the dust finally settled, Aeonian solidified their name at the top of the leaderboard ahead of Wahoo Le Col in second, and Coalition Alpha in third. It looked like there was going to be a big shakeup in the Zwift Grand Prix Series standings as Hexagone finished down in 8th place, more than two minutes slower than Aeonian. 

After two round wins in a row, Coalition Alpha lost a chunk of their lead to Aeonian in the Zwift Grand Prix Series standings. Hexagone maintained third overall, while Wahoo Le Col climbed one step closer to the podium by moving up to 4th. With only two rounds remaining, Coalition Alpha continues to lead the Zwift Grand Prix with a nine-point gap on Aeonian. 

Coming Up Next

The 2023/2024 Zwift Grand Prix goes on holiday for a few weeks, returning on January 11th, 2024. Round 6 of the Zwift Grand Prix will see both the men’s and women’s pelotons taking on the longest race in Grand Prix history: 69.7km on the PRL Half in London, featuring four ascents of Box Hill. 

This Epic Points Race features a time cutoff, just like Round 2 of the 2023/2024 Zwift Grand Prix on Alpe du Zwift. There are also four intermediate sprints and points on offer for every rider who finishes within the time cutoff.

Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of December 16-17

Eric Schlange
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2
Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of December 16-17

As we head into winter we’re seeing bigger signup numbers for events, and this weekend is no exception. Lots of folks already signed up to finish their Zwift Academy requirements, plus lots of riders committed to the RAD RACE and BMTR Flat 100 (Miles) rides. See our picks for the weekend below!


📊 🥇 Zwift Academy Wrapup

✅ Popular Event 　✅ Cool Unlocks 　 ✅ Highly Competitive

Zwift Academy Road 2023 ends Sunday, December 17! If you’ve still got a workout or race to finish, you’ve only got a few days left to do so. (Don’t worry, you’re not alone: lots of folks are already signed up for races or group workouts this weekend!)

Multiple time slots Saturday and Sunday
See upcoming ZA Races
See upcoming ZA Group Workout #6 Events


🤝 RAD RACE x PLATTFUß PODCAST // GRAN FONDO

✅ Popular Event 　✅ Endurance Challenge 　✅ Achievement Badge 　✅ Jersey Unlock

With way more signups than any other event this weekend, RAD RACE must be doing something right! This is a 25-lap ride of the Volcano Circuit, so you can grab those Volcano badges with the help of a group draft while going just over 100km. Pace will be 2.2-2.5w/kg, and the event will be livestreamed on the PLATTFUß PODCAST.

Sunday, December 17th @ 9am UTC
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/4000892


🤝 Bike MS Zwift Community Challenge

Four cyclists ride closely together on a blue background. On the left, the text reads bike MS with MS crossed out, symbolizing support for multiple sclerosis awareness and fundraising events.

✅ Worthy Cause 　✅ Jersey Unlock

Bike MS is holding its monthly Global Rides this Sunday. Two events are being scheduled, the first on Ocean Lava Cliffside Loop and the second on Watopia’s Waistband. Each event includes 40km and 60km options, and finishing either event will unlock both Bike MS kits! That’s right… a double jersey unlock!

Come learn about multiple sclerosis and hear stories from MS warriors. Rumor is there will be random trivia at the earlier ride with a prize for those in the US!

Sunday, December 17th @ 12:15pm UTC/7:15am EST/4:15am PST
and 3:15pm UTC/10:15am EST/7:15am PST
Sign up at zwift.com/events/tag/bikems


🤝 Team Velos – Route Bagger Challenge

Velos logo on a blue gradient background with four cyclists in blue and green uniforms riding in formation.

✅ Beginner Friendly 　✅ Jersey Unlock

Once a month, Team Velos gathers to take on one of Zwift’s harder routes in a “Route Bagger Challenge.” Ride leaders hold a steady pace of 1.9-2.1w/kg, and participants get to enjoy friendly banter and helpful wheels!

This month the group is taking on the Shorelines and Summits course which goes over the Epic KOM, including the Radio Tower climb.

Saturday, December 16th @ 3pm UTC/10am EST/7am PST
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/3948885


🤝 BMTR Flat 100 (Miles)

Top-down view of three cyclists in matching black BMTR jerseys riding on a road, with the BMTR logo featuring a bear on the left side of the image.

✅ Popular Event 　✅ Legacy Leaders

One of our most commonly-featured events, for good reason. The BMTR Flat 100 consistently gets big turnouts because it offers four different pace groups on flatter, distance-friendly routes. Be sure to read the event description for details!

Saturday, December 16th @ 1:10pm UTC/8:10am EST/5:10am PST
Sign up at zwift.com/events/view/4007049

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!

Your Thoughts

Got other events that stand out this weekend? Share below in the comments!

Review: Pain Cave Indoor Cycling Kit from Verge Sport

Eric Schlange
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24
Review: Pain Cave Indoor Cycling Kit from Verge Sport

Review: Pain Cave Indoor Cycling Kit from Verge Sport

In late August 2023, former Zwift events exec Charlie Issendorf contacted me from his new position as VP of Sales & Marketing at Verge Sport. He told me his first priority was to get an indoor kit developed for Verge, and in the course of our conversation I offered to work with them to make it happen.

I saw it as a win-win. I’ve tested nearly every indoor kit on the market, and could offer valuable guidance to Verge. In return, if everything went well, I would end up with the ultimate indoor kit for use across many hours of Zwifting!

Developing the Ultimate Indoor Kit

A few days later I was on a Zoom call with Charlie and the founders of Verge: Michael Magur and his wife Karolina. Together we talked through what I felt was crucial in an indoor kit: breathability, durability, style, maximal cooling. Then Verge’s team went to work, and in early October I was wearing the first prototype on a Zwift ride.

After riding the prototype for a few Zwift sessions I sent feedback to Charlie and his team. This process repeated itself, and each time a new package arrived from Verge the kit felt a bit more dialed in and one step closer to prime time.

I don’t even remember all the feedback I gave, but here are just a few items from my message history with Charlie:

  • “Issue I noticed yesterday. Only my second time wearing the demo bibs, but some of the holes are already enlarging/tearing.” Verge’s team found a better fabric that has held up to riding rigors quite nicely.
  • “Jersey sleeves could be shorter, for indoor (we don’t need sun protection).” Subsequent jerseys had shorter sleeves.
  • “I like the mesh back pockets, that is sensible.”
  • “The chest panel material is breathable and light, but not as breathable and light as other indoor jerseys I have.” We switched to a lighter mesh.
  • “I like the new short design with the mesh ending a bit sooner up on the hip. Feels like a good balance.”
  • “Is there any way to clean up the seams on the shoulders of the jersey, so they don’t show some of the white? Just looks a bit rough.” Prototyping issue. Seams are now nice and clean!
  • “Wondering if there’s a way to adjust the jersey fit somewhat–it just feels too long in the front.” Front shortened so it doesn’t bunch up when bent over in a typical riding positioning.

Overall I found the process to be fun and easy. Verge was super responsive, and their textile experts (headed up by Karolina) certainly know what they’re doing!

In late November, Verge announced their new Pain Cave line, using the Zwift Insider kit on the model. So fun!

And here we are. Having spent upwards of 75 hours riding on Zwift in various iterations of Verge’s Pain Cave kit, today I want to share my review of the final Pain Cave bib shorts and jersey, and invite you to order a Zwift Insider kit or custom team kit of your own!

Review: Pain Cave Bib Shorts from Verge Sport

Priced at $140USD, Verge’s new Pain Cave bibs are the product of many conversations, iterations, and test rides as Verge worked with me to develop their indoor line. I’m very happy with the result.

These bib shorts are purpose-built with breathability in mind, so it’s no surprise that when you turn your fan on, you feel it! The long side panels use the same material as the jersey sleeves – a super light mesh that picks up your sweat so it can quickly evaporate. (Note: this mesh is semi-opaque (see pics above) – you probably wouldn’t want to wear the shorts outside in a group ride.)

Everything here is as breathable as possible. The bib straps include perforations for increased air flow and their material doesn’t cover a large portion of your stomach. The wide leg grippers are also a lightweight mesh, and even the chamois pad is thinner than normal to encourage breathability.

One downside to lightweight indoor kits is that lighter mesh fabrics are more prone to damage/tearing/premature wear than “normal” kits. That said, after years of using indoor kits I’ve found I can avoid premature damage by being a bit more careful when pulling them on (especially if my legs are sticky with PR Lotion) and making sure I don’t launder them with gloves that have spiky velcro.

The Pain Cave bibs use lighter fabrics, but they are shored up with quality stitching that has held its own through these first few months of heavy use.

One of Verge’s cool distinctive is there ability to create custom kit with varying chamois thickness. I’ve always preferred thinner chamois, especially indoors where sweat is an issue and rough roads are not! So we went with Verge’s thinnest chamois, which I think feels perfect. Just enough padding for comfort, without any extra to soak up sweat or create increased perineal pressure.

I ordered the medium bibs based on Verge’s sizing (40″ chest, 33″ waist, 35″ hips, 32.5″ inseam), and the leg length feels just right. Technically the Pain Cave shorts use Verge’s men’s “long” pattern, but these days long is the style most male riders prefer. I don’t like my shorts to be super long, but I also like them longer than what we all wore 20 years ago! See pics above for reference.

These shorts don’t have a lot of “bling” features like fancy logos or custom grippers, but they’re very well made. Quality stitching, no loose threads, and every panel selected to meet the goal of creating the ultimate indoor bib short.

Review: Pain Cave Jersey from Verge Sport

Priced at $125USD, Verge’s new Pain Cave jersey is the lightest jersey I’ve ever owned! Developed like the bib shorts over multiple conversations, iterations, and test rides, I’ve found no better jersey when looking for something that keeps me as cool/dry as possible while still looking great.

I ordered the medium jersey based on the numbers I put into Verge’s size finder (40″ chest, 33″ waist, 35″ hips, 32.5″ inseam). Sizing is an excellent “race fit,” which I prefer when riding indoors and out since tighter fabric is more aero, doesn’t flap, and stays on the skin to wick sweat so it can be evaporated.

This jersey is made for indoor comfort: the small collar with large neck opening is roomy, the sleeves are a bit shorter than typical “pro” jerseys, and the shorter front section doesn’t bunch up when you’re in the typical riding posture.

This is the most breathable jersey I’ve worn yet. My previous gold standard was Castelli’s Insider jersey, but Verge’s Pain Cave is even lighter, with slightly shorter sleeves and a roomier neck opening. The back pockets use the same super light mesh as the sleeves, giving you a place to put stuff without adding a sweaty layer of cloth.

Like I’ve already said, lightweight mesh and durability don’t go together well. That said, this is a well-made jersey, and it has held up just fine to the past few months of repeated wearings and washings. Just don’t wash it with stuff that could snag the jersey’s mesh!

Just like the shorts, the Pain Cave jersey doesn’t include many fancy touches. But it doesn’t need to! My goal in working with Verge was to develop the ultimate indoor jersey, and to have it be affordable as well. This is a purpose-built, well-made piece of kit with quality stitching and thoughtful design.

Custom Team Kits

One thing that sets Verge Sport apart is that they don’t require you to do the typical “ordering window” thing. Most kit manufacturers will have you open your custom team store (hosted on their site) until a particular date. Then the store closes, and only then does the manufacturer begin creating the custom kits.

The system works, but it’s rather restrictive. And it typically takes 6-10 weeks from the day your store opens to the day you receive your kit.

With Verge Sport, your store is open year-round, and there are no minimum orders. Once you’ve opened your store, your team members can visit and place orders whenever they’d like. Orders typically arrive within 3-4 weeks.

Visit the Verge Sport Pain Cave page to learn about ordering your team’s custom kit from Verge. As a small bonus, Verge Sport includes a free headband and towel, in your team design, with every Pain Cave kit order (jersey and bib short).

Order Zwift Insider Kit

Want to own the ultimate indoor kit? I may be a bit biased, but I think Verge Sport’s Pain Cave kit is hard to beat. The Zwift Insider store is now open for orders worldwide, and includes Verge Sport’s Strike jersey and bib shorts if you’re looking for a regular kit that works great outdoors as well.

Shop Now >

As a bonus, if you order a Pain Cave kit (jersey and bib shorts) you’ll get a free matching turbo headband and turbo towel.

Questions or Comments?

Post below!

Tiny Race Series – December 16 Routes and Last Week’s Results

Eric Schlange
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0
Tiny Race Series – December 16 Routes and Last Week’s Results

Tiny Race Series – December 16 Routes and Last Week’s Results

See zwiftinsider.com/tiny for current Tiny Race details.

Zwift Racing League 2023/24 Round 2 Week 6 Guide: Triple Flat Loops (TTT)

Eric Schlange
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6
Zwift Racing League 2023/24 Round 2 Week 6 Guide: Triple Flat Loops (TTT)

The sixth and final race of Zwift Racing League 2023/24 Round 2 happens Tuesday, December 19, and we’re in Watopia for a flat team time trial that’s a bit longer than we’re used to. Pace yourselves!

Let’s dig into crucial route sections, bike choice, and more.

Looking at the Route: Triple Flat Loops

We’ve never raced Triple Flat Loops as a TTT in ZRL, but the roads here will be familiar to experienced Zwifters. As the name implies, this former Rebel Route is a fairly flat course, with just a few rollers/punches that may require special attention.

The route totals 36.3km and 162 meters of climbing including the lead-in, and all categories will race the same distance.

Flat sections are typically easy for TTT teams who have pre-planned their pacing and rotation. But it’s your team’s execution of slower sections (climbs and dirt) that can really affect your overall result. Part of a winning strategy involves knowing when to increase your power to keep speeds high, and when to ease up and grab some recovery.

Here are the key sections of this course where you’ll want to have a plan of attack:

  • 9.8km: Col du Saddle Springs (900m): the first real rise on this course, you must hit it hard to keep your speed up and avoid losing seconds. Recovery awaits on the other side!
  • 16.4km: rise from Downtown + the Esses (2km): power up on the rise, then keep your eyes open and your power modulating on The Esses to keep your team together.
  • 21.5km: Volcano Bumps (400m): attack this short double-bump to keep speeds high!
  • 23.9: the Esses again (1.4km): once again, keep your eyes open and your power modulating to keep your team together.
  • 26.3km: rise up from Italian Villas (400m): keep those watts high to keep those speeds high. You’ve got a bit of recovery just around the corner!
  • 28.8km: dirty Marina (700m): the Marina dirt sections will slow you down. Treat it like a climb and bump up your power to keep speeds high.
  • 32.3km: Rise to Fuego Flats (1km): hammer your way up the false flat. You’re almost there!
  • 35.8km: 500m Sprint Marker: now it’s time to go all-in. Empty the tank.
  • 36.3km: done!

Read more about the Triple Flat Loops route >

Bike Frame + Wheel Choice

This week, bike choice is easy: grab your most aero TT setup! The CADEX Tri is the fastest frame in game, and the DT Swiss disc wheels are the fastest wheels. If you don’t have access to that setup (level 40+) then see this post to determine the fastest TT setup available at your level.

CADEX Tri
Canyon Speedmax Disc

Whatever you do, do not use a road frame. Even a “slow” TT frame is faster than a road frame, so now that we’re able to use TT frames and get a draft in TTT events, you’ll want to take advantage of that!

More Route Recons

Many recon rides are held each week on the upcoming ZRL route. If you’re unfamiliar with this course, jump into an event and do some recon.

Si Bradeley

Zwift Grand Prix

Preview the race by watching the world’s top women take it on!

TTTips

Team Time Trialing on Zwift is a challenging mixture of teamwork, physical strength, proper pacing, and Zwift minutiae like picking a fast bike and understanding drafting.

Like the first TTT of this round, this week’s course will give valuable seconds to teams who can keep their speeds high over the rollers and rises that pepper the course. Staying in formation while surging your power for these rises is a challenge, especially if riders use various Trainer Difficulty settings. For a flat course like this, we recommend your team uses a high trainer difficulty (75-100%) so you feel the inclines and can automatically boost power accordingly.

Your goal in this week’s TTT is to get four riders across the line in the shortest time possible. That means every team’s pace plan will be different, based on the abilities of each rider. We highly recommend having an experienced DS on Discord directing your team, especially if your team contains some inexperienced TTT riders.

If you really want to go down the TTT rabbit hole, check out Paul Fitzpatrick’s zwift-ds.com site and particularly the Excel Power Planner sheet.

Your Thoughts

Any insights or further thoughts on this race? Share below!

Virtual Velo Podcast, Episode 35: Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, Cycling Esports’ First World Champion and Role Model

Eric Schlange
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0
Virtual Velo Podcast, Episode 35: Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, Cycling Esports’ First World Champion and Role Model

Virtual Velo Podcast, Episode 35: Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, Cycling Esports’ First World Champion and Role Model

In episode 35 of the Virtual Velo Podcast, Chris and Si chat with Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio. She took time away from training camp with her UCI Women’s Continental AG INSURANCE – SOUDAL TEAM (AGS – BEL) to share what being the first UCI Cycling Esports World Champion on Zwift still and always will mean to her.

Ashleigh is a purpose-driven athlete with goals and objectives that transcend cycling despite having a palmares longer than your arm. She embraces her role model status as a pioneer in the space to empower female cyclists and forge a connection between the community and elite racers in the virtual and real world through the Rocacorba Collective. 

She shares her perspective on the turning point for women’s cycling following her victory in the queen stage of the Virtual Tour de France, the momentous cycling esports moment that paved the way for parity in real-world road racing, and her unfinished business at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

Plus Cycling Shorts, a complete rundown of cycling esports headlines, insider information, investigative reporting, and industry trends. Another way that the Virtual Velo Network is your Central Source For Cycling Esports!

Follow the Virtual Velo Podcast on Spotify, Apple, Google, Amazon, Stitcher, Castbox, RadioPublic, or Podbean.

Sprint-Coast/Microbursting Speed Tests: are Zwifters cheating by pedaling in spurts?

Eric Schlange
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174
Sprint-Coast/Microbursting Speed Tests: are Zwifters cheating by pedaling in spurts?

Sprint-Coast/Microbursting Speed Tests: are Zwifters cheating by pedaling in spurts?

There’s been a lot of talk in the Zwift Racing community recently regarding “microbursting”, aka “sprint-coasting.” Today I want to share some test results and open up a conversation about whether this riding style is cheating… or just odd. Let’s get to it!

What Is Microbursting?

There is no precise accepted definition for microbursting, but it can be described in very basic terms as short, repeated intervals modulating between sprinting (high power) and coasting (low or no power).

WTRL recently added a microbursting prohibition to the Zwift Racing League rulebook. Section 7.1.3 says:

The following is a list of behaviours that may result in investigation and penalty:

  • …
  • Utilizing techniques that exploit a networked game such as ‘Sprint-coast.’

WTRL further defined what they consider to be “illegal” sprint coasting in this Facebook post:

To provide clarity, the Sprint Coast technique is characterized as follows:

  • Cadence rises to >100rpm and power >500W for 2-4 seconds.
  • Cadence falls to <40rpm and power <100W for 2-4 seconds.
  • This pattern repeats at a rate of more than 4 times per minute and is sustained for multiple minutes.

Microburst Testing

Microbursting isn’t an easy thing to test. If you do it “manually” (with your legs) it’s hard to have the precision needed to prove whether or not the technique gives you an advantage. And if you automate it with a bot, there are only certain power/interval combinations you can accurately replicate due to the tools available.

There’s been some confusion in the comments on this post, so I’m adding a note to explain that my goal here wasn’t to test sticky watts, which clearly give riders an unfair advantage. Although associated with microbursting, sticky watts are not the same as microbursting. Because, while sticky watts are usually triggered via microbursts, plenty of trainers/power meters let you do microbursts without sticky watts!

My goal here is to test if microbursts themselves exploit Zwift physics and provide some sort of unrealistic speed advantage.

After attempting to test it with my legs, my conclusions were that 1) there didn’t seem to be any obvious advantage, but also 2) I couldn’t get the accuracy needed to prove this. So I devised several automated tests.

The basic idea of these tests is to compare a steady-state rider’s performance with microbursts that average out to the steady-state rider’s power. For example: if a rider holds 300W steady, will they go as fast as a rider who is alternating evenly between 150W and 450W? Both riders finish with the same average power, but their efforts look very different.

Here are the results of my tests…

Flat Solo Rider Tests

The first set of tests used a solo rider (our standard 75kg, 183cm tall bot on the Zwift Carbon bike with 32mm carbon wheels). I tested the rider on the Fuego Flats Reverse segment at steady 300W power, then at various microburst intervals. Here are the results:

  • 300W Steady: 10:36.23
  • 600W to 0W in 1-second intervals: 10:31.52
  • 500W to 100W in 3-second intervals: 10:31.46
  • 600W to 0W in 4-second intervals: 10:32.66
  • 550W to 50W in 2-second intervals: 10:31.01
  • 350W to 250W in 10-second intervals: 10:33.87*

Zwift’s Pack Dynamics v4 includes a CdA bonus for riders who are “attacking.” Specifically, if you are not drafting and your power is 20% higher than your last 10-second average power you get a 5% CdA reduction. This particular test was set up to attempt to exploit this feature.

Just to prove a couple of these times, and to show what it looked like, here are the bots finishing two of the tests:

300W Steady

500W to 100W

These test results are interesting: clearly there is a slight speed advantage to microbursting, as all of the microbursting schemes beat the steady bot by 4-5 seconds. But is 4-5 seconds a big enough improvement, considering you’d be riding short intervals for 10 minutes to get it?

Climbing Solo Rider Tests

Many stories I’ve heard about microbursting in races seem to involve climbs. To put it another way: riders seem to utilize this technique on uphills more than flats or descents.

So I figured I should test it on a climb. How about the Alpe? I put the bots to work. Here are the results:

  • 300W Steady: 49:30
  • 400W to 200W in 4-second intervals: 49:30
  • 500W to 100W in 4-second intervals: 49:39

As you can see, the best I could do was to get the microbursting bots to finish at the same speed as the steady-state bot.

RoboPacer Tests

My last set of tests involved riding in a pack with a RoboPacer. This test was done to observe how a microbursting rider would perform in a pack drafting off of others.

I placed a bot in the Yumi RoboPacer group. Yumi holds 240W on the flats, and if my bot was at 240W steady he sat in the group quite nicely. I tried various microbursting intervals that averaged out to 240W, including the 380W to 100W interval you see here:

None of the intervals saw my bot break away from the group, or even go to the front of the group – in fact, he struggled to even stay with the group and after a minute or two would inevitably get dropped.

Summarizing Test Results

The tests above clearly show that microbursting results in higher speeds than steady-state power on flat ground. But is the speed increase enough to conclusively say microbursting gives riders an unfair advantage?

I say no.

Modulating your power in microbursts increases the perceived difficulty of a ride, at least for most riders. The physical and mental “cost” of microbursting seems to far outweigh any speed advantage it delivers.

A Sticky Watt Hypothesis

Based on the test results above, I have a hypothesis about microbursting in Zwift racing: microbursting by itself does not give riders an unfair advantage. The unfair advantage comes when riders combine microbursts with sticky watts.

What are sticky watts? Read all about them here, but simply put, sticky watts are “free” watts riders get when they stop pedaling for short intervals using certain power meters. As shown in the chart below (click for details), if you combine a sticky power meter with sprint-coasting you can increase the average power Zwift sees by 20% above the “actual” power you’re putting out.

Someone with a lot of practice may be able to exploit sticky watts + microbursting even better than I did in the short test above. In fact, I believe there are Zwift racers doing precisely that.

Overall (Tentative) Conclusions

I’ll wrap up with four clear points:

  1. Sprint-coasting is not a “natural” pedaling technique, but that by itself shouldn’t make it “illegal.” Unless it can be shown to deliver an unfair advantage, it shouldn’t be outlawed.
  2. In all my testing (and there is much more than what I’ve summarized above) I have yet to find a method of microbursting that gives a significant advantage on Zwift.
  3. I’ve heard enough stories of racers using microbursting to win races they shouldn’t have won that I must conclude there is a method of microbursting that gives a significant advantage. I believe that method combines microbursts with sticky watts.
  4. I consider my conclusions above to be purely “provisional.” I realize my test methods and scope aren’t perfect, and there may be methods of microbursting (without sticky watts) that deliver a greater advantage than my test results show. If so, I would love to see hard evidence of such methods.

Your Thoughts

Do you agree with my conclusions? Got evidence to support or refute my provisional results? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Chime in below!

What’s Coming Next? Read “This Season On Zwift” Winter 2023/24 Press Release

Eric Schlange
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72
What’s Coming Next? Read “This Season On Zwift” Winter 2023/24 Press Release

What’s Coming Next? Read “This Season On Zwift” Winter 2023/24 Press Release

Zwift just sent a press release announcing key new features and content (events) for the next few months. Read that full press release below, apart from a few portions we removed that discussed features or events already announced:

New Features

Companion App Update: Ride and Route Queuing

Coming in January

With this new update to the Zwift Companion app, it’s never been easier to plan your Zwift rides and workouts. Once live, this update will let Zwifters browse workouts and routes in the companion app and select the ones you want to do. Then, selections will be queued up on the Zwift home screen—no more searching through content options when it’s time to ride!

Avatars Get a New Look!

Coming in February!

Zwift avatars’ faces will be getting a whole new appearance in February. Our avatars haven’t been refreshed in a long time, and this change will give avatars a fresh new look.

Choose Any Avatar

Coming this Winter!

With Avatar Choice, you’ll be able to choose between all of Zwift’s available avatar types. Zwifters will no longer only see the avatars that correlate to the gender selected in your profile. Instead, cyclists can choose any avatar.

While we’re excited to let Zwifters choose any avatar they’d like, event categories will still match the gender of the rider’s profile for social events and racing, no matter which avatar is selected. Male profiles will only be able to enter male and open events. Female profiles will be able to enter female and open events, even if a woman chooses a male-presenting avatar.

Apple Watch Becomes a Heart Rate Monitor

Coming this Winter

The best heart rate monitor is the one you’re already wearing, so we’re adding Apple Watch heart rate compatibility to Zwift, making life easier for any Zwifter who already owns an Apple Watch. Pair Watch in the Zwift Companion app, as with any other heart rate monitor, and track your heart rate on-screen as you ride and run.

Events

Zwift Games

Join the Games from February to March

Zwift is transforming cycling esports with the Zwift Games. This new event will be the largest event of its kind and is designed to give any member of the community a chance to enjoy fun and challenging racing. Elite racers can qualify to compete in championships events!

Community Racing: The Zwift Games will be Zwift’s biggest-ever community racing tour, featuring three Sprint stages, an Epic stage for endurance riders, and a Climb stage for the mountain goats. Zwifters can challenge themselves by completing all five races as a stage race, or pick and choose their preferred stages throughout the month of March.

With a number of specially designed new routes and some awesome Zwift Games unlocks available, there’s truly something for everyone.

Events will be available at multiple times every day throughout March, for all categories.

Elite Racing: During the first three weekends in March, the world’s best male and female Zwifters will take on the same courses as the community in a bid to be crowned the Zwift Games Elite Sprint, Epic, and Climb champions. The best performing female and male athlete across all three events will also earn the ultimate accolade of becoming the inaugural Zwift Games All Round Champion. The eight champions will earn a share of Zwift’s biggest ever prize purse and each unlock one of Zwift’s most recognisable icons, resplendent in gold.

All championship racers will be subject to pre- and post-race performance verification and all races will be broadcast all around the world.

Information on how any top level Zwifter can qualify for the elite championships will be shared by the 15th of December.

Rapha Festive 500

December

Join the annual Festive 500 challenge and complete 500 kilometers between Christmas and New Year’s! Both Zwift and outdoor rides count toward your total, so tick off the kilometers and earn an event badge and Festive 500 kit!

Fitness Jumpstart with Coach Kristin

January – February

Three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Kristin Armstrong is busy. She’s a successful coach, entrepreneur, and a mom who needs to be efficient when working out. Her new training series is approachable, efficient, effective, and fun—perfect for any busy cyclist and a great way to start the new year with a commitment to your fitness.

Starting in January, the eight-week Fitness Jumpstart with Coach Kristin invites all Zwifters to start the New Year right. Program workouts are available on-demand and live to fit any schedule. Kristen will lead select sessions. Each week of the program is designed around helping riders learn about a specific aspect of training.

Plus, you can stay motivated, make friends, and ask questions in the Zwift Women’s Training Club group chat on the Zwift Companion App.

Tour de Zwift and Rebel Routes

Start the tour in January

Ride routes that are inaccessible most of the year during one of the year’s largest Zwift events, the Tour de Zwift, and earn route badges that are not otherwise available!

This year, Zwifters who complete stages or the whole tour will also unlock a new in-game kit—including Zwift’s first-ever bucket hat! Zwifters can also buy a matching real-world kit from Le Col!

l’Etape du Tour

Start Training in February

Every year, L’Etape du Tour de France hosts and organizes the biggest amateur Gran Fondo in the world on one stage of the Tour de France. As an official partner of L’Etape du Tour de France this year, Zwift is bringing all the energy, enthusiasm, and excitement of the world’s hardest amateur race into Zwift.

Starting in February, there will be monthly two-stage Fondos over weekends in February, March, April, and July. Zwift will also introduce an eight-week training program for the L’Etape du Tour and add some of the famous climbs from the route to Zwift’s Climb Portal. These climbs are a great way to prepare for this challenging one-day cycling event or just get ready for a summer of tackling the most challenging climbs in your local area.

New March Event

Join in March!

In March, Zwift will reveal an all-new event and introduce a new way to earn rewards! Look for more information in February, and get ready to take a spin to earn Zwift rewards in a whole new way.

Your Thoughts

What do you think of Zwift’s plans for the winter? Share below!

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