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Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of March 19-20

Tim Perkin
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4
Notable Zwift Events for the Weekend of March 19-20

The weekend’s theme is centred around “climbing” as there are several big events with that focus. It’s almost like Zwift planned it! (I know I did, as one of the events I am highlighting is the launch of my new “Mountain Massif” race, but more on that in a moment…)


ToW Stage 3: The Queen

The Tour of Watopia has been excellent so far, made special by the new routes to ride and badges to collect.  Like many, I have treated these as an opportunity to undertake some nice group rides and until now, I haven’t been tempted to race any of the routes.  However, this weekend sees us head to the mountains, and I take the opportunity to push myself and race one of the routes.

The three routes on offer are Tour of Fire and Ice (28,1km), Road to Sky (17.6km) which is one of my favourite routes in Zwift, taking you straight up the Alpe, and Downtown Titans which is a Rebel Route that has now made its way onto Zwift after being created by Shawn McAfee and published by Zwift Insider in 2020.

Multiple dates/times
Sign up at zwift.com/tour-of-watopia


Mountain Massif – The Race

Would you believe that the “Mountain Massif” event I created solely for the purpose of a Zwift Insider article is now approaching its 1 year anniversary? In that time, the event has been well received and resulted in me expanding the concept so my “Mountain Massif” races now tackle all the major climbs in Zwift. 

Because of this, it felt like the right time to expand my offering still further. So on Saturday I am hosting my first non time trial weekly race and am inviting you all to attend. The event is still very much keeping to theme as the race takes place on the Climber’s Gambit course which has my favourite climb on Zwift, the Epic KOM reverse, which is featured in my “Monday’s Mountain Massif TT”.  Like my other events, there are no PowerUps and the race has a mass start with categories and is fully inclusive.  In this race, there is drafting, which is the only change in format to my other events.

Unlike the launch of my other events, where I have invited Pro riders along and done a big marketing campaign, I decided not to do that this time and just simply invite my fellow Zwifters, who I ride with and race with day in, day out, to enjoy the race with me.  Sometimes, less is more and on this occasion, it felt like this was appropriate.

There are two different time offerings to cater for the global audience and I look forward to seeing you on the start line.  

Saturday, March 19th @ 8:30am GMT/4:30am EDT and 3pm GMT/11am EDT/8am PDT


WRRS NGNM VenTop Challenge

I am very much keen to highlight the 2022 Women’s Ride and Run Series.  This is a “Women’s Only” event and looks like it will be a lot of fun, and I will certainly be recommending this to someone close to home as it looks like an excellent way to tackle the hardest and biggest climbs in Zwift – the Ven-Top and Alpe du Zwift.  As the event description states:

“March 19: Alpe du Zwift or Ven-Top Challenge — Flex your climbing skills as you hunt for badges alongside the global community. Rise to the challenge with an epic climb that takes you from feeling like a mountain goat to the G.O.A.T.”

Saturday, March 19th, multiple time slots
Sign up at zwift.com/womens-ride-and-run-series


Herd of Mountain Goats Climbing Race

This race is 24.6km in length and tackles the Bologna course.  Having raced this distance on the course, I can tell you that it is brutal. So if you want a tough, hard race, this is the one to try.  The reason why it is such a hard race is twofold.  Firstly, the flat section is fast, really fast, so you find yourself close to your limit.  Secondly, the climb is steep and leg-sapping.  It’s exhausting doing it one time, but to do it for the second time is seriously challenging.  Enjoy!

Sunday, March 20 @ 10am GMT/6am EDT
Sign up at https://www.zwift.com/events/view/2887794

Your Thoughts

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

Top 5 Zwift Videos: UCI Cycling eSports World Championships Special

Karissa Minn
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2
Top 5 Zwift Videos: UCI Cycling eSports World Championships Special

This special edition of Top 5 Zwift Videos is all about the 2022 UCI Cycling eSports World Championships. Take a look at how different athletes announced, prepared for, and raced the Worlds!

My Day Competing at a Cycling World Championships!

British rider Ed Laverack takes us through the day of a competitor in the 2022 UCI Cycling eSports World Championships.

Racing for British Cycling at the UCI eSports WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS!

Weeks before the event, Ed Laverack announced that he’d be representing Great Britain at the cycling eSports world championships. Wait for his reaction when he tries the kit on for the first time.

Preparing For UCI/Zwift World Championships

What goes into preparing for a cycling eSports world championship? Canadian Oliver Dowd gives us a look behind the scenes.

Preparing For UCI E-Sports World Championships pt. 2

As the race gets closer, Oliver Dowd shares more about his preparation for the UCI Cycling eSports World Championships.

UCI World Championships ZWIFT – Michał Kamiński FINISH

Polish rider Michał Kamiński makes his final push to the finish line at Worlds in this video by Paweł Kalita. Listen to those cheers from his supporters!

Got a Great Zwift Video?

Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!

How to Sign Up for ZwiftPower (and Why Every Zwifter Should Do It)

Eric Schlange
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16
How to Sign Up for ZwiftPower (and Why Every Zwifter Should Do It)

How to Sign Up for ZwiftPower (and Why Every Zwifter Should Do It)

ZwiftPower.com is a website originally created by the Zwift racing community to help race organizers set up custom race rules that could be applied after an event in order to produce final, fair race results. Racers quickly adopted the mentality that ZwiftPower is where you go for the final results of your Zwift race, because ZwiftPower’s ability to automatically remove out-of-category riders and other cheaters from post-race results meant its final race results were much more legit and fair compared to the results provided in game.

The site was later purchased by Zwift, who are now responsible for all site hosting and maintenance. And while Zwift now provides unfiltered race results at zwift.com, most racers consider ZwiftPower to still be the home of final results for all community-organized races, since organizers can modify the results at ZwiftPower to line up with event rules.

Everyone Should Sign Up

In my opinion, all cyclists on Zwift should sign up for ZwiftPower, even if you aren’t interested in racing. Here are four reasons why:

  1. The site has various handy free tools including a powerful event search, personal power curve, rider phenotype graphs, dual recording analysis tool, ability to download an archive of your Zwift activities, and more.
  2. It’s easy to sign up.
  3. Most Zwift race organizers use ZwiftPower to manage race results. That means if you aren’t signed up for ZwiftPower, you’re being removed from the final results of just about every race that happens on the platform!
  4. There’s no cost to sign up.

How to Sign Up for ZwiftPower

Signing up for ZwiftPower is easiest on a computer using your Internet browser, but it can be done from your phone as well. The entire process takes only 1-2 minutes and all you need to know is your Zwift account login details.

Step 1: Opt In to Share Zwift Account Data with ZwiftPower

Due to privacy regulations, you must consent to sharing your Zwift account and activity data with ZwiftPower since it’s technically a “separate” website/database from Zwift’s (even though Zwift owns it). Opting in is easy:

  1. Sign into zwift.com/settings/connections using your Zwift account email and password.
  2. Scroll down to ZwiftPower and click Opt-in. The logo will light up and “Opt-out” will appear below, signalling that you are now opted into ZwiftPower.
Not yet opted in
Ready to go!

Step 2: Create Your ZwiftPower Account

Now it’s time to create your ZwiftPower account. This is quick and easy, since it all happens using single sign-on with your Zwift account:

  1. Visit zwiftpower.com and click the big “Login with Zwift” button (clicking “Create an Account” below that will take you to the same link)
  2. Log into your Zwift account with the same credentials you used in step 1 above. You will be redirected back to ZwiftPower.
Click “Login with Zwift”
Log into your Zwift account

Step 3: Agree to ZwiftPower Terms & Conditions

There is one final step that’s easy to miss: you have to agree to ZwiftPower’s Terms and Conditions in order to finish registering your profile. Until you do so, you won’t be included in race results, and you will see this message at the top of your ZwiftPower pages:

Please agree to our new Terms and Conditions to register your profile.

The challenge is, Zwift doesn’t link that text to anything, so you’re left trying to figure out just how to agree to the T&Cs! The place to do it is on your ZwiftPower profile page. Click “Profile” at the top of the page (or just go here), check the boxes on the consent form, and click “Agree”.

Now you’re all signed up!

Questions or Comments?

Share below!

Zwift Update Version 1.23.1 (100589) Released

Eric Schlange
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76
Zwift Update Version 1.23.1 (100589) Released

The latest Zwift update is now available on all platforms: Mac, PC, Android, iOS, and AppleTV.

Not sure if your Zwift install is up-to-date? Here’s how to check >

This minor update includes a fix for Tour of Watopia XP bug and a pile of Training Plans added to the on-demand workouts list. Here are the details…

Tour of Watopia XP Bug

The Tour of Watopia just began last week, and it’s hugely popular since you get double XP for all your miles. But there was a bug which caused some Zwifters to not receive double XP! Here’s the bug as described by Zwift’s Shuji in a forum post:

We’ve identified a bug that impacts double XP in Tour of Watopia events. This bug occurs when a Zwifter warms up prior to joining their Tour of Watopia event, declining the initial “join event” prompt, and later joins the event without first ending their warm-up session.

This update fixes that bug (we haven’t tested to confirm). And before you ask, Zwift has stated that “We are unable to credit accounts with additional XP”, so if this bug affected you, it appears you’re outta luck.

Training Plans Available as On-Demand Workouts

February’s update added the three most popular Training Plans to the On-Demand Workouts list, making all the workouts in those Training Plans easily accessible at any time.

This week’s update added a pile of additional Training Plans to On-Demand. We’re seeing the following Training Plans now available as On-Demand Workouts:

  • Active Offseason (folder named 12wk Winter Plan (Advanced)
  • Back to Fitness
  • Build Me Up (added in February)
  • Crit Crusher (folder named 8wk Race Day Prep)
  • Dirt Destroyer
  • Fondo (folder named Zwift Fondo Bambino)
  • FTP Builder (folder named 6wk Beginner FTP Builder)
  • Gran Fondo (added in February)
  • Gravel Grinder
  • Pebble Pounder (added in February)
  • Singletrack Slayer
  • TT Tune-Up
  • Zwift Racing

That leaves the following Training Plans not yet available as On-Demand Workouts:

  • Multisport Mixer
  • Zwift 101

See Wes Salmon’s notes on this update release in the Zwift forum >

A Note About Frame and Wheel Speeds

Many of you have been asking about revised frame and wheel speeds from the 1.23.0 March update, because we’ve mentioned that some items were modified, including the Chapter2 TOA whose performance after last month’s update made it the best all-arounder in game.

We’re still running tests on the fastest frames and wheels to get updated numbers. Until then, here’s how we would summarize what we’re seeing so far:

  • The TOA was slowed down on the flats, but so was its closest competition, the Scott Addict RC. On the climbs, the TOA stayed the same, while the Addict sped up a bit. So now the TOA has a slight advantage on the flats, but the Addict has a similar (~2 second) advantage on the climb.
  • So far almost every one of the fast frames and wheels we’ve tested has been slowed in our flat tests by 7-9 seconds, with the notable acception of the Canyon Aeroad 2021. The interesting effect of this is that the Tron bike was only slowed by 8 seconds total, while all other bike+wheel combos will be slowed by more like 10-15 seconds. End result: the Tron is a better choice than ever, although the fastest frames with a disc wheel still beat it on flats by about 8 seconds.
  • Whoever updated the aero settings for the fastest frames didn’t change the Zwift Aero frame, so it’s now matching speeds with the Cervelo S5 2020, Specialized Venge S-Works, Felt AR, and Uranium Nuclear. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
  • The new gravel wheels, which promised nice performance boosts on Yumezi’s Temple KOM, have been slowed a bit, reducing their advantage. They’re still much faster than the stock Zwift gravel wheels, though.

Overall, it appears that Zwift made numerous adjustments to equipment performance, mostly on the aero side of things, which slowed many items down by 7-9 seconds over our ~50 minute flat test. We’ve reached out to Zwift asking for details on what changed, but so far they aren’t sharing that info. So we’re left with more testing to do.

Update 3/21/2022: after further testing and a lot of digging, it’s clear Zwift did not make a lot of changes to frame or wheel performance in this update. Our timing changes were due to a temporary (and as yet unspecified) issue in our systems which has since been rectified. Ride on, friends.

Questions or Comments?

If you spotted any other changes or bugs in the update, please comment below!

Time for a new trainer? Check out Zwift’s hardware sale.

Eric Schlange
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14
Time for a new trainer? Check out Zwift’s hardware sale.

Time for a new trainer? Check out Zwift’s hardware sale.

This week Zwift significantly dropped the prices of all smart trainers, smart bikes, and many accessories in their store. Chatting with our contacts at ZHQ we’re told the sale will run until they’ve sold out of all existing stock in their various distribution centers.

Sale prices and availability vary depending on your location, but here’s what we’re seeing:

Smart Trainers

  • Elite Direto XR: $799 (Regularly $1000) – not available in EU or UK
  • Elite Suito-T: $639 (Regularly $800) – not available in EU or UK
  • Tacx Neo 2T: $1119/€975/£900 (Regularly $1400/€1300/£1200)
  • Wahoo KICKR: $959/€899 (Regularly $1200/€1200) – not available in UK
  • Wahoo KICKR Core: $719/€575 (Regularly $900/€800) – not available in UK
  • Wahoo KICKR Snap: $399/€380/£325 (Regularly $500/€500/£430)

Smart Bikes

Accessories

Shop now at zwift.com/shop

Questions or Comments?

Post below!

Zwift Racing League 2021/22 Round 3 Details

Eric Schlange
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17
Zwift Racing League 2021/22 Round 3 Details

Zwift Racing League (ZRL) has taken racing to the next level on Zwift. It’s well-organized bike racing on an unprecedented scale, with eight weeks of team-based points competition held across multiple timezones catering to thousands of teams. And that’s why serious Zwift racers show up week after week: because everyone knows ZRL is where Zwift racing is at its highest level.

2097 teams took part in the previous ZRL season, comprised of just under 17,000 racers. Wow!

With five successful seasons completed over the course of the past year+, ZRL organizers WTRL continue to evolve their systems and tighten rulesets to provide a fair, engaging, and competitive platform for Zwift racing.

The next ZRL season begins April 5th, and it’s officially named 2021/22 Season 3. We’ll use this page to display all the key info and links in one place (updates will be made as more info comes available).

Ruleset Updates

The latest ZRL ruleset is available as a PDF linked from this page. The ruleset doesn’t appear to have changed significantly from the prior season.

If you’re new to ZRL, you’ll definitely want to get familiar with the ruleset and points structures, as these will inform strategic decisions made as a team.

Timeslots and Divisions

Additional divisions have been created since the start of last season:

  • Women have one new league: EMEA N
  • Men’s/Mixed has several new leagues: Atlantic E/C/W, EMEA NE, EMEA SW, EMEA NW, and Americans C

Teams and Registration

New teams can register now wtrl.racing/zrl-registration. Teams must have at least 4 riders nominated before registration closes April 1, and you can have up to 12 riders nominated for your team. Again, see the ruleset for details.

Want to race, but don’t have a team? You can find a list of teams recruiting riders by visiting wtrl.racing/zwift-racing-league/#teams. It appears there still isn’t a simple process to request joining a recruiting team, so for now you can track down the team’s contact info and message them, or simply post your info on the Facebook group to have teams contact you. Use tags so your post can easily be found by others using “popular topics”:

  • If you are looking for a team, tag your post with the topic #zrlteamhunt
  • If you are recruiting, tag your post with #zrlrecruiting

Tips for First-Timers

If this is your first time racing on Zwift, here are a few tips and links to get you started fast:

  • You have to be signed up for ZwiftPower in order to participate. Instructions
  • You must create a WTRL account as well – do so at wtrl.racing/registration
  • The category you’ll race in is determined by your FTP watts per kilo. Talk to your team manager if you have any questions on where you should race, or read this post from Zwift.
  • Riders must use a power sensor to transmit power to the game – this would be a smart trainer, smartbike, or power meter. (Technically, you’re allowed to race B, C, and D categories with a “classic” trainer and virtual power., but your points are cut in half.)
  • Heart rate monitors are required. (Technically, you’re allowed to race B, C, and D categories without a HRM, but your points are cut in half.)
  • It’s really best that you have at least a few races under your belt before you try to join a team, so you know what sort of power numbers you can hold in a race.

Race Routes and Dates

Each ZRL season is made up of weekly races which alternate between points races and team time trial (TTT) formats. Points race winners are the teams who amass the most total points by the end of the race, while TTT winners are the teams who complete the racecourse fastest (team time is taken from the fourth rider to cross the line).

“Intermediates” are sections on the course where riders compete mid-race for points. Intermediates may count for Fastest-Through-Segment (FTS) and/or First-Across-Line (FAL) points – see the scoring page for details.

Race #1: Road to Ruins
April 5, 2022 (Points Race)

This is the first time Road to Ruins has been raced in ZRL, and the first time we’ve had a points race without any intermediates! With the dirt Jungle Circuit thrown into the middle of the route, this race will surely have lots of riders contemplating a bike swap.

Race #2: Greater London Flat
April 12, 2022 (TTT)

A flat, fast TTT with powerups included. This is one for the wattage bazookas!

Race #3: Chasing the Sun
April 19, 2022 (Points Race)

Another first-time course for ZRL, Chasing the Sun has a nice mix of sprints and climbs.

  • 1 Lap Makuri Islands’ Chasing the Sun (35km, 315m elevation)
  • PowerUps: Aero Boost, Draft Boost, Invisibility 🛈
  • FAL and FTS Segments:
    • Alley Sprint FWD x1
    • Railway Sprint FWD x1
    • Country Sprint FWD x1
    • Temple KOM x1
    • Tower Sprint FWD x1

Race #4: Libby Hill After Party
April 26, 2022 (Points Race)

We haven’t raced this route since last February’s ZRL season 2, but it’s a fun one with 6 sprints followed by a finish up Libby’s cobbles. A little something for everyone here, if you play it right!

  • 1 Lap of Richmond’s Libby Hill After Party (33.1m, 108mlevation)
  • PowerUps: Aero Boost, Burrito, Draft Boost 🛈
  • FAL and FTS Segments:
    • Monument Avenue Sprint FWD x5
    • Broad Street Sprint FWD x1
    • Libby Hill Climb FWD x1

Race #5: Figure 8
May 3, 2022 (TTT)

In contrast to the first TTT of this season, race #5 will be technically challenging as teams have to pace themselves optimally up the Hilly KOM in both directions.

Race #6: 2018 UCI Worlds Course
May 10, 2022 (Points Race)

The Queen Stage! With the longest climb of the season coming early in the lap, this race is one for the climbers. Whoever makes it over in the front pack and stays away from the chasers can pick up sprint points as well.

Semi Finals: Downtown Titans
May 17, 2022 (Points Race)

Learn more about the semi-finals and finals here >

  • 1 Lap Watopia’s Downtown Titans (25.4km, 295m elevation)
  • PowerUps: Aero Boost, Draft Boost, Feather 🛈
  • FAL and FTS Segments:
    • Titans Grove Rev KOM x1
    • Hilly KOM x1 (FAL only!)
    • JWB Sprint x1

Finals: Sprinter’s Playground
May 21, 2022 (Points Race)

Learn more about the semi-finals and finals here >

  • 3 Laps Makuri Islands’ Sprinter’s Playground (37km, 201m elevation)
  • PowerUps: Aero Boost, Draft Boost, Feather 🛈
  • FAL and FTS Segments:
    • Tower Sprint Rev (FAL only)
    • Castle Park Sprint (FAL only)
    • Alley Sprint Rev
    • Railway Sprint

Questions or Comments?

We recommend checking out WTRL’s Zwift Racing League page for rules, team registration, results, and more. Their Facebook page is the place to go for discussion on all things ZRL.

Feel free to share questions or comments below!

ELITE Pro Series Race Announced for March 17th

Tim Perkin
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6
ELITE Pro Series Race Announced for March 17th

ELITE Pro Series Race Announced for March 17th

Let’s just say the first event from our “Elite Pro Series” was bigger than expected: 1156 Zwifters signed up to race the pros!

Of those 1156 that signed up, 756 actually started, making it by far the largest designated race that I have participated in.  To say that Elite and I were pleased would be an understatement.

The winners* from our very first event were:

  • Cat A: Brian Ditty (36.07)
  • Cat B: Krzysztof Biegański (36.10)
  • Cat C: Mikkel Hartmann Andersen (39.41)
  • Cat D: B Westland (46.02)
  • Cat E (Women Only): Steph Clutterbuck (38.24)

*Results taken from ZwiftPower

Steph Clutterbuck from MOVISTAR was the only Pro to trump the Zwift community.

From my personal perspective, this first race was intense, with the start being key.  I was concerned with making sure the event started as planned and wasn’t really paying attention to my position (I wanted to make sure that all groups got away safely, which to my relief they did).  Due to my tentative start, coupled with the obviously rapid pace of the front group, I found myself several hundred riders from the front and it was impossible to catch any of the groups ahead.  I was however in good company as I was with employees from Elite and our goal soon turned to simply surviving and maintaining position.

I don’t think I have raced so hard for what pretty much equated to 200th position, however, it was incredibly fun.

Along for the ride was Tammy Brimner, a professional cycling photographer, who is going to be covering all future events, capturing the race as it unfolds. All photos in this post have been supplied by Tammy. 

Round 2

If you missed the chance to race the professionals, the second event of this monthly race series is scheduled for 7:30pm CET (6:30pm GMT/2:30pm EDT/11:30am PDT) this Thursday, 17th March.    

The route chosen is Neokyo All-Nighter, with one lap lasting 24.6km with 167m (548′) of elevation. If it’s anything like the previous event, it’s going to be fast and furious. 

Pro riders who will be racing include:

  • Thibault Gurenalec (Arkea Pro Cycling Team) – he recently finished 8th in GC Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta, which had a really strong field.
  • Simone Petilli (Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux) – he recently finished 9th in Strade Bianche
  • Theo Delacroix (Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux)
  • Laurens Huys (Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux)
  • Tim Naberman (Team DSM)
  • Charlotte Kool (Team DSM)   

Wrapping It Up

Sign up and don’t miss the opportunity to race against the pros! It’s fun to be part of such a mass participant event, and it gives you chance to see how you measure up against the world’s best.

Misused Zwift PowerUps: Cloaking (Ghost) Invisibility

Eric Schlange
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8
Misused Zwift PowerUps: Cloaking (Ghost) Invisibility

Welcome to another post in our series aimed at helping you avoid n00b powerup mistakes in Zwift races.

Powerups add a fun element of randomness and strategy to Zwift racing. While some purists deride their use, most racers welcome their addition to an indoor racing experience which can feel a bit oversimplified since it has fewer variables than outdoor riding.

Experienced Zwift racers understand how powerups work, but we see them used incorrectly over and over again. Hopefully this series can help.

Still learning? Read our “Guide to Powerups in Zwift” >

The Cloaking (Ghost) Invisibility PowerUp: How It Works

The ghost makes you invisible to all other riders for 15 seconds. You are still visible (yet translucent) on your screen, but other riders can’t see your avatar or your name in the rider list.

The idea is that you’ll use this invisibility to put in an attack, so you reappear too far up the road for other riders to easily grab your wheel.

Here’s a video of me doing just this – the one and only time I’ve used a ghost powerup effectively for a race win.

Successful Ghost Attack for the Win

There are three important caveats to note with the cloaking powerup:

  1. It’s short-lived, at only 15s long. You have to time your attack precisely and attack hard for it to work.
  2. It’s event-only, so you’ll only see this in races where organizers have specifically added it to the powerup mix.
  3. It cannot be activated within 400m of the finish line. No other powerups are restricted in this fashion, but it makes sense. You don’t want to cross the line thinking you’re in first place, when an invisible rider has already beaten you!

How It’s Misused

There are three “misuse cases” commonly seen with the ghost..

1: Too Late

This happened in a race my cousin Boone was doing on Zwift, with me at the keyboard to help with powerups. We didn’t know the ghost was disabled near the finish line, and when I went to activate it, the powerup icon was greyed out! #fail

Boone’s disabled ghost powerup

If you’re going to use the ghost, use it before the 400m to go mark. And don’t try to be sneaky and activate it just before the 400m mark, because it’ll turn off when you hit 400m to go.

2: Do You Feel a Draft?

Did you know that even though you’re invisible to others with the ghost activated, they can still draft off of you? That’s right. Just how a “ghost” would work in the real world, if ghosts existed in the real world. (Which they of course do. But that’s another article.)

Some riders will activate their ghost in the middle or near the front of the pack, then increase their power to try and get away. But all they end up doing is sitting on the front of the pack, giving a draft benefit to a bunch of riders who can’t even see them.

Don’t waste your watts. Either attack hard and get away, or don’t attack at all. Which brings us to our third misuse…

3: Nobody Notices Me

If you’re in a big pack of riders and you activate your ghost powerup, chances are nobody is going to notice when you disappear for 15 seconds. If you’re activating the ghost in order to get a response out of other riders, don’t do it from the middle of the pack.

Instead, put in a little dig and float off the front, so people are watching you. Then activate it and ease up, dropping back into the draft. Some may think you’re attacking off the front, and they’ll put in a dig to catch your invisible wheel.

You might also drop back in the group, where gaps are opening between a few strung-out riders and the main pack. Using your ghost here may cause a bit of panic, as riders will see a big gap open up ahead and put in a big dig to avoid being dropped.

Admittedly, many invisibility powerups are simply “burned” by riders who want to get rid of the powerup so they can get one at the next arch. In fact, I would bet that the invisibility powerup is the most-burned powerup of all. (Heck, I’ve done this numerous times in Crit City, because it’s easier than throwing the powerup in the trash.)

To sum up: if you’re wanting to use your invisibility strategically to make others burn some watts, make sure other riders are watching when you do it.

Questions or Comments?

Share below!

Bike Recommendations for Tour of Watopia’s New Routes

Eric Schlange
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51
Bike Recommendations for Tour of Watopia’s New Routes

Bike Recommendations for Tour of Watopia’s New Routes

Each stage of Tour of Watopia 2022 includes a brand-new route, most of which are former Rebel Routes. Finish the route, unlock the achievement badge, and you’ll earn triple XP for your efforts thanks to the extra XP being awarded for ToW!

Many Zwifters don’t realize that the bike frames and wheelsets you use in game affect your speed. Frames and wheels in the Drop Shop have a star weight and aero rating, and the more stars, the better! Just like outside, a more aero setup will perform best on high-speed flats and downhills, while a lighter-weight bike is what you want for long climbs.

Setting up a bike in my garage

If you’re looking to push the pace in your ToW efforts and get your very best course time, here are bike recommendations for each of the new routes.

Three Little Sisters (Stage 1)

With a mix of shorter climbs, rollers, and flat sections, the Three Little Sisters course is made for an all-arounder bike. You’re looking for a frame and wheels which are quite aerodynamic, but still lightweight.

  • Beginner Option (Level 15 and below): Canyon Aeroad 2021 (568,000 Drops, level 10) with DT Swiss ARC 62 wheels (184,600 Drops, level 6)
  • Advanced Options: Zwift Concept Z1 or the Chapter2 TOA (426,000 Drops, level 18+) with ENVE 7.8 wheels (205,900 Drops, level 39+)
Canyon Aeroad 2021 + DT Swiss ARC 62
Chapter2 TOA + ENVE 7.8
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Astute observers may notice we didn’t include the Chapter2 TOA in our recommended list. That’s because we thought Zwift made it a bit less aero in the latest update, placing the Scott Addict RC is back on top. Further tests showed the Chapter2 TOA is just as fast as ever, though, so we would recommend it above the Scott Addict RC as it’s just a bit faster.

The other two route options for stage one are Watopia’s Figure 8 and Two Bridges Loop. These routes feature punchy climbs and rolling roads similar to Three Little Sisters, so the same bike recommendations apply.

Triple Flat Loops (Stage 2)

As the name implies, Triple Flat Loops doesn’t involve much climbing. In fact, all three routes for this stage are flat, which means aero performance rules the day. Use the most slippery frame and wheels you can afford, then go go go!

Canyon Aeroad + Zipp 808
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Specialized Venge S-Works + DT Swiss Disc
  • Beginner Option (Level 15 and below): Canyon Aeroad 2021 (568,000 Drops, level 10) with Zipp 808 wheels (177,600 Drops, level 13)
  • Advanced Options: Cervelo S5 2020, Felt AR, Specialized Venge S-Works, or Uranium Nuclear frame paired with the DT Swiss ARC 1100 DiCut Disc wheels (1,579,800, level 42+). If you don’t have a disc wheelset, the Zwift Concept Z1 is your fastest bike.

Downtown Titans (Stage 3)

This route features short climbs and rolling roads, so the same options as Stage 1 will work well on Downtown Titans:

  • Beginner Option (Level 15 and below): Canyon Aeroad 2021 (568,000 Drops, level 10) with DT Swiss ARC 62 wheels (184,600 Drops, level 6)
  • Advanced Options: Zwift Concept Z1 or the Chapter2 TOA (426,000 Drops, level 18+) with ENVE 7.8 wheels (205,900 Drops, level 39+)

Handful of Gravel (Stage 4)

Since this is a gravel route, all riders will be placed on the Zwift Gravel bike with Zwift Gravel wheels. This setup performs much better than a road bike on gravel, just like outdoors!

Eastern Eight (Stage 5)

With two trips up the Titans Grove KOM and plenty of flat road in between, you’ll want to pick a setup that helps you perform when it counts on Eastern Eight. An all-arounder is a good choice here, since it helps you on the climbs but doesn’t lose much on the flats. Strong climbers, though, may choose a strictly aero setup (see stage 2) and have an extra edge on the flats and finish.

  • Beginner Option (Level 15 and below): Canyon Aeroad 2021 (568,000 Drops, level 10) with DT Swiss ARC 62 wheels (184,600 Drops, level 6)
  • Advanced Options: Zwift Concept Z1 or the Chapter2 TOA (426,000 Drops, level 18+) with ENVE 7.8 wheels (205,900 Drops, level 39+)

Going Deeper

If you haven’t done much research on how Zwift’s various frames and wheels perform, here are some places to start:

Good luck on your Tour of Watopia rides. Push hard, level up, and Ride On!

Questions or Comments?

Post below!

Zwift Signs 4-Year Deal as Presenting Partner of Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift

Eric Schlange
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Zwift Signs 4-Year Deal as Presenting Partner of Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift

Zwift Signs 4-Year Deal as Presenting Partner of Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift

This week Zwift announced its support of Paris-Roubaix Femmes as presenting partner. Building on their Tour de France Femmes sponsorship (also a 4-year deal), Zwift’s support of arguably the most exciting and iconic one-day race on the Women’s Tour calendar puts their name on two of the biggest women’s road races happening for the next 4 years.

Known as the “Hell of the North”, this year’s Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift happens on April 16, 2022.

Zwift’s CEO and co-founder Eric Min said, “Alongside the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, this is a huge opportunity to shine a light on one of the most iconic and exciting races on the Tour and showcase the incredible quality and talent of the women’s peloton. The ‘Hell of the North’ is a highlight of the cycling calendar and I’m sure it will captivate audiences across the world and inspire women everywhere to begin their own cycling journey.”

It’s just the latest example of Zwift’s tireless work to corporately put women’s racing on an equal footing with men’s – specifically when it comes to prize money and media exposure. Past Zwift initiatives offering parity women include the recent UCI Cycling Esports World Championships, the Virtual Tour de France, Zwift Academy, and the Tour for All. 

Kasia Niewiadoma, a pro rider with the CANYON//SRAM Racing UCI Women’s WorldTeam, said, “It’s fantastic to see a company like Zwift stepping in to make the investment our sport deserves, allowing us to now race some of the most iconic races in the world. Paris Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift is something truly special and is one race that will always live up to the expectation.”

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