This Friday retired pro and Queen of the Ardennes Anna van der Breggen is hosting a ride on Zwift’s Paris map to celebrate the upcoming Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
With many big wins over the course of her career including a Gold Medal in Rio 2016, three Giro d’Italia Femminile wins, and notably, all three Ardennes Classics in one year, Anna is a legend in women’s cycling.
Join her in a social ride just two days ahead of the Grand Depart of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, and unlock the in-game ANNA kit!
Route and Ride Details
This is a 60-minute ride on the Champs-Élysées route in Paris. Double draft mode will be used to help keep the pack together, and the ride details say, “Anna will be riding a steady 2-2.5 w/kg”, so plan on an average speed of 36-39kph.
The event takes place at 5pm BST/12pm EDT/9am PDT.
I’ve been enjoying the Zwift Classics series currently underway. Medium-sized fields on short, punchy routes… and the chance to attempt the race again later in the week if you screw it up the first time around!
Monday rolled around and it was time for the next race: three laps of Watopia’s Two Bridges Loop. I’ve raced this route several times in the past, so I knew the drill: surf the wheels through the Esses, maintain good position out of the Italian Villas, then be ready to go all-in after Hank’s Oil & Gas before recovering on the descent to downtown Watopia and doing it all over again.
This was a short race, at only three laps (~21km total). So I decided I would push the pace a bit on the first climb to thin out the herd, if I was feeling good. Little did I know that my own attack would be my undoing!
But I’m getting ahead of myself…
A Weak Warmup
In hindsight, it’s possible that an inadequate warmup is partly to blame for how this race unfolded. I did my typical “casual” pre-race prep: two pieces of caffeine gum (200mg) around an hour before the race, plus some PR lotion on my legs.
Then I hopped in with the Danny Draft Pace Partner group, since she was on the flat Tick Tock route riding at 2.2 w/kg. I spun around Fuego Flats for a while, but my legs didn’t feel great so I never really pushed my pace to get my heart rate up into that racing zone. (Which was probably a mistake. Always put in some efforts and break the ice before joining the start pens!)
Eventually, I grabbed my Tron bike and headed for the pens.
Lap 1: The Early Attack
Uphill anvils, LOL!
The race started easily enough, and I had to laugh as riders got Anvil powerups through the start/finish banner and promptly used them on the uphill ramp into the Esses.
(The Anvil adds 50 kilograms to your body weight, for 30 seconds. Yes, you read that right… 50 kilograms! That’s a lot of weight, and you’ll really notice it on a climb.)
Anyway, I got an Anvil too. I used it on the descent to the reverse sprint, then got a Ghost powerup through the sprint banner. Boooo…. I’d much prefer the Feather!
Soon enough, we began the key section of this course – the climb that begins at Hank’s, winds around the statues, then cuts across to drop you onto the Hilly KOM descent.
The group wasn’t pushing very hard at the base of the climb, so I upped the watts a bit and found myself floating off the front.
Beginning my ill-fated attack
The legs felt alright, so I upped the effort a bit more, hoping to initiate a split in the group that would whittle down the pack size and give me a better chance in the final sprint.
As the road got steeper, one rider pulled up next to me. I activated my ghost, hoping to trick them into pouring on the watts, thinking I was attacking hard while invisible.
It seemed to work – the rider went into the orange numbers and sprinted up the road! The climb was nearing its end when three more riders came around me, and I started digging hard to grab onto their wheels.
As one more rider zipped past me (Tom Meese, who I’ve raced with many times before) I realized I was in big trouble. There was no group of riders just behind to pull me back to the front guys, and I was at my limit.
I pushed as hard as I could on the descent and the flats that followed, but within a minute they were 9 seconds ahead and pulling away. My race was over… I’d been dropped by my own attack!
The race, riding away
The Rest of the Race
The rest of the race was fairly uneventful. I sat up and got swallowed by a group of 8 riders, and we chugged along for two more laps. Five of us contested the finish together, and I finished in the middle of that pack at 9th overall (6th on ZwiftPower).
This is the first time I can remember initiating an attack and getting dropped as a result. Two takeaways for me:
Make sure I get my heart rate up with some short efforts during my warmup. Break that ice.
Pay more attention to how I’m feeling, to avoid digging a hole I can’t get out of when attacking. If I had sat back and followed the attackers’ wheels I could have hung onto that front group.
The good news is, it’s only Monday. I’ll be back to contest this race again before the week is out!
Your Thoughts
Have you ever been dropped by your own attack? Please say I’m not the only one…
Off the MAAP Series Announced for August 1-22, 2022
Zwift has just announced this year’s Off the MAAP series, a multi-stage cycling tour returning for its fourth year to the platform. This series targets Australia (where MAAP is based), but event times open it up to riders worldwide.
Thanks to a fun mix of courses and kit unlocks this series is always very popular, with hundreds of thousands having participated over the years. Each stage is based on a different theme and includes three different route options.
Each of the 4 stages lasts 4-5 days. Events are scheduled throughout the day for the duration of each stage, so you’ll certainly be able to find a ride that fits your schedule. Each stage gives you the option of three different routes, with A being the more difficult route, B a bit easier, C easier still, and D being the same as B except it’s for women only.
With routes that can be easily finished by riders of all levels, this first stage is a bit of a warm-up. Get those legs spinning, unlock the headband, and set your sights on the next three stages!
As we add elevation and length to our routes, things get a bit more serious. We’re in the tropics for this stage, riding in Makuri Islands, Zwift’s newest map.
Stage 3 is the Queen Stage, the toughest of our four stages thanks to plenty of climbing. Are you ready to go up-up-up? Be sure to grab a climbing bike from your Zwift garage (read “Fastest Climbing Bike Frames and Wheels at Each Zwift Level“).
You did it! Welcome to the final stage, where you’ll ride multiple laps of short routes. Treat it like a criterium race, treat it like a social spin. The important thing is to finish and unlock that sweet Off the MAAP kit!
Not officially – Off the MAAP events are set up as group rides and won’t count toward ZwiftPower ranking points. That said, it only takes two riders on the same route to make a race!
Many riders will be racing these events, and if you want to go hard you are free to do so. But be warned: categories are for course selection only, and have no w/kg boundaries.
Kit Unlocks
There are three separate unlocks for this series: a headband, socks, and the new 2022 MAAP kit:
Finish 1 stage to unlock the headband
Finish 2 stages to unlock the socks
Finish all 4 stages to unlock the kit (jersey + bibs)
Like the in-game kit? Series finishers (all 4 stages) will be sent a link where they can purchase the exclusive IRL kit from MAAP:
Zwift’s July update included a new frame from New Zealand’s Chapter2. The new “KOKO” is the most “aero-racey” of Chapter2’s frames, at least in terms of its appearance.
Here’s how it’s described in the Drop Shop, where it is priced at 639,000 Drops and level-locked at 11+:
Air resistance is the single most critical factor that separates a fast bike from a bike that cuts through the air like a bird. KOKO means “to soar, fly” in Maori and as the name suggests, CHAPTER2’s Top Tier Aero Road model will have you smiling from ear to ear from the sheer thrill of unadulterated speed.
The Chapter2 KOKO in real life
This frame is rated 2 stars for aero and 3 for weight, which is odd considering it’s Chapter2’s “Top Tier Aero Road model”. We ran it through our normal tests to learn exactly how it performs.
Here’s everything you need to know about the performance of the new Chapter2 KOKO frame in Zwift.
Aero (Flat/Rolling) Performance
The KOKO’s aero performance matches several frames in Zwift, including the Giant TCR Advanced SL Disc and Pinarello F8. This places it in the 54th percentile for aero performance.
Its test time of 51:31 is 14 seconds slower than the current fastest road frames on our test course, which is two laps of Tempus Fugit totaling 34.6km. Oddly, even though Chapter2 bills this as their top-tier aero frame, both the Chapter2 TOA and RERE are faster in terms of aero performance in Zwift.
Climb Performance
The new KOKO’s climbing performance matches the Liv Langma SL Advanced Disc, placing it in the 69th percentile overall.
The KOKO turns in an Alpe time of 49:05. The fastest overall climber in game (Specialized Aethos) completes the test 15 seconds faster. Both the Chapter2 TOA and TERE turn in faster climb times than the KOKO.
Note: all test results above are from a 75kg, 183cm rider holding 300W steady using Zwift’s stock 32mm carbon wheelset.
Conclusions
The Chapter2 KOKO looks like a brilliant bike IRL, but its Zwift performance is decidedly mid-tier. This isn’t surprising, given its low level lock (11+), but it is surprising that Chapter2’s flagship aero frame is slower than two other Chapter2 frames in game on the flats.
Anyway, if you’re a Chapter2 fan, you may want to pick this bike up just for a brilliant paint scheme that matches Chapter2’s IRL “Cobalt” paint:
Nice paint job!
It’s nice to see Zwift’s art team putting in some extra time to create frame colorways that really stand out in game (see this month’s other release, the Scott Foil 2023, for another example).
The Chapter2 KOKO will be added to the following posts, and it can also be found on our Master Zwift Frames List:
Important note: this post contains speed test results for Zwift frames or wheels. These results may change over time, and a bike's performance relative to others may also change. We don't always revise posts when performance rankings change, but we do keep current, master versions of our speed test results which are always available. See the frame charts, wheel charts, and Tron vs Top Performers for current performance data.
Zwift’s July update included the latest version of Switzerland-based Scott’s Foil frame. Dubbed the “Scott Foil 2023” in Zwift, it’s based on Scott’s newest Foil RC, which Scott says is “the fastest road bike Scott has ever produced.”
Here’s how it’s described in the Drop Shop, where it is priced at 816,500 Drops and level-locked at 22+:
Aero, Lightweight or Comfort – choose three. Welcome to the next evolution of aero bikes with the all-new Foil RC. Designed to meet the demands of WorldTour sprinters, attackers and breakaway riders, this is the fastest road bike Scott has ever produced.
The Scott Foil 2023 in real life
This frame is rated 3 stars for aero and 3 for weight. We ran it through our normal tests to learn exactly how it performs.
Here’s everything you need to know about the performance of the new Scott Foil 2023 frame in Zwift.
Aero (Flat/Rolling) Performance
The updated Foil is a significant improvement over the older model on Zwift, cutting 6.5 seconds off its test time. A solid performance, placing it in the 83rd percentile along with the Giant Propel Advanced SL Disc and original Canyon Aeroad.
The new Foil’s climbing performance essentially matches that of the older Scott Foil in Zwift, coming in just a half second faster in our tests. This places it in the 46% percentile along with the Trek Madone.
The new Foil turns in an Alpe time of 49:12. The fastest overall climber in game (Specialized Aethos) completes the test 24 seconds faster.
Note: all test results above are from a 75kg, 183cm rider holding 300W steady using Zwift’s stock 32mm carbon wheelset.
Conclusions
The new Scott Foil delivers a sensible boost in aero performance over the older model, so if you’re a Foil lover IRL you’ll want to upgrade to the 2023. As a bonus, it’s got a really sweet paint job, even if there’s no way to change the color:
Check out that sweet paint!
In the overall universe of Zwift frames, the Scott Foil 2023 isn’t a standout performer. If you’re a Scott fan looking for a fast Zwift race bike, go with the Scott Addict RC instead! It handily outperforms the Foil 2023 both on flats and climbs (which is a bit odd, since Scott says the new Foil is the “fastest road bike Scott has ever produced.”) In fact, the Addict RC is the best all-arounder in game, apart from the Tron bike.
The Scott Foil 2023 will be added to the following posts, and it can also be found on our Master Zwift Frames List:
Important note: this post contains speed test results for Zwift frames or wheels. These results may change over time, and a bike's performance relative to others may also change. We don't always revise posts when performance rankings change, but we do keep current, master versions of our speed test results which are always available. See the frame charts, wheel charts, and Tron vs Top Performers for current performance data.
With the Tour de France going, we’ve chosen another France-centric set of events to tempt you over the weekend.
Festival d’Alpe
I probably wasn’t the only one watching the Tour de France this week and paying close attention to the climbing that went on during Stage 12 which finished up the Alpe d’Heuz. I watched with close attention, keen to identify the oh-so-familiar turns on that epic climb and see how the riders coped as they pushed themselves to the limit on the unforgiving slopes.
If you fancy re-enacting the event, Zwift are hosting events led by the Pace Partners up the Alpe. If you fancy a challenge and would benefit from some pacing up the memorable climb, then I recommend this event.
It’s the standard “Road to Sky” route, which measures 17.6km in length. The pacers will be riding the following tempo:
If watching the Tour de France has piqued your interest in racing, Zwift has launched a new series of events you might consider trying. They are happening throughout July and August, with this one being called “The Apple Lap.”
The event consists of a 23.1km even consists of 2 laps in New York’s “Astoria Line 8” course. There is both Men’s/Mixed and Women’s-only versions of this event.
For those that have been racing alongside the Tour de France and participating in the “Chasing Yellow” event, today’s course is a tricky one, 38.4km on the “Three Little Sisters” route.
This event is proving to be quite popular so expect it to be quite competitive!
Rocacorba Collective JOIN THE FEMMES Mixed Sunday Social Ride
Riding up Mount Ven-Top is never easy, fortunately, this ride is not quite going to the top, but still goes a long way up the mountain. This is a group ride, so hopefully people will stick together and encourage each other as they tackle the challenging 22.9km “La Reine” course.
This ride is led by Ashleigh Moolman Pasio, a South African professional road racer riding for UCI Women’s WorldTeam SD Worx.
Today’s Chartgeist post revolves around a central question: what makes a top Zwift racer?
(One request in advance: please hang up your pitchforks. These charts were created to make you smile as you ponder the population patterns producing the pictures. These are not personal attacks aimed at specific racers.)
Top A racers come in two flavors. First, you’ve got dedicated cyclists who have trained and raced hard for years, reshaping their bodies into low-fat, pencil-armed visions of cycling fitness.
You’ve also got some cyclists who have no business racing against these uber-strong riders, but their poorly set up trainers deceive them into thinking so. Ride on, ZPower Rangers. Ride on!
If you’re a top B on Zwift, you could easily be a mid-grade A. But you manage to stay legal as a B through some combination of carbohydrate overindulgence, avoiding the sacrifices of serious structured training, and judicious use of Zwift Activity Monitor.
Earning the points needed to remain a top C generally means racing flatter events with larger fields. But it may also mean you’ve got to keep your weight just a bit higher to stay below that w/kg limit. Bring on the cake, and leave that structured training to the masochistic As!
Your Thoughts
What do you think of this first set of Zwift charts? Got an idea for a useful chart we could put together? Share below!
This update doesn’t include much that’s newsworthy, but Zwift assures us “… we’ve mostly been busy working on game features and behind the scenes technical improvements you’ll see soon.” Here are the details of today’s update…
New Bike Frames
Two new frames have been added to the Drop Shop:
Chapter2 KOKO (Road): 639,000 Drops, Level 11+ required, rated 2 stars for aero, 3 for weight
Scott Foil 2023 (Road): 816,500 Drops, Level 22+ required, rated 3 stars for aero, 3 for weight
While none of these new frames look to be top performers, we’re testing them now and will publish results when available.
We fired up the ol’ iPad Air 1 to snap this screenshot!
One interesting tidbit Co-Founder Jon Mayfield recently shared with us: while there are many reasons Zwift is removing support for older hardware and operating systems, one big reason is that certain devices (including the original iPad Air) shipped with only 1GB of memory (RAM).
With iOS only allowing apps to use a portion of the device’s total memory, this puts a hard limit on the size of maps such as Watopia. In summary: potatoes need to be tossed out so Watopia can be expanded!
New Encryption Protocols
This isn’t mentioned in Zwift’s release notes, but based on posts we’ve seen from ZwiftHQ and reports we’re hearing from some Zwifters, Zwift has begun rolling out a new data encryption protocol they announced several weeks ago.
More from Zwift: “In July we are rolling out a new encryption protocol that will affect all UDP and TCP communication between client and server, and also between client and the Zwift Companion app (ZC), in order to meet a new requirement from Google Play (they recently changed their user data safety policy). The rollout will span several days and you may see both encrypted and unencrypted clients running concurrently during that period. It is expected that by July 20th we will have all our communication fully encrypted.”
Essentially, Zwift is beginning to encrypt data sent and received in network packets by the game client. Once this encryption is fully enforced, popular community-developed apps like ZwiftMap, Zwift Activity Monitor, and the almost-released Zwift Sauce add-on will be nonfunctional. The only way they’ll work again is if Zwift sets up some sort of scheme to approve app developers and give them access to the encrypted data stream.
“Share to Club” Dropdown Fixed
A new dropdown menu was added to the End Ride screen in last month’s update, but it didn’t always work. Today’s update seems to have fixed it:
“Sharing” your ride with a Club essentially tags that Club in the activity, giving the Club “credit” for the activity.
Bug Fixes and Misc Improvements
With Jon Mayfield back at the helm, our release notes have become much sparser when it comes to the list of bugs fixed. For better or worse, Jon seems to prefer mentioning big bug fixes without listing every bug squashed in each release.
Here’s Zwift’s list of fixes and improvements included in this update, with notes in italic from us:
Fixed Alpe du Zwift segment timing.
Fixed issue where fit files could become corrupted.
Fixed several locations where road surfaces weren’t joined up nicely: our guess is this includes the Makuri Islands intersection bridging Neokyo and Yumezi, among other things.
The new Global Bike Festival could be described as the “Glastonbury festival” for cyclists. It was a 4-day cycling extravaganza that was action packed with rides, challenges, and interviews, all nestled in the beautiful Austrian Alps in Saalbach.
About the Event
It was facilitated by Play Sports Network, who are the world’s largest cycling media company and consist of active lifestyles channels such as Global Cycling Network (GCN), Global Mountain Bike Network (GMBN), and Electric Mountain Bike Network (EMBN).
This event has been 5 years in the making. First conceived in 2017, it was initially scheduled for summer 2020, but was subsequently delayed due to the global pandemic. However it was worth the wait!
Event Director James Pope explained, “For our first year, we wanted to keep the event to a manageable size and scale the event organically over the next few years. We have 450 people registered to attend from around the world, with 30% of attendees from the UK, 30% from Germany and Austria, 10% from the US, and the remainder from the rest of the world.”
Global Bike Fest 2022
Partners
Play Sports Network had partnered with the industry’s leading brands to deliver a top lineup of interactive events for people to enjoy.
Zwift presented the event and along with Wahoo ensured that the cycling fun continued into the night, providing an interactive cycling experience for all levels to participate.
World-renowned bike tool manufacturer Park Tool was present, along with their well-known and respected mechanic Calvin Jones who was on hand to support any riders with bike issues throughout the day.
Isadore, the premium cycling brand created by former professional cycling brothers Peter and Martin Velits, were present too. This allowed riders to purchase any kit they might have forgotten to bring or replace, should they have a slight accident during an event.
The Global Bike Festival had chosen to support the World Bicycle Relief, who were present and raising awareness of their charity. The World Bicycle Relief is a non-profit organization that empowers “individuals to access education, healthcare, and economic opportunities through life-changing bicycles.” The bicycle referenced is the specifically designed “Buffalo bike,” which is a sturdy bicycle designed for use in rural communities and distributed across Africa.
Festival Feel
Play Sports Network had commandeered the largest open space in Saalbach, strategically located in the center of the town. This area was transformed into a paddock, decked in their branding, and it’s where all rides started and finished.
Their main presenting stage took central position with a covered seating area to shelter from the scorching sun and enough tables and benches for people to sit and enjoy the local delicacies. These were washed down with the event’s official beer, Brewdog, whilst simultaneously watching live interviews with special guests such as Olympic legend Ed Clancy.
Within the paddock, partners set their stalls. This certainly was not an expo where you were being sold the latest products. Wahoo were explicit in stating that they were there to let people try their products for the day, so if you wanted to test their latest cycling computer, you were free to do so.
All cycle events started and finished here. Rides departed at 9am and finished by 3pm, in time for a packed agenda of interviews, presentations, and more fun events. These events included the “Car Park Criterium,” which saw people racing their bikes around an underground car park, with the fastest riders competing for overall victory.
Calvin Jones (Park Tool) discusses wheel building and repair. Photo credit James Cheadle.
On stage, mechanical guru Calvin Jones from Park Tool gave daily presentations about bike mechanics. He answered people’s questions, which often related to the latest issue that they experienced during the day’s ride. This was followed by interviews with cycling superstars such as 11-times Tour de France stage winner Andre Greipel, 3-times Olympic Team Pursuit Gold medalist Ed Clancy, and former National Road Race Champion turned business owner Peter Velits.
The Stars
As well as your chance to meet and interact with the presenters from GCN, EMBN, and GMBN, legends from the field of cycling were present for people to mingle and even ride with.
As noted, more formal interviews were conducted on stage with Ed Clancy talking about his career on the track and Peter Velits talking about life in the professional peloton and his company, Isadore.
Andre Greipel recounted his favourite victories, which was not easy considering he has over 150 to choose from!
Cycling in Saalbach
Photo credit James Cheadle.Photo credit James Cheadle.
Saalbach provided the perfect backdrop for the event, enabling cyclists to ride their preferred discipline and try something different, with plentiful gravel trails and countless kilometers of very technical mountain bike trails to tackle.
The GCN presenters escorted people on their adventures, the highlight being the road ride with Andre Greipel. This consisted of a 119km round trip up the epic Grossglockner. 21.4km long and peaking at over 2400 meters, this was a mighty climb, but the effort was worthwhile as it offered spectacular views.
Cycling with Andre and the GCN presenters was a personal highlight and a unique experience for me, but it also highlighted the huge gulf in ability between being an enthusiastic amateur cyclist and a professional.
My strength as a cyclist is climbing, and having recently posted some respectable times on the big climbs on Zwift I was feeling prepared. Well, as prepared as I could be given that I don’t have access to 2000-meter high mountains to train on within Zwift.
I was wanting to be able to “hold my own” when we got onto the Grossglockner climb and to be fair I did, right up until 1700 meters. At 1700m, with the air thinning, we turned one of the many switchbacks and I noticed my heart rate had increased into the anaerobic zone. This was not good and with still several hundred meters to go, I decided to slow a little, to recover. The consequence was that I slipped off the back of the select group that contained Andre, several GCN presenters who were also former professionals, and the remaining two amateur riders.
As the one-meter gap widened to three or four, I gave a sprint to catch back, but that was the worst thing I could have done. Upon catching, I was short of breath and couldn’t keep the pace. I watched as the group eased away and I was left climbing at my own pace, gasping for air.
It was amazing to witness the strength of the pros and the ease in which Andre was able to climb. It’s important to remember that he is a sprinter, which shows the level of world tour pro riders!
This gulf in ability was further emphasized on the descent. As I was barreling down the mountain at speeds approaching 70kph and right at the top end of my comfort zone I was overtaken, on the outside, by Andre, followed closely by two of the GCN presenters. They must have been doing close to 90kph! At that point I felt the gulf in talent was as wide as the ocean.
A less hilly route was chosen for the following day, with only 1100 meters of elevation to tackle, but I decided against it given my previous day’s exertions.
For mountain bikers, there were plenty of options to try. The most challenging was scheduled for Sunday and involved six cable cars and the five mountains around Saalbach Hinterglemm and Leogang!
If you are into downhill mountain biking, there are many kilometers of trails to race. And with two gondolas taking you back up the mountain, you can literally spend your days flying downhill! Many did just this, but with mixed results. As the weekend progressed, I saw an increasing number of people walking around with their arms in plaster casts…
Highlights
One of the highlights of the weekend was the event hosted by Zwift called “GCN vs the World.”
The premise was that 6 GCN presenters would race against riders from across the world. The challenge was: could the GCN presenters, who had a 2-minute advantage, hold off a chasing peloton of 200 riders? To make it “fairer,” the GCN presenters raced in a relay, with the riders changing at the halfway point of the 13.1 virtual course.
Riding on Wahoo KICKR smart bikes, positioned center stage and illuminated by the beautiful evening sun, a crowd soon gathered as the event got underway. Former professional cyclist Chris Pritchard provided live commentary for what proved to be a unique spectacle that saw the GCN presenters hold off the chasing back with meters to spare.
This event successfully engaged with those who were at the festival but also ensured those who could not make the event could still participate.
Evening Entertainment
Photo credit James Cheadle.
As the main paddock closed, the evening entertainment moved into a nearby club and continued well into the night, with a host of interactive events spread over the weekend.
Thursday saw Zwift and Wahoo link up to host their “Crank it Up!” challenge with riders competing for the fastest time up Watopia’s Hilly KOM. The top three then raced it out for a prize. This was particularly well received as everyone came together to test their climbing skills, making this a really interactive and special experience.
The following nights, both GCN and GMBN recorded their shows in front of a live audience, giving festival-goers the opportunity to not only see what goes on behind the scenes of the show but also to actively participate.
To round out the evening, well-known DJs such as A-Skillz, Norman Jay MBE, and DJ Yoda were on hand to ensure no one went to bed early.
Summing Up and the Future of the Event
The Global Bike Festival was, without doubt, a special event. It provided me the opportunity to not only meet stars of cycling, and presenters from the well watched shows, but also to ride with them.
The packed and well-prepared agenda ensured that there was always something to watch and/or get involved with. Furthermore, it provided us with the opportunity to try different cycling disciplines. In fact, bike brand Kona was on hand to lend out their mountain bikes.
A 3-year partnership with the local tourist board means the Play Sports Network and their team will be in attendance next year, with plans to expand the event.
I am left wondering two things: when is it on next year and how do I get invited back?
7 Deadly Wins, Week 1: If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere?
The 7 Deadly Wins challenge is my personal mission to collect a gold trophy in every Zwift Classic, no matter how many tries it takes. You can follow the highs and lows on my Youtube channel, Zwiftaholics.
Attempt #1: A Multi-Faceted Failure
It started with the stream, which started, stopped, stuttered, and quickly shut down entirely. An apt metaphor for how the race would pan out.
I went into the race with a premeditated plan to take the outcome into my own hands and win with a bit of style, launching off the front at 1.9km to go with a punchy attack up the shallow rise followed by the knockout blow up through the sprint banner. The bunch, disheartened, would settle for a sprint for second place and I would never be seen again.
It started so well. The attack surprised the bunch and I held the power in orange numbers for almost 20 seconds. A 40m gap opened up. I was away! I put my head down and powered up the rise, holding 7 W/kg, feather power up activated, feeling good. What would the gap be when I looked back at the screen? 5 seconds? Could it be as much as 8?
I crested, ready to assess my lead and take in some big breaths on the descent for the final push to the line…but I was not alone. A DIRT rider had shut down the gap entirely and was in my wheel, with the bunch only 1-2s in arrears. I wish the stream or recording had worked so I could go back and marvel at that closing effort.
The brink of exhaustion is a bad place to be reassessing one’s situation and adjusting a strategy, so I kept it simple. Hold on for dear life, then sprint with whatever’s left. It wasn’t enough. David Husband, the rider who’d closed me down so mercilessly, had managed to kick again and take the win by over half a second. Amazing ride.
I chose this time slot because it had two races an hour apart, figuring I may as well have another go while I was kitted up and warm. No time or energy for advanced tactics or rigorous competitor analysis this time. Basic to basics: conserve as much energy as possible and save it for the sprint.
It was another attritional race. One rider, Jeff M, seemed to sprout wings every time the road tilted upwards and was always off the front, but we let him dangle and brought him back each time, even if we were losing a few off the back with each surge.
Things heated up from 3km to go – the same point I’d decided to go back into on-the-bike commentary mode – so you can see the spicy finale below:
This time things went to plan (apart from getting the dreaded anvil power up through the final banner). Bunched at 400m to go. Shift up twice. Get on top of the gear. All in from 200m. This time when I looked up it was the sight all racers dream of, a clear road between me and the finishing line. One down, six to go.
Full send mode up the final pinch and clear roads ahead
Watopia Cup Awaits
I have no good memories of Two Bridges Loop. I was dropped on the steep pitch up the Reverse KOM in the Zwift Racing League, and at the same point in the HERD Summer Racing League. I did a woeful ITT around it for the Tri Oceania Challenge. My best result is third, in a one-lap sprint race, after once again being dropped in the exact same spot.
Nevertheless, that punchy ramp is normally good to me on races that feature the full climb, and I even held onto an A grade field up it twice in a recent hit out. Some cause for optimism, although I will need to survive three ascents next week.
There’s not a lot of scope for sneaky tactics on this one, unless you’re brave enough to try and gap the field up the hill and hold on to the line. The descent into Downtown provides a nice freshener for the legs and spits riders out at high speed into the final few hundred metres; perfect for those who want to surf wheels and launch their sprint late.
Racers who want to put the hurt on and thin the field even further could try a surprise move through The Esses, particularly up the final long rise as the fast descent on the other side can distance anyone who loses the wheels over the crest. The hyper-ambitious may even try something out of the Italian Villas and past the waterfall, although you’d need to be feeling on your A-game to juice the legs so close to the decisive ramp up the KOM.
I’ll be approaching this as a classic battle of attrition. Objective #1 is simply survival, with the hopes of seeing a reduced bunch sprint.
