In this Catch-Up, Matt calls in a very special guest… Jordan Rapp! The two Power Up Tri hosts catch up on what Jordan is up to, including his recent career shift. Jordan shares insights and experiences from his 4 years at Zwift.
The Zwift PowerUp Tri Podcast is hosted by former pro triathlete Matt Lieto and Zwift Academy Tri mentor Sarah True. Both are passionate about lending their in-depth knowledge of the multisport to the Zwift Tri audience.
Our newest Rebel Route is the shortest route currently in-game (inclusive of official routes and Rebel Routes), shorting the Crit City routes by just 2-3 meters. This quick circuit would be perfect for crit-style races, closely matching the Crit City circuits in terms of lap distance and elevation gain.
“Rebel Routes” are Zwift rides which are not available on Zwift’s routes list, thus requiring manual navigation.
The reward for your rebel ride? Exploring a new route, knowing you’ve gone where few Zwifters have gone before. And a Strava segment rank in the tens or hundreds instead of the thousands! They are included as a separate category on our Veloviewer Route Hunter leaderboard.
You’ll have a short lead-in before you can begin the circuit, and you’ve got options, with four different directions roads all feeding into this circuit! (The Esses, the Volcano, Ocean Boulevard, the Hilly KOM all drop you onto this loop eventually.)
The quickest way to get here, though is to select the Two Bridges Loop route. This will take you over the Esses and the JWB bridge. Flip a u-turn after you go through the sprint banner, then turn a quick right onto the new bypass road to start the circuit.
The circuit starts and ends at the green sprint banner. From the banner you’ll hang quick right past the sea lions, then ride along the water before turning right at the fountain to head back toward the Italian Villas.
You’ll hit a couple small rises here, then descend in similar fashion past the waterfall and onto the cobbles of the Italian Villas. Planning to sprint? Time to rev up those watts – the start line is just up the road!
The Watopia Sprint Forward segment begins just before you enter the tunnel, then it’s an all-out effort for 350 meters. That’s one lap… how many more do you have left?
There are many ways to get to this circuit, but the quickest is to start by choosing the Two Bridges Loop route. This will take you over the Esses and the JWB bridge. Flip a u-turn after you go through the sprint banner, then turn a quick right onto the new bypass road to start the circuit.
Here are the turns you’ll need to make to successfully complete the Italian Villas Sprint Circuit, starting in downtown Watopia after selecting the Two Bridges Loop:
Route details:
Distance: 1.92km (1.2 miles)
Elevation Gain: 11m (36′)
Strava Segment
If turned into an official Zwift route, this circuit could be given an interesting lead-in which would make for exciting racing.
For example: in a short race, the lead-in could take riders over the Hilly KOM Forward, breaking up the race by making a selection of punchy climbers. Then organizers could select an appropriate number of circuit laps (perhaps 4-6) during which heavier, more powerful riders would have a chance to pull back that punchy breakaway.
A longer climb could become part of the lead-in as well, perhaps the Volcano KOM, finishing with several flatter laps of the circuit.
Got an idea for a great rebel route? Share it below and maybe we’ll publish a post about it!
As 2020 comes to a close, Matt Rowe sits down with Rapha CEO Simon Mottram to discuss the final challenge of the year: the Rapha Festive 500! It’s a challenge to ride 500km in 8 days over Christmas, and things have changed a little this year for the Festive 500 as virtual kilometers now count towards the challenge. So you can take part on Zwift, on the road, or a mix of both!
Matt also chats about riding for the Rapha team when he was younger and how he might be taking part in the Rapha Festive 500 so he can beat Simon by 1km.
The Zwift PowerUp Cycling Podcast features training tips from host Matt Rowe (Rowe & King), with regular guest hosts Greg Henderson, Dani Rowe, and Kristin Armstrong.
Mountain, road, gravel, track — in my 25(ish) years of cycling, I’ve tried it all. There is one cycling discipline that remained unknown to me: virtual cycling. That’s right, I’m talking about the Zwift craze.
You see, I grew up in the cold, snowy, and wet state of Vermont. From November to April, I spent hours on an indoor trainer and rollers, ticking away the miles. I was scarred by those years of sweaty, boring indoor cycling. So, I was reluctant to jump into the world of Zwift, though I knew it would be more entertaining than the old radio player that kept me company while I spun on my rusty set of Kreitler rollers, 20-odd years ago.
I didn’t want to write off Zwift without giving it a shot, though.
For this challenge, which I facetiously named “Zero to Zwift Hero,” I took a month to try and learn how to ride Zwift. I’m raced every week in the USA Cycling Virtual Race Series (sponsored by STPC) and tracked my progress to share my insight with you. Did I become a Zwift Hero or will I get dropped like a rock? Read on for my weekly account of this Zwift exploration.
As you might know, TPC sponsors the Saris + The Pro’s Closet (STPC) Zwift team, so I have ample resources at my disposal to learn the world of virtual cycling. Saris was kind enough to send me an H3 trainer and a TD1 trainer desk. I also used a Saris trainer mat to keep the sweat off the floor and a couple of fans that were likely too small to make a difference.
Christmas came early — I got a few big boxes full of new toys, and the snow started to fall. The timing couldn’t have been much better for my Zwift challenge to begin.
It wasn’t necessarily difficult to set up my new Saris H3 direct-mount smart trainer, but took a little time to get all the details right. After the basic unboxing, I mounted a cassette to the trainer and installed the appropriate end caps to fit my bike’s dropouts. The trainer desk bolts together easily enough. Having just moved into my new house, I’ve had lots of practice assembling furniture lately.
Beyond physically assembling my Zwift gear, I needed to set up the guts of this high-tech equipment. I recovered my password from the dormant Zwift account I opened five years ago. I signed up for Zwift Power, which organizes virtual racing and rankings. I downloaded the Saris app, which lets me calibrate the trainer. Surely it was wrong… there’s no way my power is this low! But yes, it was right. I also downloaded the Zwift app for my computer and smartphone. Everything pairs nicely with either Bluetooth or Ant+.
Then, I dove in head-first — riding, racing, group rides, I packed it in this first week! Partly, that was due to some terribly windy and cold weather that made riding outside a nonstarter. Also, I was just curious to try something new, and boy was it new. It has been a really long time since I felt like a beginner in the realm of bikes, and I learned a few things the hard way:
I wanted to dive right into Zwift racing, but STPC rider Matt Gardiner slowed my roll and recommended I first learn the dynamics of riding in a pack and “drafting.” The easy way to get started is to join a ride with a Zwift pacer bot. These bots are set to ride a consistent pace based on watts per kilo (w/kg). I hopped on with one of these robot riders and quickly started to feel how I should modulate my power to stay positioned in the group.
Having raced bikes for decades, I couldn’t hold back my competitive urge. On day two of Zwifting, I thought “why not try this KISS race.” At least it would help me shake out the bugs before Wednesday’s USAC event. So I lined up, was ready to go, and then everyone else in the race vanished. I was alone. Turns out I had downloaded the wrong Zwift app! There are two — Zwift and Zwift Companion. The former is a mobile option for riding in the game. The latter is a way to augment your computer’s app with chat, maps, and more. I had the normal Zwift app running, and it kicked me off the race and took over. So, be careful which app you run. The blue Companion app is what I have up alongside my computer when I’m Zwifting.
My second racing fail came a day later in the USAC event. If you follow the TPC Instagram, you might have watched as I lined up and then suffered a virtual “flat tire” right before the start. Imagine being at the start of a ride or race with a flat tire and then having no idea how to remove your wheel, what a tube was, or even how to attach a pump and air it up. That was me when I had a power drop-out. The trainer was fine. I could tell I was putting out wattage. But Zwift said 0 watts. I believe I did two things wrong: My Ant+ stick was too close to a fan, which can cause electrical interference, and it was too far from my trainer — they say three feet or less is best. I disconnected my trainer, then reconnected it, which solved the issue, but I had a long, hard, and lonely ride to finish that race. From now on, I’ll stick to Bluetooth, which has been good so far.
Finally, on Friday I got it right. I hopped in the Team IRL Without Borders race, rolled out with the group, no problem. And then I promptly got dropped on the climb. It turned out to be an exceptionally mountainous route. Nowhere to hide for a Zwift newbie like myself. It was brutally hard, but fun. I even successfully deployed an Aero Helmet power-up in the finish to win the sprint for 64th.
So, the racing didn’t go super smoothly this week. Even when I sorted my technical mistakes, I was getting dropped like a rock. But I did have one major epiphany the day after my disastrous USAC race — call it a Zwift-piphany.
I realized that group rides are one of the best things you can do on Zwift.
My first was SlowTwitch’s Hilly Vanilli ride. As you’d expect, there’s some climbing, up Zwift’s volcano, but it wasn’t as miserable as what I’d face the next day in that IRL event. Every group ride has a leader, who is pretty strict about keeping the pace within a giving w/kg range. You know what you’re getting into, because every group ride has that pace listed up-front. Wouldn’t that be nice to know when you roll up for an unfamiliar group ride on the open road?
Zwift group rides helped me continue to develop my pack skills, which can be downright entertaining. They’re also very social with people chatting from start to finish.
I couldn’t resist signing up for another on Saturday as the howling Colorado wind kept me inside, and to my shock, I got through a 63-mile 3R Endurance ride and actually enjoyed it! I cannot remember the last time I logged an indoor ride over two hours, but this one flew by as I worked on maintaining position and using the draft.
Looking forward to week 2, more snow is in the forecast, and I’m hoping I can find a race that suits my strengths a little better than the brutal seven-mile climb that crushed me in the IRL race. Stay tuned, and let me know if you have any questions or suggestions in the comments!
In a lot of ways, Zwift isn’t quite like “in real life” (IRL) riding. Unless you have an elaborate setup, there’s no steering or balance required. You’re constantly drenched in sweat unless you have an industrial fan (I don’t). And accidentally unplugging your trainer can totally ruin a planned group ride. (Yep, that happened to me this week).
But when I get dropped in a race, well, that feels pretty familiar to me, and it’s just as demoralizing.
After overcoming my first-week learning curve on Zwift, I was starting to feel pretty good about myself. My setup was dialed. I was starting to understand how to “draft” other riders in the bunch. My second attempt at the USA Cycling Virtual Race series went pretty well. I hung with the small but strong B group until the final climb. After that result, I got a little cocky and decided to take on the IRL Without Borders weekly race again. That’s when I got humbled.
With 80+ riders on the start, it was a stacked field. I thought I had a chance with the relatively flat London course. I was wrong. Even though I produced my best power output numbers so far, I watched the group ride away from me as we sped past the “Thames.”
Clearly, I still have a lot to learn. So, I called up U.S. national Zwift champion Holden Comeau, who rides for our Saris + The Pro’s Closet team. Comeau suggested a couple of drills to use in group rides that could help me work on my pack riding skills. I can only put out so much power, but if I practice Zwift and find ways to ride efficiently, at least I can make the most of what I’ve got.
Experienced road riders know the washing machine effect. In a group of cyclists, people swell to the front of the group while others are swallowed up and drift back. The pace ebbs and flows, making it challenging to hold position. Ideally, you stay near the front of the group, but out of the wind. The same idea applies to Zwift.
Comeau suggested finding a position toward the front of the group, perhaps 5-10 riders back from the front. The objective is to modulate your power output to remain in that position, no matter who moves up and who drifts back.
This drill requires a lot of focus and some pretty precise pedaling. I found myself overdoing it at first and ending up on the front of the group, rather than a few wheels back. It’s also easy to lose focus for a moment and drift back 10 riders before you know it. I certainly found this made trainer time fly by!
Start by playing this game for short periods of time, like five minutes. That way fatigue doesn’t creep in and lead to sloppy riding. Give yourself little breaks to avoid mental (and physical) fatigue.
This second drill is more difficult, so try to master the washing machine first. Comeau suggested choosing a rider in the group and then shadowing them as they move throughout the peloton.
One practical consideration: Most Zwift group rides have all of the riders wearing the same kit, so sometimes it’s tricky to find someone with a distinctive helmet or bike to spot in the bunch. I have been finding that the “Tron” bikes really stand out.
As you follow your rider through the bunch, you’ll find they surge and fade rather unpredictably. Watch their avatar carefully and respond quickly with either more or less power. If they are drifting back faster than expected, it can help to coast briefly to cut speed. Your accelerations have to be carefully modulated as well.
Here’s a bonus drill that I came up with on my own while riding with a pace partner group on Sunday. The object of the drill is to move up in the group with precision.
Set yourself up toward the front of a group, perhaps 10 riders back. Look at the riders in front and pick one that will be your target. Then, using a precise acceleration, move past the riders in between so you end up on your target rider’s wheel.
I find this is easier to do in a slower group, so maybe start with a group ride that’s a category below where you usually ride or race. The Pace Partner groups also work well because they’re steady rides that are less prone to unexpected surges. Remember, this is a positioning drill, not a sprint workout. It’s easier to practice power control when you aren’t on the rivet!
I think I am addicted to Zwift. I can’t believe it, but in my third week of Zero to Zwift Hero, I logged six rides on the virtual cycling platform. Four of them were races. The funny thing is, I’m really not that good at racing on Zwift.
My biggest achievement so far has been making it to the final lap of Friday’s crit in the main bunch. I just keep getting dropped in these races, whether they’re mountainous, hilly, or flat, and regardless of whether there are 100 starters or 10 starters. So, as silly as this sounds, finishing with the bunch (okay at the back of the bunch) was cause for celebration.
Rather than discourage me, this continuous drubbing has made me stubbornly determined to figure this thing out. I think I’ll need more than the one-month timeframe I set out for myself in this project to get faster and more experienced, but so far, the challenge keeps me motivated.
In the meantime, I can impart a little bit of wisdom from my experience that might help you get more out of riding Zwift. For this week, let’s talk about the Zwift Companion app.
This might sound confusing at first but bear with me — there are two Zwift apps for your smartphone. The one that’s an orange icon, “Zwift: Ride and Run,” works the same as the Zwift app that you download onto your laptop or desktop. It’s good to have, but that’s not what we’re talking about here.
The Zwift Companion app is shown as a light blue icon and it works in support of the Zwift app as you run it on your computer. The Companion app lets you do a variety of things, both before, during, and after your virtual ride.
Three ways I like to use the Zwift Companion app:
I think part of my Zwift obsession is directly related to the Events tab on the Companion app. I find myself compulsively browsing the upcoming rides and races, which is easy to do in the app. At a glance, you can see what category a ride or race will be, lettered A-E based on the watts/kilogram average pacing. You can see how many riders are signed up and what the duration or distance will be. Tap on a race or event and you’ll see more details about the route, including a map. There will also be an event description followed by the oh-so-tempting “+” buttons that let you easily register to participate. Using this feature, I have found a bunch of great events, like Zwift founder Eric Min’s Thanksgiving morning group ride, which attracted more than 3,000 riders.
Once you start riding, menu options on the Companion app will change. I usually have my app set on the Map tab, which as you’d expect, shows a more detailed map of the world where you’re riding, along with basic riding stats like wattage, heart rate, time distance, and more. But perhaps more importantly, this view offers buttons at the bottom that let you control your avatar. You can flip a U-turn if you don’t want to climb the Epic KOM to the top. Or, you can give nearby Zwifters a “ride on” or a wave. The only trick to these buttons is that you need to hold them down for a few seconds to get them to actually work. I realized that after I tried tapping them a few times to no avail.
Zwift is an incredibly social platform, which has surprised me more than perhaps any other aspect of the game. On a big group ride, the chat tab of my Companion app is constantly blowing up. Those chat messages also display on your computer’s game screen, but if you don’t read them right away, they’ll disappear. The entire chat history is shown on the Companion app. You can also easily reply to the conversation there. Well, maybe “easily” is an understatement. Typing and riding is certainly a skill that I have yet to master!
There are likely many other features on the Zwift Companion app that I have yet to discover. For instance, you can set goals or adjust your workouts on the fly. But for now, it’s enhanced my Zwift experience by encouraging me to participate in more events and connecting me with the thousands of other riders out there in the world of virtual cycling.
I have a confession. I did not embark upon this one-month Zwift challenge in good faith. In the beginning, I tried to be open-minded. Of course, in these blog entries, I was positive and upbeat about Zwift. But in my heart of hearts, I really didn’t like the idea of virtual cycling one bit. Take a month, give it a fair shake, and then be done with Zwift — that was my plan.
To my surprise, I discovered that I enjoy virtual cycling far more than I ever imagined.
Thirty days is definitely not enough time to notably change my physiology, to boost my power output or fitness, but it was enough to change my perspective.
Zwift will never completely simulate the feeling of balance, speed, and motion. It will never take you to a new place (at least a physical place). And you sure can’t Zwift ride to the grocery store or the office. But Zwift is wonderful because it is welcoming, social, interactive, challenging, and downright convenient, especially if you live somewhere with real winter weather or have a busy schedule.
If you have riding experience, you can bring the fundamental toolkit to this new realm. But there will be a lot to learn and many miles to go before you can truly master it.
Some of the lessons I learned in this last month of Zwift sound all too familiar in hindsight. I should have known better than to try and race myself into shape rather than setting out a specific training plan. You need to pick a course that suits your strengths and know it well to succeed if you’re racing. And, like any form of cycling, it’s always more fun when done with friends, new, old, and virtual.
To me, cycling is all about the challenge. Chasing my limits inspired me to race all kinds of bikes, to ride more than 200 miles on gravel roads in a day, and to tackle the rockiest mountain trails in my area. Zwift is just the latest way for me to continue exploring my limits. A way to feel like a novice again.
So for all of you Zwift novices out there, here are some tips, thoughts, and suggestions:
Don’t do what I did. I jumped in too fast, which can be discouraging. (Fortunately, I’m stubborn.) Start by riding with a Zwift Pace Partner that matches your anticipated watts per kilogram (w/kg) pacing. These bots ride a steady power, which will let you get the hang of riding in a pack. Next, find a group ride that is the right w/kg pace and work on your skills there. The pacing will be more variable, which is the next progression of pack riding skills on Zwift. Finally, when you’re ready, find a race that will suit your skills — are you a climber? Do you prefer flat routes? Maybe something with short hills will be best? Then, before you race, ride that course to learn its ups and downs. Failing that, find the course on Zwift Insider and familiarize yourself with its key features.
This way, when you’re ready to race, you’ll have practiced the skills, picked the best course for you, and studied up on what to expect.
I never really enjoyed riding Zwift alone without any purpose. It might be different for you, so give it a try, but if you find yourself a little bored (like I did), find a group ride to join. The Zwift Companion app is one of the easiest ways to browse the ride schedule, as I mentioned in an earlier entry. If you don’t feel like riding with strangers, you can also organize a meet-up with friends. In either case, riding Zwift becomes a lot more fun when you do it with others and can chat (and heckle) along the way. There are also structured workouts available in Zwift for those who’d rather focus on improving their fitness. This is something I’ll explore in the future because I’ve definitely been discovering my weaknesses over the course of a month of racing. I really need to improve my sprints and short, maximal efforts.
Finally, I’ve given Zwift a lot of thought over the last month or so, and I have a few ideas of how I’d change the game if I was in charge of things.
First of all, I’d offer a way to compensate for high-altitude riding. I know this isn’t a typical issue, but personally, I think I’m at a disadvantage because my trainer set-up in my home is about 7,000 feet above sea level. I’ve got a lot less oxygen at my disposal!
Second, although it’s impressive how realistic Zwift can be, I think the game should have the option to spice things up a little bit. Wouldn’t it be fun if we could chase monsters or freeride on the Redbull Rampage course? Imagine a Mario Cart and Zwift mashup! The hours (and miles) would fly by if you were dodging Koopa Shells and banana peels.
Finally, along those same lines, I think racing should be a little more forgiving — at least some of the races or race series. Nearly every time I’d race, I’d end up dropped about halfway through. Then, it was a long, lonely trudge to the finish line. While I wouldn’t want to take away from the achievements of the riders who are actually fighting for the win, it sure would be cool if dropped riders like me could get a second (or third!) chance to hop back in the group and at least follow along to the end, even if we didn’t get a result. For example, sometimes when you race an IRL criterium, you can tag onto the back of the group when you get lapped, just to ride with them a bit longer. Imagine just hitting a button on Zwift to transport you back to the peloton so you aren’t so lonely.
Editor’s note: this post originally ran on theproscloset.com and is reprinted here by permission
This week in the best of Zwift videos, watch Zwifters challenge themselves to ride 6 hours, 112 miles, and 200 kilometers. How did they fare and what problems did they run into?
Also, get a quick glimpse at everything you can unlock with XP as you level up in Zwift, plus some advice from a community racer brought to you by a new streamer.
When MAAP challenged cyclists to ride 6 hours in two weeks, members of the Botje Racing Team decided to do it all in one day. Martijn (“Fernwee”) set up a Meetup on London’s PRL course, where the team rode together on Zwift and talked using Discord. See how they did!
Eric Abbott challenged himself to ride on Zwift for 112 miles – the length of an Ironman triathlon bike leg. What could go wrong?
Anthony Walsh (“RISE Revolutions”) rode 200 kilometers on Zwift this spring. See what advice he’d give to others who want to do the same!
Sarah LaRoque (“Everything Is Photogenic”) does an illustrated rundown of everything you unlock as you level up in Zwift cycling (so far). For a quick reference list, check the Zwift Insider post XP, Levels, and Unlocks in Zwift Ride.
Young streamer “Zwift Race Place” passes along a quick tip about positioning in Zwift races. It’s one you may not have heard before!
Share the link below and we may feature it in an upcoming post!
It’s been one day since I rode for 25 hours on the smart trainer, covering 1000km. This is my story…
One of my goals this year was to try pedaling for 1000km non-stop. My wife, who is involved with the Red Cross, suggested that I do it for charity, and I didn’t think twice! I called the Red Cross, explained to them the project, and the event was planned before the call was finished.
I only had 8 days to organize everything, but luckily I’m in a period of excellent form this year. Due to the various lockdowns we have had, I will have covered (between indoor and outdoor rides) a personal record of 40,000km this year!
In the week before the big ride I only rode have my usual time each day. I usually train 3 hours a day, waking up at 3:30, but for this week I tried to wake up later, around 5. I also decided to ride in my comfortable living room instead of the basement.
Among other firsts, this would also be the first time in my life where there would be Red Cross staff to monitor and assist me for the entire duration of the ride, to ensure my health and safety. The day before the event my wife and I were invited to meet the president of the Red Cross, who thanked us for our work and handed me the jersey and shorts that I wore throughout the event (they performed admirably over 25 hours, with no bad consequences.)
On the day of the event, Saturday 19 December I woke up at 6 and ate breakfast with a nice big slice of panettone, an orange juice, and a multivitamin. I had avoided drinking coffee for the previous 3 days so I could use it during the night, which would be the hardest time of the day to ride.
After the last hardware and software check, at 7:59 am I started my long adventure. The goal was to ride 1000km on Zwift non-stop except for some normal physiological breaks and all within 26/27 hours total. The route I chose was the Tempus Fugit in Watopia. At about 17.7km in length, it would be covered 57 times!
The plan was to stay in the company of the C. Cadence pacer bot, which usually goes at a speed of 39-42km/h. What was difficult about this feat was that, in addition to pedaling continuously for 25 hours, I would have to maintain a constant solid pace for the entire duration without ever giving up!
The event was also live-streamed on Facebook, where while I was pedaling, I interacted with those who were watching me, answering their questions. This helped me pedal a lot without thinking too much about the fatigue and boredom.
25 hours of pedaling are long to describe I will limit myself only to the highlights. Let me start by saying that I was surprised by how many people supported me in every way, both by pedaling with me, by donating, by writing me messages… I was very impressed by all of this. I apologize if I couldn’t reply to all the messages and thank you in the moment.
The first hours passed quickly, between emotion and adrenaline I didn’t really feel them. Seeing the low number of kilometers and thinking about the final finish line made me feel a little discouraged, but I’m used to this kind of enterprise where the head counts as well as the legs.
Every hour I ate something, trying to alternate the salty with the sweet and also trying to eat proteins and fats and not just carbohydrates. For an effort and duration of this kind, it is necessary to eat proteins and fats to avoid muscle catabolism (the body destroying muscles for energy). Drinking is as fundamental as eating. Never get dehydrated! Every hour I tried to drink at least half a liter of liquids,
In the house it was 17 degrees and 45% humidity, which was the perfect environment. In fact, with the fan always on and oriented on me I did not sweat that much.
Looking back at my videos I realize that I was squinting – this was due to the sweat salt that accumulated near my eyes. I pedaled and talked, ate and drank. A nice loop, interrupted only by the Red Cross checking my vitals while I continued pedaling. Kilometer after kilometer, the goal was getting closer…
Finding something to say for 25 hours is not so simple! But it was rather easy because I always had numerous questions or curiosities to answer as well as greet the many friends from all over the world who follow me and encouraged me with their messages.
For lunch, I decided to eat a plate of dry pasta seasoned only with a little Parmesan, all while continuing to pedal. The problem was my portion was too abundant, and in the following hours, I felt affected. The blood goes to the stomach and muscles don’t feel so strong anymore. I made a small mistake but fortunately, apart from a bit of difficulty in staying with my pace group, I survived and had no performance drops.
Miles and time passed, among other things on Zwift I was accompanied by several friends who accompanied me from all over the world. In my difficult moments they helped by pulling me back into the main group. I do not hide the fact that in the central part of the day the group was very large: the average speed was always around 42km per hour and I had to focus on not losing it due to the constant changes in speed.
The first 12 hours flew by. My dinner was 2 small slices of margherita pizza that I enjoyed like never before. I would have eaten two whole pizzas but then I would have been off the bike! 
Around midnight I had my only brief crisis of the whole ride. My feet were quite sore, I couldn’t push as much as I should, and I was struggling to keep up with the expected speed. So I decided to lie down on the sofa for 5 minutes and take off my shoes. After that, I got up immediately and I never stopped except for another very short pee stop until the end.
The boys of the Red Cross measured my blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and BPM 8 different times. Each time it was the same values: 170/60, 99%, and 125-135bpm.
From 1-3am I thought I might have another crisis, but instead the hours passed smoothly. My legs were spinning well. During the night, many American friends of Team USMES kept me company, but also many other friends that I’ve met when training. I took some coffees to keep my body stimulated, wanting to keep a good pedal stroke.
The last 3 hours were the hardest in every sense, but I always had someone pedaling with me and helping me. If they saw me in trouble, they would help me rejoin the group or lend me a wheel to help maintain my average speed.
In the last 2 hours, I came detached from the pace partner group., it was hard to stay in the group, and when you detach it’s difficult to come back unless you can pedal at 4-5 watts per kilo. I did not have enough energy to do it, but when I came detached so did some other friends, many from Team Italy.
We ended up as a real team, crossing the 1000km finish line with applause from the people who were present in the house. The president and vice president of the Red Cross of Bolzano also arrived for the occasion.
Although it was the most tiring experience on a bike of my life, at the same time it was also the most exciting from all points of view.
In the end we managed to collect 2500 euros and for this I sincerely thank everyone. I also thank my family who allowed me to do all this by supporting me at all times when I needed it, and I thank all those who followed and encouraged me from their homes, and all the staff of the Italian Red Cross in Bolzano.
For data lovers, here are some key numbers from the event:
I would like to emphasize that the whole event was carried out in total safety with regard to the anti-COVID provisions. At home, the people present wore masks, except for me who was pedaling – I wore it when the safety distance was not guaranteed (photos and greetings). In addition, the whole apartment was constantly ventilated with the windows open. Thank you all for the affection you gave me!
Since this post went live, I’ve had multiple requests for a donation link. Here it is: http://gofund.me/a1eea9a5
Thinking of doing a long ride on Zwift? Or perhaps you already have? Share your thoughts below!
UPDATE February 10, 2025: TrainerRoad x Zwift rolled out Training API integration today, so Zwifters no longer need to use the more hacky method explained below to ride a TrainerRoad workout in Zwift. (That said, the method explained here may be handy if you want to do something a bit unorthodox like riding a TrainerRoad workout while also riding a Zwift event.)
Many cyclists like myself love TrainerRoad for its plan builder, calendar, and massive library of progressive plans. But these same cyclists are often Zwifters who want to rack up Zwift miles while training! Additionally, Zwift’s virtual worlds are more engaging than TrainerRoad’s charts, often proving a welcome distraction from the suffering of a tough interval session.
Because of this, many cyclists go with the “best of both worlds” approach: letting TrainerRoad control the workout, while riding in Zwift for a more engaging and interesting visual experience.
But how is that done? Here are complete instructions for accomplishing this dual platform feat using a Windows PC.
These instructions have been tested and proven with a Wahoo KICKR v1 and also a Wahoo KICKR v5.
Assuming you already have a PC running Zwift and an ANT+ USB adapter, you simply need to buy a second ANT+ USB adapter. Ensure both are plugged in at the same time.
(I use this Anself USB ANT+ Stick and two of the Syncwire USB Extension Cables to get the ANT+ USB sticks closer to my KICKR. Read “Recommended ANT+ Sticks for Zwift” if you’d like further recommendations.)
Next, double-check that both ANT+ sticks are working and identified in Windows. Open device manager and check you have two devices shown under libusb-win32 devices.
You also need to run Zwift in Windowed mode, not full screen mode. This option is found under the main settings screen in Zwift:
Now that both ANT+ USB sticks are plugged in and working, start Zwift first and pair your devices. If you want to use TrainerRoad in Erg mode for the workout (the standard setup) do not select anything in Zwift for controllable power:
Next, start up TrainerRoad and pair your trainer and heart rate monitor. (I usually press the Windows key and then choose TrainerRoad from the start menu.) What is happening is that Zwift is paired to one ANT+ stick, then TrainerRoad is pairing to the second stick:
Once TrainerRoad is paired, open up your desired workout and click the small icon on the bottom right, the one with the four arrows all pointing inwards. You should then have Zwift taking up most of the screen, with your TrainerRoad workout shown at the bottom.
Now just start pedaling! The TrainerRoad workout will start and your Zwift avatar will start pedaling. The TrainerRoad workout instructions will appear in the center of your screen if they are provided and you have switched them on, as the video below shows:
You can run Zwift + TrainerRoad side by side in Windows 10 using Bluetooth, with two caveats: your computer must support Bluetooth 4.0, and that your trainer must support multi-channel Bluetooth.
The Wahoo KICKR 18 onwards and KICKR Core support this with the latest firmware. My Polar OH1 heart rate monitor does not support multi-channel, so in my testing, I could only get it connected to either TrainerRoad or Zwift. (These tests were carried out on an HP Envy 13 running Windows 10 20H2.)
I’ve not tried this out for extended periods, so please share in the comments if (and how) you’re able to run both apps on the same computer using Bluetooth.
So to run both, start up TrainerRoad and pair your trainer and HRM (if desired):
Now launch Zwift on your Windows laptop/desktop and also launch the Zwift companion app on your phone. Within Zwift ensure the settings are as follows to pair using Companion:
On the Companion app you need to wait until you see this screen with the orange bluetooth icon. From there you can then pair your trainer. If it doesn’t show at this point, jump into your phone’s Bluetooth settings and make sure it is seen and connected there.
You can now pair your devices from the main Zwift screen. In this example my HRM is paired as I didn’t pair it with TrainerRoad. Again, assuming you are doing a TrainerRoad workout, ensure nothing is selected for Controllable Trainer within Zwift. This allows TrainerRoad to control the resistance on your trainer.
Now open up your desired workout within TrainerRoad and click the small icon on the bottom right, the one with the four arrows all pointing inwards. You should then have Zwift taking up most of the screen, with your TrainerRoad workout shown at the bottom:
Now just start pedaling! The TrainerRoad workout will start and your Zwift avatar will start pedaling. The TrainerRoad workout instructions will appear in the center of your screen if they are provided and you have switched them on, as the video below shows:
The other option is continue to run Zwift as you do today and use a second device to run TrainerRoad. The specific instructions below are for a PC running Zwift over ANT+ and an iPad running TrainerRoad using Bluetooth. I have also used this method to run TrainerRoad on an iPhone as well as a Macbook.
First, pair your devices within Zwift, but do not select anything in Zwift for controllable power:
Then start up TrainerRoad on your iPad and pair your trainer and heart rate device.
then chose the workout on TrainerRoad on your iPad and simply start riding!
That’s it! Any questions? Ask in the comments and I will help if I can.
Share below!
Australians Neve Bradbury and Jay Vine were announced as the winners of Zwift Academy Road 2020 Saturday following a week of intense finals competition and a live-streamed finale.
It’s life-changing news for both riders, as they’ve earned contracts with UCI Pro teams for the 2021 season: Neve with CANYON//SRAM, and Jay with Alpecin-Fenix.
This year’s finals were very different from past years, since the finalists were unable to travel to team camps due to COVID restrictions. All competition took place from each finalist’s home location, with each finalist completing ramp tests and demanding workouts both on Zwift and outdoors.
Contenders faced daily challenges, including the unenviable challenge of trying to chase down Kasia Newiadoma and Mathieu van der Poel on Zwift and ‘speed dating’ with their prospective new teams. The finals culminated in Saturday’s live show hosted by Matt Stephens, in which the finalists competed in two separate races – a points race in Yorkshire and a TT in Bologna.
Watch the live show:
While Zwift was careful to say that Saturday’s live finale’s race results wouldn’t be the final decision maker for the pro contracts, both Jay (25 years old) and Neve (18 years old) won their Bologna TT races in commanding fashion. (Technically Jay didn’t win, since his trainer lost connection just seconds from the line. But he was well ahead when it happened.)
In the men’s points race, community veteran Lionel Vujasin’s commanding performance put Jay in 2nd place, while Neve took first place by the smallest of margins, beating Kate McCarthy by one point.
“I was stoked to make it to the finals in the first place,” said Bradbury from her home in Melbourne. “After the first day I wasn’t sure how I was going to go, but as the week went on I started to feel more positive. It’s so exciting. I’m stoked to have a coach, to use all of the equipment, and just to experience as much as I can. I know there’s a lot to learn and improve on but I’ll just try to help the team as much as I can”.
“I’m ecstatic!” says Vine. “I didn’t think it was going to happen this year, this is just incredible. I just had to focus on giving as good as I could and make no mistakes. I can’t wait to get over there to Europe – when do I start?! It’s incredible. I don’t know what I can say… when can I start?”
CANYON//SRAM Racing Team Manager, Ronny Lauke: “The Zwift Academy has proven over the last years that it identifies raw talent that has the ability to become one of the best in the sport. The recent winners have shown with their impact on road cycling and results—Women’s World Tour top ten performances, podiums at UCI races, national champion titles—how much credibility the program has. In 2020, the Zwift Academy finals were extremely challenging. We had five finalists and all had their own strengths. The level of competitiveness amongst them was very demanding. Neve stood out with her very consistent results and best performances throughout the week. We are looking forward to working with her in the team environment.”
If you are reading this, then I don’t have to tell you of the myriad benefits of cycling. But I will anyway! They include:
While the pedal stroke is low-impact and joint-friendly, over time the postural demands of cycling and its repetitive nature can lead to muscular imbalances which may limit the body’s ability to perform at peak level and dramatically increase the chance of overuse injury and chronic pain.
Most indoor cycling injuries are due to muscle imbalances and overuse. Hours of cycling in the bent-over position create tightness in the quadriceps and the psoas (hip flexors), which acts to pull the pelvis into a forward tilt, overloading the muscles of the lumbar spine while at the same time weakening the abdominals. This also causes the opposing hamstrings and glutes to be weakened and calves tightened.
Additionally, there’s the neck and upper back soreness we all feel as we hunch over the bars with rounded shoulders and head raised. The stationary nature of virtual cycling makes this soreness even worse.
As a Physical Therapist in Sports Medicine private practice for over 25 years, I have seen the deleterious effects of hours in the saddle. As a competitive amateur cyclist for the majority of that time, my experience provides a unique perspective. I have suffered from most injuries myself and am perhaps my own worst patient.
Despite this, I have always practiced by a simple edict: “As a Physical Therapist it is not my job to tell you to stop doing what you love to do, rather to treat and teach so that you don’t have to!” Because I know quite well that I wouldn’t stop riding either, despite injuries!
In this Zwift Insider series, I intend to utilize my experience to provide a basic understanding of common cycling injuries, including their treatment and prevention. Hopefully, this will keep you riding optimally or get you back on the bike quickly without pain.
We will address each injury through the following active approach:
We’ll look at injuries related to problem areas common to cyclists: knees, hips, low back, and feet… amongst others.
Stay tuned, as in the next edition of this series I will address cycling pathology of the knee, including patellar and quadriceps tendinitis, iliotibial band friction syndrome, and other disorders. We will examine active intervention measures to keep you riding, training, and racing at your best!
Comment below if you suffer from any of the cycling “aches and pains” mentioned, or if you have a few of your own. That way I can be sure to address them in upcoming installments.
Early in 2020, Monica (my wife) and I were chatting about fitness goals for the new year. After setting a goal of riding 5 days a week for the first three months of the year, Monica upped the stakes even more: she asked me to create a plan for her to ride all of Zwift’s routes in 90 days.
It sounded like a fun challenge, so I dove in. And what you see here is the result, although it’s been updated since its initial release to account for new routes.
The route list can be found here.
The schedule was last updated August 25, 2021, but is no longer being maintained, since it’s a pain to re-juggle the schedule each time Zwift releases a new route.
The schedule is now outdated, since we haven’t been updating it to account for new route releases.
When it was last updated, there were 92 “free-ridable” routes on Zwift. (There are many other “event-only” routes available, but we’re leaving these off the list since they are event-dependant, don’t give you a route completion badge, and are not included in the Zwift Insider Route Hunter Leaderboards.)
I broke the routes into 5 groups, roughly based on difficulty as described by the number of water bottles (bidons) you may need to finish the route:
Once we had that list, I organized it into a progressive schedule of 60 rides. (That is 12 weeks of 5 rides per week, or you can complete it in under 9 weeks if you ride every day.)
The schedule doesn’t tell you specifically which route to ride, until the very end when we’re on the hardest routes Zwift has to offer. Instead, it will have you choose a route from the list based on bidon count – so you may need to select a 2-bidon route for the day, or a 4-bidon route, or perhaps 2 different 1-bidon routes.
This gives you the flexibility to choose routes you want to ride, especially since some won’t be available based on the guest world calendar if you’re not interested in world hacking.
The schedule begins with easy efforts, having you ride just one or two of the easy 1 bidon routes per day. The idea here is that even a beginning cyclist could take on this challenge.
But as it builds to the 3 bidon routes, we intersperse difficult rides with recovery rides, so your body can properly recover. Remember: you don’t get stronger while you ride, you get stronger afterward when your body recovers! So take it easy on the recovery days so your body can be ready for the harder rides.
The final 5 hard rides of the schedule are Zwift’s toughest routes:
Make sure you are well-hydrated and stocked with necessary nutrition before you take these rides on, as they will take you anywhere from 3-6+ hours to complete.
Here are two printable PDFs to help you with this challenge. You’ll need them both!
On April 10, 2020, Monica completed the the Couch to Route Hero challenge! She began on January 5th.
Read her weekly progress posts >
Thoughts on the schedule? Thinking of taking on the challenge? Comment below!
