Zwift has announced the 20 semi-finalists (10 under-23 men and 10 women) for Zwift Academy 2018.
To qualify, riders had to complete a structured program of group rides, races, and workouts in Zwift over a eight week period. Starting October 15 these athletes will continue to the next round of cycling tests to determine who will advance to the finals at their potential team camps.
Drumroll Please…
The 10 CANYON//SRAM Racing | Zwift Academy Semi-Finalists are:
Helen McKay – London, England
Ella Harris – Dunedin, New Zealand
Eva Buchholz – Wiesbaden, Germany
Harriet Dodd – Brighton, England
Elne Owen – East London, South Africa
Ione Johnson -Wellington, New Zealand
Laura Van Regenmortel -Zoetermeer, Netherlands
Catherine Colyn -Paarl, South Africa
Mary Wilkinson – North Yorkshire, England
Nathalie Eklund – Hagersten, Sweden
The 10 Team Dimension Data | Zwift Academy Semi-Finalists are:
Oliver Young – Auckland, New Zealand
Max Jones – Christchurch, New Zealand
Byron Munton – Cape Town, South Africa
Alex West – Palmerston North, New Zealand
Oliver Peckover – Nottingham, England
Martin Lavrič – Ljubjana, Slovenia
Bradley Gouveris – Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Hernan Silvera – San Carlos, Uruguay
Patrick Christopher – High Wycombe, England
Mathieu Vansteenkiste – Oostende, Belgium
CANYON//SRAM Racing | Zwift Academy riders will receive Wahoo KICKR trainers and Rapha kit while the Team Dimension Data | Zwift Academy Semi-Finalists will each receive Elite Direto trainers. In addition all twenty semi-finalists will receive SoleStar KONTROL cycling insoles.
A Look at the Numbers
This year has seen 5,000 women take part in the CANYON//SRAM Racing | Zwift Academy, over double the number of participants from 2018.
On the men’s side the 10 semi-finalists from the Team Dimension Data | Zwift Academy emerged from a staggering crop of 30,000 cyclists from across the globe.
What’s Next?
Following the end of the semi-finals, twenty will become six. These six finalists (three from each program) will travel to their respective week-long team camps in Cape Town, South Africa and Malaga, Spain to ride and complete structured drills with their prospective teams, after which two professional contracts will be awarded.
While I believe that Zwift is the world’s top indoor cycling (and running) simulator, I also believe its greatest strength is the Zwiftcommunity. Consider that:
Community members organize and lead many regular Zwift rides and nearly all Zwift races
Zwifters provide the valuable feedback which helps squish bugs and push Zwift features forward
Social connections keep many people in cycling, and it’s no different indoors
Zwift’s best advertising is done by Zwifters. In my experience, non-Zwifters don’t “get it” until a Zwifter explains it to them. Enthusiastic Zwifters pull in more Zwifters.
There are many things Zwift is already doing to build the social side of the platform:
Supporting community projects like ZwiftPower, Zwiftcast, ZwiftInsider, etc
Upgrading their own support forums
Engaging people actively in social media
But here’s a key piece that is still missing: voice interaction.
Let’s Talk, Community!
I know Zwift toyed with this idea over a year ago, but ran into difficulties with implementation. And I get that–figuring out how to let Zwifters talk to each other without negatively impacting other Zwifters’ experience is no easy task.
While we wait for Zwift to figure out how to make it work seamlessly in-game, perhaps the community needs to embrace and push a standard to bring voice chat into the realm of the “normal Zwift experience.” That’s why I’m writing this post. Because the Zwift community already has a simple tool at their fingertips to engage Zwifters with voice interaction: Discord.
It’s a relatively simple app. It’s free. And it works great–all you need is a smart phone with some earbuds. But we aren’t using it enough! In fact, I’ve joined several group rides lately which include a Discord channel link in the event description… but no one on the ride is logged into the channel. Bummer.
I love using Discord, especially on longer rides. Wagner’s Wagon is a metric century ride led by Justin Wagner of TeamODZ every Thursday morning at 4:15AM Pacific time. This ride typically has several folks signed into Discord (including Justin), and it’s the voice chat that makes the miles fly by. Zwift is an entirely different experience when you can talk and joke with others. It’s like riding outside, but without the wind in your ears!
So this is my call to all Zwifters: let’s embrace Discord. Ride organizers: set up a channel and share the invite link. Riders: install Discord and use it on group rides. Let’s make this happen!
This week Zwifters celebrate the IRONMAN World Championships happening in Kona, Hawaii with a new mission and a new bike.
About the Bike
The new Specialized S-Works Shiv Disc has been kept tightly under wraps until it was unveiled today in Kona, where it will be used by a handful of Specialized-sponsored top pros. It’s a radical bike, made specifically for winning at Kona and breaking lots of UCI rules in the process.
The new Shiv’s most noticeable features are the seat tube “fuel cell” and the front fork with legs which extend all the way to the top of the head tube. But Specialized made a number of radical changes in this completely revamped bike… watch them discuss it below:
Mission Details
To enter the mission, accept it at the Zwift startup screen and agree to the terms.
Completing the mission requires you to ride 112 miles (180km) by 11:59PM PST, October 14, 2018. This distance can be completed over as many Zwift sessions as it takes.
Additionally, those 112 miles must be completed on the Shiv Disc bike. Miles on other bikes do not count towards mission completion. Zwift will automatically put you on the Shiv Disc once you sign up for the mission. Watch out if you’re participating in a non-TT race while taking part in this mission, as you will be placed on the Shiv before your race starts!
Prizes
One lucky Zwifter will win a high-spec version of the new Shiv, which has an approximate retail value of $14,000US. Wow!
10 Zwifters will get to keep the bike in-game, while everyone else will have to wait for the virtual store rollout, which should be happening in the next 4-8 weeks.
How Fast Is the New Shiv?
According to BikeRadar, the new Shiv “is claimed to be a minute faster around the Kona Ironman course compared to the fastest possible 2011-era Shiv setup.”
What about the new Shiv in Zwift? Unfortunately, it’s not any faster than the Zwift TT bike. In fact, it was a bit slower based on my tests this morning, approximately 10 seconds slower per Watopia Figure 8 lap. My guess is Zwift may adjust this a bit in the future to make the bike more appealing to Zwifters.
I’ve worn many hats after 20+ years as a self-employed tech guy. One of my favorite hats has been photographer. I’ve shot portraits, products, weddings, food, landscapes… you get the idea.
Nowadays, though, most of my photos are taken with an iPhone out on the bike. These photos really only see the light of day on my Strava profile. Some are taken so I can remember that moment in time, while others are taken so I can share the experience with my Strava followers. I upload pics from my Zwift sessions for the same reasons.
Just like “real” photography, getting a good shot on Zwift isn’t as easy as pushing F10. You’ve got to pay attention to your lighting, angles, background, etc. It’s a more restricted environment, but one with plenty of possibilities. And while it may seem silly to some, pushing the limits of these possibilities is fun for many, including myself.
So here it is: your definitive guide to shooting and sharing good Zwift screenshots.
How to Shoot: the Basics
Taking the Shot
There are three ways to take a photo in Zwift:
Your computer keyboard: press F10 to snap a shot.
Zwift Companion app: scroll the action buttons at the bottom of the map screen until you see the camera (last button on the right).
In-game action bar: in iOS/Android, just tap the screen to get this pop up. AppleTV uses the remote, and on a desktop computer, click the up arrow. This brings up an action bar that includes a camera button.
Photos are stored on the device which is running Zwift–that is, if you take a photo using Zwift Companion, it will be saved to the computer which is actually running the game.
On Windows, photos are stored under Photos/Zwift. Here’s what my folder looks like:
What’s Your Angle?
The first thing you can do to make your photos more interesting is to change camera angle. The default angle on Zwift is great for zwifting, but completely uninteresting for screenshots!
On a computer, just hit a number key to change it:
1: Default 6 o’clock view 2: Third person view 3: First person shooter perspective 4: To the side front-left of the rider 5: Rearview from the right of the rear wheel 6: Head on to the rider 7: Spectator view 8: Helicopter view 9: Bird’s eye view (PC/Mac only) 0: Drone View – use the arrow keys, +, and – keys to move and zoom camera (PC/Mac only)
On Zwift Companion or iOS/AppleTV/Android look for the eyeball button to click and change the camera angle. Here’s what each camera angle produces:
Light Up Your Life
Any photographer worth their screen cap will tell you lighting is always a top concern. Photography is just capturing light, after all. Zwift shots also require good lighting, but for most shots it basically comes down to the difference between your rider being in the shade (bad) or full light (good).
Here are two samples for you. Notice how the second picture of each pair is much more interesting, as the subject of the photo is well lit.
Runner is shaded, not good
Runner is lit, very nice
Rider is shaded, not good
Rider is lit, very nice
Of course, the lighting challenge on Zwift is that you can’t move lights around to get the look you want! And some courses like New York have a lot of foliage or buildings which create spotty shade.
If you’re really chasing a good shot, you may need to flip a u-turn or take multiple shots to get one where your avatar is lit the way you’d like. The good news is, you’re not having to pay for extra film!
Advanced Shooting Tips
What’s Your Point of View?
If you want a real pro Zwift pic, you’re going to be on a computer with a keyboard so you can hit 0 and move the camera yourself.
Tapping 0 puts you in “drone view” where you can use your four arrow keys to move the camera up, down, left and right. Additionally, hitting the – or + keys will zoom in and out.
Once you get comfortable with this setting it is very easy to use, and that’s good because the angle of your shot can make all the difference. I’m partial to low angles, taken from near street level. Here’s an example:
I’ve found in drone mode the camera doesn’t usually want to go low if you just hit the down arrow. But if you hit the up arrow first for a bit, THEN down, it will go lower than it would before! Give it a try.
Clean Is In
Unless you have a reason for displaying the various on-screen metrics, “clean” shots look much cooler. On computers, every shot you take is saved with a “clean” version and one with the HUD. Sorry, iOS/AppleTV/Android users: your pictures will always include the HUD elements.
Sharing Your Shot(s)
Zwift Sharing Settings
By default Zwift takes some snapshots as you ride and uploads them to Strava. You can change this behavior through the Settings menu so it only uploads the photos you take (my preference), or never uploads photos.
Changing the Highlight Photo
Strava will choose the first picture you upload as your activity’s “highlight” photo. If you’d rather use a different shot (this is often the case), simply edit your activity, clicking the photo you want to highlight, and choose “Set as Highlight Photo”.
Your Tips Welcome
Got any other tips for Zwift photographers? Share them below!
Editor’s note: Garry Twiss is a long-time member of the first Zwift team I ever joined (Team TFC) so we’ve raced virtually together many times. When he messaged me about a new project for the Zwift community I knew he was onto something special. As I see it, Garry’s ZwiftChallenge is a novel tool for our community, since it helps motivate each of us to push harder while exploring all the challenging routes Zwift has to offer. (I didn’t realize until I connected my Strava account to ZwiftChallenge there were several routes–the big ones–I still hadn’t completed on Watopia.)
I asked Garry to write up a post about the genesis of this project, and the details of how it works. Here’s what he had to say.
Its 7:23pm and I’ve got my eye on a Zwift session this evening, but the first hurdle to clear is the usual family routine of preparing school and work lunches, walk the dog and getting the kids to bed. There’s a race at 8pm, or a group ride at 8:15pm. I can make either, I just need to get the kids to bed and make my wife a coffee (for good measure!).
7:38pm, lunches made, the dog was walked before tea and my wife has everything under control and gives the green light for me to head to the Zwift cave! Bonus. It’s 7:50pm, so do I want to warm up for the race or wait for the group ride? Do I want an all-out hour effort or an easy spin with an optional mini race at the end? Truth is, after the usual hectic work/life balance I just want to get on and ride!
Zwift has made it so easy for those seeking fitness to be engaged in a workout while physically on our own usually in a cold garage or outbuilding. My non-cyclist friends just can’t understand how I get so enthusiastic about exercise, whilst my cycling friends can’t understand how I can go an entire year riding indoors (well, that is until they try it.) The biggest pull for many is the convenience that Zwift is ready when you’re ready. There’s no travel time to the local gym, there’s no weather to negotiate and there’s no class to be on time for. The work/life/fitness is balanced according to your schedule.
Despite the relative ease of the platform we all need a goal, something to point towards. A famous Yankees player once said “if you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up someplace else” – Yogi Berra. Trouble is, not everyone is a competitive racer or aspiring professional athlete, so as much as we read the myriad of fitness articles that will give us more power in 12 weeks, or rapidly improve our recovery time with various supplements, for your average Zwifter do these really make much difference? Do I need to balance my ‘base period’ and ‘peak period’ and build a training plan with periodization? For me, probably not. But I want a challenge, a goal and something to achieve on my terms according to my schedule.
This is where the idea of ZwiftChallenge came from. I wanted to find all the toughest routes on Zwift that would naturally challenge me. There are now many indoor cyclists who have invested in smart trainers and additional accessories to further immerse themselves into the virtual worlds on Zwift. Being one of them, why do I want to reduce the trainer difficulty or turn it off so I don’t end up into the downward spiral of a workout in Erg mode? Listing all the challenges was eye opening when I realized I had only completed 4 out of the 15 routes. I had something new to do, a goal to aim at! On top of that, each course profile was going to test my ability and put my smart trainer to work.
So ZwiftChallenge was built to allow automatic tracking of that goal. Using Zwift Insider’s verified Strava segments I connected to Strava to track just those challenging routes and display them in the Palmares page, to show the achievements made so far and which courses are still left to complete (I have many!). Three Sisters is a particular favourite as the course profile provides an excellent workout with natural recovery periods built in. I also hadn’t realised just how many challenges there are on Zwift so it was a case of stick to what you know.
Palmares page
The Palmares page was a big tick in the box, I liked what it was telling me and gave me something to work towards. The only downside to the bigger challenges is time. Something like the Mega Pretzel requires my whole afternoon or being able to start much earlier in the evening. So how can I repeat a challenge and be rewarded for my efforts? Where’s the motivation?
Another pull factor on Zwift that taps into our inner competitiveness are the timed segments in game where you can go for a PB or challenge the live leaderboard. The problem I face, however, is that I am your average athlete and end up in an average position on the leaderboard. Which is fine, it’s just not something I can use for motivation. So how can I create a leaderboard that puts everyone on an even footing?
ZwiftChallenge leaderboard (click for live leaderboard)
This is where the points system came from. Using points that are relative to your own effort, everyone has the chance to earn the same amount of points. On top of this, if you work hard and try to beat, or get within 5% of your best time (not someone else’s) on a given course, you are rewarded with bonus points. If you beat your previous best time you become the King or Queen of your own mountain, which is summarised in your athlete summary by the acronym KYM or QYM. Without delving into sports science of power numbers, stress scores and heart rate zones, the general rule is the more points you earn, the fitter and faster you become.
So now the motivation comes from completing all of the current 15 challenges on Zwift, gaining as many KYM’s or QYM’s as you can, and climbing the leaderboard through your own effort.
The 2018 leaderboard so far has seen some impressive entries, and we are still waiting for that rider who has completed all 15 challenges. But everyone has the chance to climb the leaderboard, just plan to ride those challenges and see your points and your fitness grow.
Feedback has been very positive, so whilst Zwifters continue to register their Zwift Challenge efforts, development is underway to create 12 annual game periods to see how many points you can generate in blocks of 4 to 5 weekly intervals and hopefully by spring, deliver you sportive ready for the outdoor (or even indoor) season.
Watopia’s “That’s Amore” is aptly named, since it is the only running route which takes you through the full Italian Villas section. Released in the September 30, 2018 update, this is a twisty route on mostly mixed-use roads.
You’ll begin by running northward through the start/finish and into the tunnel to downtown. Loop around onto the main road, which takes you over The Esses in a reverse direction. Cross JWB bridge and you’ll find yourself on the cobbles of the Italian Villas. Continue out of town past the waterfall and over the 360 bridge, then turn back onto the run path for a lap finish.
About gradient/elevation in Zwift Run: while gradient changes are visually apparent on Zwift roads, runners don’t feel any resistance or gradient changes when hitting inclines in game. This lets you set your treadmill to whatever gradient you prefer. The elevation numbers sent to Strava are then recorded from your treadmill, so if you run at 0% your run will show no elevation gain, while running at 3% will show a steady 3% gain throughout your effort.
“Jon’s Route” is named after the game’s creator/head developer Jon Mayfield, who is an avid runner himself. At 12.5km it is the longest run route available at the time of the September 30, 2018 update.
You’ll begin by running northward through the start/finish and into the tunnel to downtown. Hang a right onto the main road, then a left onto Ocean Blvd for a run through the underwater tunnels. Hit the docks and dirt of the fishing village, get over the 360 bridge and you’re on the dedicated run path. From there you’ll make your way onto the skyway, run along the beach, then return through the lap banner in the opposite direction you began.
About gradient/elevation in Zwift Run: while gradient changes are visually apparent on Zwift roads, runners don’t feel any resistance or gradient changes when hitting inclines in game. This lets you set your treadmill to whatever gradient you prefer. The elevation numbers sent to Strava are then recorded from your treadmill, so if you run at 0% your run will show no elevation gain, while running at 3% will show a steady 3% gain throughout your effort.
Watopia’s “Chili Pepper” run route was introduced in the September 30, 2018 update. Most of this route is on mixed-use tarmac, so watch out for bikes!
You’ll begin by running northward through the start/finish and into the tunnel to downtown. Loop onto the main road and head over the tube bridge into the volcano, then take the land bridge to the Italian Villas and past the waterfall. From there it’s a short distance over the 360 bridge and back into Run Valley for your finish.
About gradient/elevation in Zwift Run: while gradient changes are visually apparent on Zwift roads, runners don’t feel any resistance or gradient changes when hitting inclines in game. This lets you set your treadmill to whatever gradient you prefer. The elevation numbers sent to Strava are then recorded from your treadmill, so if you run at 0% your run will show no elevation gain, while running at 3% will show a steady 3% gain throughout your effort.
Mission Details
