Using Zwift Races as a Training Tool

Women’s racing on Zwift is alive and well!  If riders do some digging in the Zwift Companion app, they will find an entirely new set of weekly races, recently launched in partnership with Zwift and Femme Cycle Collab (FCC) (see zwift.com/events/tag/womensracing). These events are designed to offer a variety of race types and distances in Zwift’s weekly calendar specifically to encourage women to race. 

While race every day isn’t encouraged, many athletes and coaches use races as training opportunities. There are several ways that weekly races can be used to enhance your training…

Sprint Development

Any race with sprint segments can offer riders an opportunity to test and work on sprinting techniques.  The challenge of trying a seated sprint versus a standing sprint or attempting sprints across various distances are options that numerous Zwift courses offer on a regular basis.  Learning to sit in the draft before each segment and timing an attack is more easily accomplished on multi-lap races with the same segments resurfacing.  This training tool can make sprint intervals more inviting, especially in the earlier stages of a sprinter’s development.

Over/Unders or VO₂ Intervals

Individual time trials (iTT) and hill climb races can both allow riders to target working just over and just under different levels of power thresholds, depending on the intensity and duration of the interval.  Both types of races allow riders the opportunity to control the pace/effort.  Not every race win is measured by competitor placement. Sometimes the win is completing a workout effort while in the company of other women.

Riders can get creative.  Some enter events that allow them to put pain into the race group (peloton) while they work for a teammate sitting in the draft waiting for the chance to pounce at the finish.  This is the art of being a domestique rider and can be highly sought after role within teams.

VO2Max

The Zwift Insider Tiny Races (or FCC mini races) offer a fantastic opportunity for VO2Max training.  These events typically come in sets of three or four, where riders enter and complete successive, micro-distance races, with final scoring determined by performance across all the events. Since these races typically range from 5-10 minute high intensity efforts, a rider is almost guaranteed at least 16 cumulative minutes of VO2Max in one hour of racing. 

An added tactical bonus: these races can be helpful for practicing race starts. Determining when to ramp power before the banner drops, holding proper high power out of the pens, and “settling in” the pack to draft efficiently can be done three or four times in just one Tiny Racing hour. 

Increase Training Load

Sometimes athletes need additional time in their training schedule that targets mixed aerobic efforts.  Chase races (staggered start events), long scratch races, or events similar to the WOW Chaingang (ramped group workout) hosted by Full Speed Events offer this type of effort.  These events tend to build up a steady burn when raced with aerobic efforts in mind, and they are an excellent way for athletes to supplement longer training days when the schedule begins to feel monotonous. 

Extra Motivation 

At times, training gets stale.  Even some of the best athletes will skip workouts because they “just can’t face another day on the trainer.”  Hopping in with a group can be the motivation they need to reignite healthy anticipation that structure can diminish.  With the collaborative launch of the Zwift x FCC Events, opportunities for female riders are opening up. Events such as Tiny Races and short scratch races can even help you warm up for some longer aerobic intervals if you race them with a mindful, warm-up paced effort.

Helping Others

Sometimes riders sprinkle in an extra challenge, where they will ride at a targeted pace while keeping eyes on a teammate through the “fan view” option.  One athlete gets their training ride in as they fan view the race and their teammate gets a Director Sportif (DS) or a domestique for their event – a true win-win.  

Read “How to Watch Another Rider In a Zwift Race” >

A Race Experience

As much as some athletes find joy in the monotony of structured training, the training itself will only get them as far as the data instructs them or they instruct themselves.  The only way to see how they will respond to racing is to race their bike. Practice races are excellent “weak spot and strong spot identifiers.”  At some point all the training pays off, but in order to reap the most benefit, riders need to test out their strengths, identify new areas to work on, patch those to proficiency. and repeat the process. It’s similar to taste testing a soup, where you need to sprinkle in spices intermittently until it is “just right.”

Wrapping It Up

In summary, women’s races of all types and distances can be used to enhance or supplement training for all athletes at any stage of fitness, regardless of racing level.  Riders with the best success enter events with clear goals in mind, setting aside the overall goal of event placement. 

See how these tips can add a bit of spark and satisfaction to your training. To begin your search, head to “Events” in the Zwift Companion App, and with the “Women Only Event” filter applied, look for events hosted or “presented by (p/b)” Femme Cycling Collab. You can also see upcoming FCC events at zwift.com/events/tag/womensracing.

Questions or Comments?

Have you used Zwift races as a training tool? Got any tips we didn’t share above? Share below!