About this Series
Since March I have become obsessed with the weekly WTRL Team Time Trial… so I asked Eric if I could share my obsession with you all, in weekly doses.
Each week I will give you a profile of the upcoming route, guidance on bike choice, and some target times if you want to aim for the Premiere League (top-10 in each coffee class get to be in a special race televised on YouTube).
If you can’t ride (or even if you can ride, but want more action) tune in to the live TV show on Zwift Community Live’s YouTube Channel at 6:15 (UK time)
One Lap of Casse-Pattes
Off to belles-France this week. The route is a single short lap of Casse-Pattes. At 23km with a 900M lead-in I believe it might be the shortest TTT we have done for a long time. This is one of those “flat except where it isn’t” courses. Casse-Pattes takes a clockwise loop around France, up and over the aqueduct then at the t-junction takes a left turn up and over the Petit-KOM before a downhill finish into town.
Zwift Insider has a couple of useful Strava segments for this course – the one that does a lap from the gate so add in that 900M lead-in, and one for the Petit KOM.
What to Ride?
Despite the decent-sized KOM, for the most part this is a flat route. Eric and I chatted about this – and both of us agree in the Venge/Super 9 vs Tron battle, Tron probably wins… with luck he will get a chance to run some performance tests, in which case I will update this. In the meantime my decision will be Tron – because my hill game isn’t where it needs to be so I don’t want to get dropped by the team at the end of the ride.
That gives some insight into how you might want to think of this ride – do you want to accentuate your positives or combat your weaknesses? Are you strong on the flat or on the hills? Choose your bike and wheels accordingly.
Here are some recommendations on equipment at various levels:
- Level 6 Zwift Aero frame and DT Swiss ARC 62 wheels
- Level 10 Canyon Aeroad 2021 and DT Swiss ARC 62 wheels
- Level 13 Canyon Aeroad 2021 and Zipp 808s
- Level 18 Specialized Venge with Zipp 808s
- Level 25 Cervelo S5 with Zipp 808s
- Level 33 S-Works Venge with ENVE SES 8.9
- Level 35 S-Works Venge with Zipp 808/Super 9
- Level 45 get those 858/Super 9 wheels and pair them with the S-Works Venge
I know I say it every week but it is doubly important this week. Get the Tron!
Route Recon Rides
This is quite a popular route for group rides and races so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a recce. Check out the event listing on zwifthacks.com to see for yourself. Of course, you can always set up a Meetup using the Companion App to have a private ride around the course.
Race Recon
I break this ride into two parts… the flat before the Petit KOM, and the Petit KOM.
Before the KOM things are pretty much flat. You will build up great speed as you roll through the marina and flatlands. There are a few false flats up and down as you progress here, but essentially nothing of note except the view until 12.9km when you start the bump up and over the aqueduct. As always – by the time you get to the KOM marker for the aqueduct you are basically at the top. This is a 900 meter “climb” rising 21 meters progressively. Descend and then it’s flat until you hit the Petit KOM at 17.6km.
The Petit KOM is a lovely 2.7km climb at 4% in a series of switchbacks. Once you descend there is only a small sprint to the end.
Wrap up
The make or break here is the flat before the Petit KOM. How well can you get into formation and drive the team hard? Then once you get to the KOM it’s just about surviving at speed up the hill with your fastest 4.
wpDiscuz
