The sixth and final race of Zwift Racing League 2024/25 Round 2 happens Tuesday, December 17, and we’ll be in Watopia for a race on the new user-created route “Tair Dringfa Fechan” (Welsh for three little hills).
There’s much to discuss, including a route we’ve never raced plus bike choice, powerup locations, and strategic approaches. Let’s go!
Looking at the Route: Tair Dringfa Fechan
If Watopia’s Tair Dringfa Fechan isn’t familiar to you, you’re not alone. This is just the second route ever added to the game as the result of a design contest. Racer Bryan Culliford (CLS) came up with it, and Zwifters voted it as their favorite from a narrowed-down list of candidates.
The route is 32.1km long, with 375m of total elevation:
This is just a scratch race, so while some intermediate portions will be important, in the end all that matters is your finishing position. Here are the key sections of the route:
Climb Up Base of Epic KOM @4.6-6.4km: the first and biggest climb of the race. This one starts quite steep, then turns into a steady 2-3% grade over the bridge Zwifter Rob Bane aptly labeled “The Bridge of Fading Watts.” The elastic will snap for some here, although they may be able to chase back on during the 4km descent that follows.
JWB Sprint banner @14.4km gives all riders a feather powerup. This is best saved for the Hilly KOM just up the road.
Hilly KOM @15.2-16.5: our next key climb section is one we haven’t raced before. You begin by going up the base of the Hilly KOM Reverse, but then take the cutoff road over to the Hilly KOM forward and climb the second half of that pitch up to the arch. We’ll all get anvil powerups at the top, and these are probably best used on the descent immediately following.
Volcano arch @22.8km gives all riders a draft boost powerup. Use this in the pack to grab extra recovery before reaching the lap arch in downtown Watopia.
Lap arch at @25.3km gives all riders a feather powerup. You’ll want to save this feather for use on the finishing climb!
Lead-In to the Finish @26.5-30.5km: once you turn left onto the desert road, you’ll be (mostly) climbing for the next 4km. Attacking here probably isn’t the wise move for most riders, but sitting in the wheels well-positioned and conserving for that final KOM is.
Titans Grove KOM Reverse @31.2km: this race features an uphill finish, and the climb will take most riders 80-120 seconds to complete. Pace yourself accordingly, and know that sitting in the wheels, especially near the bottom where speeds are still decently high, will save you a few watts.
Read more about the Tair Dringfa Fechan route >
PowerUp Notes
Riders will receive powerups at each arch, as noted above, for a total of 4 powerup opportunities. Specific powerups will be given at specific arches, and they have been chosen so they’re particularly useful on the roads just ahead. Here’s more info about how each powerup works.
Lightweight (feather): reduces your weight by 10% for 30 seconds. Use on climbs, when weight matters the most. With key climbs in this race, including the finish, the feather is a very useful powerup.
Draft Boost (van): increases the draft effect you are experiencing for 40 seconds. Use at higher speeds (flats and descents) when you are already drafting off another rider (since this powerup only helps when you are drafting.) Use this for recovery in the group on flats and descents. It will even give you an advantage when drafting on slacker climbs at race speed!
Anvil: makes you heavier for up to 15 seconds, so you can descend faster. The amount of weight added is based on a percentage of your body weight, and that percentage increases as riders get lighter. It won’t hurt you, as it only adds weight when the road is at a -1.5% decline or greater. Use this on downhills. Pair it with a supertuck to go extra fast with zero effort!
Bike Frame + Wheel Choice
This route is rolling in profile, which means a pure climbing rig will cost you more than it’ll help. Lots of different setups will perform similarly on the rolling hills, but the question many should ask is “What will help me most on three climbs?”
I ran a few tests at 5 w/kg on the Epic KOM climb – the first and largest climb of the race. I had to use Strava for times, which means they were rounded to the nearest second, which is a painful loss of precision. That said, the “aero-all-arounders” seem like the best choice:
- Pinarello Dogma 2024 + DT Swiss Disc: 4:14
- Pinarello Dogma 2024 + ENVE 7.8: 4:14
- Tron: 4:15
- Specialized Aethos + Lightweight Meilenstein: 4:15
- Specialized Venge S-Works + DT Swiss Disc: 4:16
I wouldn’t go with a straight climbing bike, but I also wouldn’t go with the most aero rig, given the uphill finish. Here are our top picks:
See Speed Tests: Tron Bike vs Top Performers (Scatter Plot) for more nerd-level detail on frame and wheel performance.
More Route Recons
Lots of recon events are scheduled on upcoming ZRL routes, led by various teams. See upcoming ZRL recons for this race at zwift.com/events/tag/zrlrecon.
Zwifty Zwifter
John Rice
The Syco-List
J Dirom
Strategic Options
With its three key climbs, this route as a scratch race has all the makings of a classic attritional Zwift battle. Make no mistake: the strongest riders will attack hard when the road tilts upward, and the pack will be whittled down significantly by the time you reach the base of the Titans Grove KOM Reverse.
That finishing climb will be an all-out slugfest. Save your feathers.
One last bit of advice: if you find yourself off the back over the top of a climb, don’t give up hope. You may just be able to chase back on. Find a friendly wheel, put in some work, and see if you can close gaps to riders ahead. Because everyone will be hurting at that point, and riders ahead may sit up, knowing they can beat you on the final climb. (And while that may be true, sitting in the front group’s draft will position you better than riding alone then getting caught by the slower chase group…)
As always, the win will go to the team who plays their cards best.
Your Thoughts
Any insights or further thoughts on this race? Share below!
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