Zwift Racing League Week 6 Guide: Danger Noodle Scratch Race

The sixth and final race of Zwift Racing League 2024/25 Round 3 happens Tuesday, February 18, and we’ll be in Watopia for a race on the new user-created “Danger Noodle” route.

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: Danger Noodle

If Watopia’s Danger Noodle isn’t familiar to you, you’re not alone. This route was recently added to the game as the result of a design contest, and ZRL race 6 is our first chance to ride it! The route is 32.3km long, with 413m 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.

The race begins with an out-and-back on The Esses, approximately 6km long. These pitchy rollers force you to constantly modulate your power in order to maintain a good pack position, but with no sustained climbing, we won’t see any major selections happening. It’s really just a warmup for what’s up the road!

You’ll have received a feather powerup through the arch at the start of the race. Use it on the entry climb to The Esses, or on the final kicker before descending to the JWB Sprint Reverse.

You’ll get a draft boost powerup through the sprint arch. Use this to save some energy while drafting in the pack any time before the downtown arch, where you will receive another feather powerup.

At 9.7km, riders will turn right into Titans Grove. This is sort of like The Esses on steroids – a constantly twisting, rolling escalator taking us to the base of the Titans Grove KOM Reverse, our first “proper” climb of the day.

Titans Grove KOM Reverse @13.3km: 890 meters long with an average gradient of 4.4%, this is a very draftable climb that many riders will complete in 1.5-2 minutes. Use your feather powerup to lighten the load, and be willing to push to the max to chase onto the wheels over the top, because this is where the first major selection will happen. If you get gapped from the front group on this climb, you may never come back! (Tip: you’ll get an anvil powerup through the KOM arch. Use it on the descent to add weight and boost your speed.)

After riding the Titans rollercoaster out of the redwoods, you’ll take the LAX roundabout and head right up the Col du Saddle Springs and back into Titans Grove to hit the same road in the other direction. What for a bit of climbing here. It’s short but punchy, and riders often hit the gas when the pack turns into Titans Grove and the road tilts steeper.

Titans Grove KOM @23km: this is the longest sustained climb on the day, but while the actual KOM segment is 2.6km, you really only climb for the last 1.8km. It’s a very draftable climb, so sit in the wheels if you’re struggling. Or attack off the front if you’re brave!

You’ll get the last powerup of the day over the top, an anvil. This is probably best used on the KOM descent immediately following, although it could be used on any of the rollercoaster descents just up the road.

The race finish is one most of us have done many times: a flat and fast downtown Watopia ending. With no helpful powerups for the final sprint, this one will come down to timing and a question of who has legs left after two terrible Titans. Will it be you? Good luck!

Read more about the Danger Noodle route >

PowerUp Notes

Riders will receive powerups at each arch, as noted above, for a total of 5 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.

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.)

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.

Bike Frame + Wheel Choice

This route is rolling in profile, with climbs that are fast and draftable and a finish that is flat and fast. That means a pure climbing rig will cost you more than it’ll help, and even an all-arounder will be slower up the climbs than a pure aero machine.

So we like the Pinarello Dogma F 2024 + DT Swiss Disc combo for its light weight combined with strong aero performance. The Canyon Aeroad 2024 is a strong pick as well, or you could even max out your aero advantage in the final sprint by going with something like the Specialized Venge S-Works + Disc:

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.

J Dirom

The Syco-List

John Rice

Strategic Options

With its rolling profile and two key Titans Grove 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, particularly on the Titans Grove KOMs.

Any sprinters who can hang on over the top of the KOM will have a podium shot in downtown Watopia.

Here’s a fun option for riders with strong climbing punch: save your second feather. Instead of using it with everyone else on the Titans Grove KOM Reverse, hang onto it. You won’t get an anvil over the top, but if you’re a strong climber you can sit in the wheels of the front group on the descent easily enough. When you loop back around and attack the Titans Grove KOM from the other side, you can use your feather to launch an attack!

You’ll still have 7km of road left once you finish the KOM, which means a solo break is doubtful. But you may be able to put some real hurt on the opposition and force a selection of the strongest puncheurs using this method.

One last bit of advice for the non-climbers: if you find yourself off the back over the top of the first or second Titans Grove KOM, don’t give up hope. You may just be able to chase back on. Find a friendly wheel, put in some work, use your anvil powerup smartly, and see if you can close gaps to riders ahead.

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!