150,000 riders from around the globe participated in this year’s Zwift Academy Road, but only 10 (5 men and 5 women) made it to the finals.
This year, for the first time ever, both groups of finalists arrived in Mallorca to stay at the Zwift Academy Beach House and battle it out in the Zwift Academy finals. It’s like Survivor, but on bikes. And we get to follow them through a 5-episode video series from GCN. Today episode 2 arrived…
On Day 2, coaches scrutinized the riders’ bike handling abilities as well as their pack riding smarts in the groups’ first outdoor ride. In a four-hour effort, the finalists undertook race pace drills, sprint leadouts, and a grueling hill climb.
Female finalists rode alongside two Canyon//SRAM riders (Elise Chabbey and 2020 ZA Road Academy winner Neve Bradbury).
Male finalists went head-to-head against 5 Alpecin Fenix riders in the sprint leadout. Could they best sprint specialist Tim Merlier, being led out by Mathieu van der Poel?
The men’s hill climb featured separate starts, TT-style. The women’s hill climb is wholly different as all the ladies start together, but with their shifter batteries removed so they must climb in a fixed gear!
Test Results
Men’s Hill Climb Results
| 1 | Sam Hill | 3:16 | |
| 2 | Mads Rahbek | 3:19 | |
| 3 | Cooper Sayers | 3:24 | |
| 4 | Byron Munton | 3:28 | |
| 5 | Alex Bogna | 3:28 |
Women’s Hill Climb Results
| 1 | Maud Oudeman | 4:04 |
| 2 | Caitlin Conyers | 4:08 |
| 3 | Rachael Wales | 4:25 |
| 4 | Imogen Alton | 4:34 |
| 5 | Willemijn Prins | 4:42 |
Riders of the Day
At the end of each day, the judges are being asked to elect a rider of the day. Here are the riders for day 2:
- Caitlin Conyers
- Cooper Sayers (also yesterday’s winner!)
Watch Episode 2
Next Up
Competition heats up in tomorrow’s episode, when the finalists go head to head in a Zwift race. The stakes are high, as two riders will be sent home at the end of the day.
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