[Closed] STW Zwift Autumn Race Series 1

Sprint for the line and I was clearly ahead on my screen, but finished 4 secs behind J-R in the results!? I’ve never seen this before, how did it look on your screen @J-R?

I can only remember that I managed to sprint past one person and was close to another, but don’t recall which of our group they were - I was too knackered.

I used to see a bit of Zwift lag on some of the sprints on Weeksy’s rides; a couple of times I’m sure I passed someone on the final sprint down the Mall, only to end up a couple seconds back in the final results. I guess that’s just how it is on Zwift.

I was thankful to be riding with you guys, we all seemed pretty well matched up and down the hill although it did seem like you lot were on the front most of the time.

Thanks for organising Robbo, looking forward to The Volcano even if 17m per lap isn’t getting me any closer to that Tron.

Bit of a rubbish day here and almost convinced myself not to ride but at the last minute decided to. Glad I did. Even if you're slow the endorphins are still there.👍

Start was very smooth I think robbo, nice blob and "GO". As always thanks for organising and doing all the behind the scenes "paper work". No lagging issues that I noticed I'm glad to say.

Had a chuckle at some of the in race comments, just what you need up that climb! Sorry for my text speak/ typos.... Hitting the keyboard is like shooting at a moving target whilst I'm rocking around on the turbo.lol

I was mostly TTing... Couldn't catch the guy in front (can't remember his tag?) and battling to keep in front of "j.nicol" (sp?). We swapped places a couple of times on the climb and I felt like I was the "prey" forever being chased down by him. I spent most of the ride watching his w/kg and just trying to match it.

I put a cursory sprint in at the end as I was passing the Boss (robbo) and wanted to look good.😆

The cheapo Coo Po heart rate monitor works a treat if anyone thinking of getting it. I've used it on bt and ANT and both work great on Zwift.

Thanks for the ride all, some of you buggers are bloody fast! Great motivation to ride more and get fitter/lighter.

Edit: Here is j.nicol hunting me down! It was j.bawden I couldn't catch.... I have issues with people whose name starts with "J" obviously.lol

@tpbiker - I did race in it I just don't count my time as it isn't really fair to win my own series. Plus I (virtually) crashed out the first race!

@dangeourbrain and all - thank for the generosity of raising some money for some drinks but it genuinely isn't needed. I have enjoyed organising the series but I don't feel that it is appropriate to take any money from it. That wasn't my intention.

I aiming to organise a second series before xmas as it is looking increasingly likely (unfortunately) that options in the 'real world' will be limited over the winter so giving people something to look forward to on a wet, dark Tuesday evening is all the thanks that I need.

If people are insistent on putting into the kitty then I think it would be appropriate to make a donation to charity - perhaps Cardiac Risk in the Young. https://www.c-r-y.org.uk/

Now down to the planning of next week. The time gaps aren't going to be as big as I expect some big blobs to form with it being a circuit race and there is always the incentive of trying to hang onto the fast riders coat tails as they come round for another lap. The lead in for this one is 1.7 miles which gives ample time to get together as a group before crossing the line and the racing starting!

think it would be appropriate to make a donation to charity – perhaps Cardiac Risk in the Young.> https://www.c-r-y.org.uk/

Sounds like a grand idea

I'll leave the Go fund me up till the end of the series and if we raise a few Bob for charity at the same time that's a big bonus.

robbo, watch the lead in as it's lumpy.... depending on where we start on the pier but i think the hilly bit will cause issues, but assuming we then go over the big bridge that could be the place to GO.

I think we will spawn on the tunnel bridge to the volcano not on the sea front. should make it easier to get good grouping quickly.

I will do a meetup on that route at lunchtime for my workout and see where it spawns and what issues we might encounter.

Needs to be quick though, last night took a bit of grouping, the front kept going stinging out rather than getting in a good blob.

Alternative is to get everyone group and ride over the actual volcano start / finish as a blob and then go go go!

How many laps next week?

Only issue with that oop north is people will accelerate towards the line rather than as they cross it.

Not sure what went wrong for me on the start last night, but i was rolling along at 100w i thought and was 15s back on my own. Someone else was stalled on the line, i was watching them, suddenly i was 15s back. It didn't matter last night as such as i closed up on my Oppo before the hill, but i had to put in a bit of effort to do so. If that happens in the Volcano, it's race over.

For information, i still think it's worth us looking into a proper ZP/Zwift rae series from start pens and with proper Cats. There's plenty of smaller races/groups now running series so i'm guessing it's not impossible. That will negate any of the discussions on final positions due to the starting system and timings etc.

Alternative is to get everyone group and ride over the actual volcano start / finish as a blob and then go go go!

That's what I think will be easiest. Everyone will know what to do then prior to the race and it works when there is a good lead in. The lead in on the first two has been very short.

It is scheduled for 10 laps I just need to check lap times as it prob doesn't want to exceed an hour, but once on the circuit the lap times will be very fast. 10 laps also allows everyone who hasn't got it already to get the 10 laps of the volcano achievement!

Would be fun to do a 10 mile group TT on TT bikes on a flat course with handicaps.

ooooft, 10 laps is a decent length, i think we'll see some of us dying in the back 1/3 of distance.

10 laps should be sub 1 hr racing for most I think. And it's another variation, race 1 was flat and short, 2 was longer and hilly, this will be longer and flat.

Would be fun to do a 10 mile group TT on TT bikes on a flat course with handicaps.

Mass start TT would be an interesting addition for next series.

For information, i still think it’s worth us looking into a proper ZP/Zwift rae series from start pens and with proper Cats.

I can ask around BRT on how you go about setting them up? Although I think the mixed cat approach makes it a bit more interesting.

long flat race... Hmm...DrP out the back again on this one!!

DrP

I'm looking forward to the shorter laps race to see if it gives more opportunities to be dragged along by the faster riders as they come round!

What's the lap distance again? 2.5 miles or so?

I can ask around BRT on how you go about setting them up?

I looked into it briefly a few months back and the requirements seemed to be very esoteric. There was no formal process certainly, contact zwift, ask nicely, prove you've run group rides and races before, know the sock length rule, explain general relativity in haiku and mime. That sort of thing.

Sounded like a road club would be in with a reasonable chance of making headway but that any sort of informal group would have no chance.

Looking at past results think I will be about 1:10 next week, closest on my ZP is 8 laps for 56 minutes at an NP of 281W.

10 laps...ouch! I was hoping for less 🙂

Again it will be case of pacing, not going too fast and being able to just hold on in the final third. I'll definitely be lapped on this one.

I do like the difference we are getting in each event!

I do like the difference we are getting in each event

It's a shame bologna isn't available really, would be a nice one for another something different

Looking at past results think I will be about 1:10 next week, closest on my ZP is 8 laps for 56 minutes at an NP of 281W.

Good luck trying to get organising rights on Zwift... Its nigh on Impossible. Even British Cycling only got limited access.
Newbury Velo are one of the only real Cycling Clubs on there, and thats mainly because the Chap in charge headed up Zwift Power (until Zwift took it over last month).

When I did my series, I was lucky enough that the team at 3R allowed me a slot and then set the events to my choosing. However, this means ANYONE can enter. If you have enough riders you will dominate and all is ok. but if you split the categories out and only 10 turn up in each race it looses the community appeal.
Private events are very rare, most invitational stuff is unavailable to normal organisers.

The race element was added to Meetups for pretty much the reasons we are using it. But it needs tweaks on the start procedure and would be much easier for Robbo if you could download results no doubt!

Oh and 10 laps of the Volcano should be acceptable.
Its the Royal Pump Room 8 you want to fear in a race situation! (especially with the non race aerotuck)

Its the Royal Pump Room 8 you want to fear in a race situation

I'm quite looking forward to 10 laps of that. I figure attendance alone will give me a good chunk of points.

I did 10 laps solo, not racing in 1.12, in that I had a couple of interruptions so knock a minute or so off. I'm a mid pack Cat C at best.

Racing with draft that should come down a chunk. It'll be 42 km ish but only 200m climbing, pack speeds will be high.

We've obviously missed the boat now and everyone is committed to zwift but RGT is much better in terms of creating events etc.

thanks for last night everyone, had a great race, and surprised to see I got some points on the board. it took me to my limit!

Annoyingly I am out in Finale Ligure next week, so will miss the next race.

Think I'll slowly die, 10 laps is definitely more than an HR for me. Happy to slog away and get the 10 lap badge, think Robbo will be waiting awhile for me at the end.

Annoyingly I am out in Finale Ligure next week,

Happy to swap if that helps

I'm doing the badger divide next week - looking at the weather I'm also happy to swap.

For the 10 laps of Volcano, there should be plenty of opportunities to jump into passing packs to get a speed boost/shorten the overall time and it'll unlock the 'Hothead' Zwift achievement.

8 laps is a common race length on that circuit. Yesterday's 3R race had a reasonably good showing, and it took them...
a 45-50 mins
b 45-55 mins
c 50-60 mins
d 65-75 mins
( https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=1051094)

I'm happy to ride a couple of extra laps for the badge, and also because robbo1234biking's choices have been spot on so far and the contrast with the other rounds in the series is nice. But I think it's true that lots of us are going to be out there longer than an hour next week.

I did the 10 laps once before, back in April, not in a race situation and it took me 1hr 11 minutes. So I'm hoping of an improvement but it will be over the hour mark for me. I remember it being longggg...

I’m doing the badger divide next week –

TB or no TB, that is the distinction.

Thanks for yesterday's race

I started by stalling and falling off my rollers in the neutralised bit, I was the one in blue stopped just after the start/finish gantry.

It was a hard sprint, but I managed get back to the front group before the hill, then a bunch of people who were clearly out of my league pulled away when the proper climbing started.

I settled into a rhythm riding by myself about 10th, but then for some reason my power was intermittently cutting out and I fell back to a group of 4 setting a good pace up the hill - I was falling off the back of that group every time I had a cutout and then pushing hard to bridge back to the group each time. On the downhill that group quickly pulled 15s ahead of me during another power cutout.

The power cutouts were getting pretty frustrating and I was contemplating throwing in the towel, but I persevered and ended up with not just one but two points, yay.

Just got an ANT+ USB stick, hopefully that'll fix things.

For the 10 laps of Volcano, there should be plenty of opportunities to jump into passing packs

The power cutouts were getting pretty frustrating and I was contemplating throwing in the towel, but I persevered and ended up with not just one but two points, yay.

Just got an ANT+ USB stick, hopefully that’ll fix things.

Getting a cable and placing my ANT sensor under the bike fixed power dropouts I was having a few months back.

After listening to feedback on here and looking at a couple of races on the circuit I think it is best to reduce it to 8 laps (from 10) for Race 3. 10 Laps would have some of the slower riders out n the circuit well over an hour and I think only 20% or so would complete it inside an hour from my estimates.

This is a difficult one to judge as the effect of the draft will be very relevant here so the time gaps tend to be more grouped this time. FTP rather than weight is key on this course although there are a few small kickers to try and get a break from the group.

We spawn on the bridge before the volcano. I will give a bit more time for the group to form this week. I will be saying go after we enter the volcano but before the start/finish line so will be about 300m on which I will say go.

Looking forward to it! See you all Tuesday.

Handicaps here

Conveniently there is an 8 lap volcano race starting now. Nice bit of practice.

If I stay on the course after the race, will it keep me on the volcano lap, in case I fancy doing another two laps to get the badge thing?

Yes stumpy so if anyone wants to get the badge just stay on for a 2 lap cool down!

Cool, thanks!

Lol that went ok nixie

Yeap I'm happy with that. Wasn't a high pace meaning I could try some attacks. Took the lead on the line. Haven't won a sprint for ages!