[Closed] STW Zwift Racing League - Winter 2022

Ride strong.... ride safe....

🙌🙌🙌

DrP

I've not chance to figure out how to live stream (apparently it's not supported?) but I can capture my race and post it afterwards for anyone desperately disappointed by no DrP feed this week? There will be no view of the front mind and no video of me dying on my turbo.

Seems there's a cooling off period for live streaming!

I’m another bailer I’m afraid. Mostly because I can’t find my bike. Here’s a Where’s Wattbike if anyone can spot it!

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Taken all day to do the cabling/ducting for solar pv inverter & destroyed my garage in the process!

That was a fun race lads. Sorry for not helping ever, but as I said, I've done tonnes of Zwift races, I hide well.

Epic last 2km in our group

Bugger. Was way way too late reacting to the small hill, saw a group in front I thought I'd pick up without blowing up but caught a wheel falling back and by the time I realised that there was no way back.

Good race all. I'm blown, again.

Epic last 2km in our group

👍💪

Enjoyed that. Love a flat one 😀

Thanks robbo, another good one. First third I didn't think I would make it, but once the elastic snapped got in with a good group and enjoyed the last third.

Completely messed up the finish, I think must have got burrito'd or everyone was just too fast.

Watched most of that, some great racing, especially through the volcano. Had to laugh at the end, Paul suddenly stopped across the finish line having timed the sprint to perfection. Imagining him falling off the bike into a foetal position. He’s probably still there now.

Ha. You're spot on @Paino. Loved that. Nice cagey tactical race. I died a thousand deaths in that sprint.

I don't like flat races, really don't do well on them. That one hurt, basically a 50 minute TT so should have just used the TT bike! I was briefly riding with J Nicol but then they disappeared for a while, then they reappeared well behind me, caught me up only to disappear shortly again.

Hopefully the next race has a bit of elevation variety in it.

I just hope your legs hurt after that Mr bailey. I thought you were going to go for the normal arch so figured I'd best speak up, i nearly pegged you back at the finish but somehow you seemed to have saved all your legs for the sprint.

Glad that's done. After doing the TT last week I wasn't looking forward to it, 40 mins > FTP, but knew that it depended on what the Fast boys decided their plan was.

I let @msjhes2 know that he had a target on his back and aimed to sit on his wheel. It was a fastish start but then settled down with a couple of tests, but everyone seemed to be paying attention.

The front group was about 16 strong until 11 km where someone decided to reduce the group, I had saved my aero helmet and managed to redline onto the back of the pack, and it was now down to 8. Top 10 finish guaranteed :-).

I sat in as much as I could, but nobody seemed to be willing to push the group ( at least thats what it seemed like to me ) with a lot of testing accelerations, but gratifyingly the gap to the group behind was growing.

When we got to sub 5k I knew something was going to come, but it wasn't until 1.7k that I finally got dropped, so I'm not sure when they finally wound up for the showdown sprint/finish. I dropped 10-15 secs in the end so that should keep me high up in the standings, but pleased as everyone above me was putting out 40W more than me.

As a Brucey Bonus, I joined the TdZ Stage 7 and rode for 3 mins to the end and got the acheivement, so that leaved Thursday free for the TT 🙂

Thanks all, especially @Robbo1234biking, and well done @slowpuncheur for the win.

P.

It went better than I expected after doing this one earlier today
https://zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=2706495

I knew the incline towards Titans would be the splitter. But couldn't stay on the fast boys at the time. I was then in a pair for 30s but saw 4 others closing, so made sure I ended in there on the rolly down.

I almost lost the wheel twice in the last 10km but was mostly ok in the group. Couple of rogue attacks 2km out nearly split us. But a good honest bunch we ended up with.

Just about to warm up myself so at least you won't be alone!!

That was tight at the front! I think @robbo1234biking nearly sneaked off in the desert, but @donnersrider brought it back. That was the only moment I remember when the race might have unfolded very differently, if he had become a target for people to regroup around. Instead, we got attrition and caginess.
I tried for the sprint points on lap 1, but I doubted it was fast enough to survive a group sprint when we came back round for the finish. So I spent most of the second half trying to make it hard in the hope that the group would split to blunt the finish a bit. It did not work. @robbo1234biking dropped off in the volcano, and then reappeared as we hit downtown. And then @paul-s suddenly popped out of the blue near the finish. Otherwise, it stayed together. Superb sprint @slowpuncheur, you opened a nice gap on us all with perfect timing, and held it as @sturdylad, @donnersrider and @phil56 charged behind you.
@dangeourbrain you were looking comfortable in the first 10km. It was a surprise to see you weren't there when the selection was made. And @reluctantjumper next week is going to grant your wish!

Out of interest, what handicap would I have got mate and where would it have placed me ?

It doesn't matter as that's the only race I'll do, unless I come back for the Crit

Indeed @savoyad not quite sure what happened, whether I looked around for my bottle at the wrong time or what but I blinked as we got near the bottom of Titan's and everyone had gone 😂.

I was a too far back from anyone let alone the front a by the time I realised we were on the climb such as it is and not just a little bump, and I'd missed the boat by then.
Picked up a wheel but it was the wrong one and whilst I could have probably have pulled on to the back of the group alright at that point I'd have ruined myself doing it and just been spat a few minutes later instead.

Poor racing on my part really.

Well I loved that great to stay with the front group to the end for a change.

I still have no idea where the routes go so it's always a case of just watching and hoping when the jump goes I can react quick enough. Today it was OK, I though it was going to split on the the climb when I think it was @savoyad tried to pull our legs off.
Thankfully there were a few of us ready to pull him back. After that I think we must have all settled in and waited for the sprint.
I was so close to missing it, I'd saved a powerup for the end of the race and was busy trying to deploy it around 800m and lost the wheels in front.
Really really enjoying the races and TTs with STW, wish I'd started last year!
Great bunch and some fun banter.
Well done PT on the win tonight, and well done to all who turned out.

I just hope your legs hurt after that Mr bailey. I thought you were going to go for the normal arch so figured I’d best speak up, i nearly pegged you back at the finish but somehow you seemed to have saved all your legs for the sprint.

@Dangeourbrain I don't know the course so had no plan other than hang on and use the burrito at the end.  I did laugh/ cry when you dropped yours 5 seconds before mine.  I feel like an absolute arse for doing that after you'd been out front for so long. Don't worry,  I suffered for it though.

I tried to do my share on the front but didn't have the legs for it,  ended up just trying to hang on to your back wheel.

I did laugh/ cry when you dropped yours 5 seconds before mine

🤣 I didn't realise you'd deployed one too for ages, thought it was just my icon floating around randomly rather than yours.

Don't worry about it. I fully expected it and in honesty if I'd not had a burrito to give it a go I'd have tried to put a bit of a tow in for you instead. Was good practice for me to pull round a bit, I need to work on my pacing and there was no way we were picking up the folks in front so you were doing me a favour really 😉

Originally I'd planned to use mine just over the top of the climb to try shake a few loose but I was about an hour late realising I was on the hill so that plan went out the window!

Quite happy with that - first time I actually felt like I wasn’t going to blow up half way round, and the first time I’ve been top 10 on the road (don’t burst my bubble, I know there’s some big hitters missing :p ).
The turbo (such as it is) is coming back after covid - I can hold 130-140% of ftp much longer than the beginning of the series.

Had to work pretty hard up the hill to get onto the second group on the road and managed to stick with it until the sprint for the line
A couple of punchy efforts from others to get off the front in the final 2km nearly did for me though!

Obviously the flat route suits me, next week, any hint of a steep hill and I’ll be back with the Grupetto…

Really chuffed to get a win but I suspect if @Paino or @DrP were present, it might have been different. I'll take it though. That was my kind of race: stay vigilant in the front group, don't let @Savoyad or @robbo1234biking sneak off the front and give it the beans for the sprint. Had to use a PU to bridge the gap at Titans when a few people got dropped including @dangeourbrain and @stumpy01. From then it was cat and mouse until the run in. @robbo1234biking fell back after a series of attacks, at the volcano but made a herculean effort to bridge an 9s gap. We got to about 2km and it was clearly going to be a sprint so I had a chance. Bloody HR started to go up in anticipation 😀. Managed to time the sprint - a tad early so suffered in the last 100m but I'd got the gap by then. Great race all round. Oh, and don't forget to donate to a very worthy cause☝🏻 up there.

weeksy

That was a fun race lads. Sorry for not helping ever, but as I said, I’ve done tonnes of Zwift races, I hide well.

Epic last 2km in our group

Ha! I knew the sprint would find me wanting, so I decided to turn the wick up with a couple of km to go. I thought a few people might start to splinter but it didn't really work. I should have gone harder, rather than saving some for the sprint and then got spanked anyway. I think I got past a couple of people but really need to work on my sprint power.

Great race though and I think the group worked well. I was pleased to be racing where i was on a flat race. I normally get spat out the back early on.

The race for much coveted 18th place was particularly cagey after about 8km.

Me, Chris Charles and Zilog, eventually hauling in blobonastick with about 6km to go.

I kept looking down at my gears and fiddling with my pump holder, and generally looking lame duck into the last 3km hanging off the back, but I don't think anyone was fooled.

Dropped a feather at 800m and got a gap but eased off a second too soon and got pipped by the nicely timed zilog.

It may have looked like I was trying to get a gap on any rise that occurred, but I was just trying to make sure I was still in touch at the top with a pre-emptive acceleration, hills are not my forte. I may have some library books to take back next week.

Cheers Robbo, Tuesdays are lively evenings.

Robbo, I think you have the results wrong. Paul beat me by enough to win the handicap race.

I may have some library books to take back next week.

You'll be pleased to know the library isn't more than 400m from the start line next week so it needn't delay you @haloric.

Dropped a feather at 800m and got a gap but eased off a second too soon and got pipped by the nicely timed zilog.

@haloric yeah, was struggling for over 12km on my own after dropping off the lead group - always knew I’d struggle to stay with them. I also knew you’d all catch me before the end but I hadn’t twigged on all the power ups with 200m to go - the combination of feathers, aero helmets and burritos (and knackered legs) meant I just couldn’t respond.

Really enjoyed it!

Yeh the spreadsheet is right. Think I announced the result wrong. Apologies!

well i was pretty chuffed with last night, i managed to stick in the front group until the final sprint for the line. Not something i have managed before.

I lost the group in the volcano, so had to put a mammoth effort in the bridge the gap, which wasnt overly pleasant! And i knew on the one or two short climbs i would need to give it my all the stay with them.

It is interesting to see how quickly you gap the groups behind when with the faster folk.

So overall, i was pleased with last nights efforts.

Speaking of efforts, before we started this series i did an FTP test which returned a figure of 277. At the time i thought it was a little high. Last night i gave it my all (or what i perceive to be my all) and my average was in the region of 264 watts. Someway short of the 277 i 'should' be able to produce. Is this just the nature of the beast, in that the small periods of not maximum attack brings that average down? Is it unlikely that over a race like last night i would see my theoretical 277? Or was my FTP a fluke and my FTP isnt actually that high? Any feedback is appreciated!

And finally, v7fmp - 1 @weeksy - 0. Rematch?! 😀 😛

It is interesting to see how quickly you gap the groups behind when with the faster folk.

When you guys gapped us up the Titans false climb, you then went to 4-5s ahead and didn't pull any more for ages... i was SOOOO tempted to try and drag it back, but i knew my place in the world and how deep i'd end up going, along with the consequences of that of course. So as no-one else could seem to close the gap to your group it just had to accept it. You could then see the difference on bits like the snakey up the volcano where you guys were 7+ and would have only split things there instead.

As for your last part.... if i can't beat you there, i won't beat you on any other the others with hills matey.... all yours. 🙂

Sounds like a fun race... Someone mentioned 'laps'... i thought wattopia waistband would be jsut one lap, no?

DrP

@v7fmp Great ride last night. It took some digging in to stay with the group at times, didn't it? I think your FTP is probably about right. Look at your normalised power in races like this - it's a less consistent effort that a long climb or TT so that's a better guide I'd say. Look at where you finished as well - there on merit.

@weeksy - yeah, as you say, its the little elevation changes that seem to stretch the gaps, but it felt last night the second group was within a few seconds, then the next thing were 30 seconds back. well i assume thats what the number said.... i was close to dying for most of it, so my vision may have been blurry! 😀

You probably made me dig a bit deeper, so i thank you for painting a target on my back! I will be sure to say hi at Milland if i see you.

@slowpuncheur - not sure i have ever dug that deep, but its amazing what you can achieve when you put your mind to it.... or rather try and block out the pain. Legs are still tingling this morning!

I am sure it will be back to mid-pack business next week, as there are some hills!

Well as I went to the effort of recording of and DrP didn't stream, if anyone is interested here's my race from last night.

It's not very interesting I'm afraid but if you'd like to watch someone completely fail to react to what's happening around then, 13.30 ish should satisfy your curiosity.

It's all a bit

@v7fmp I’ve checked your race stats on Zwift power and your normalised power, which takes into account the metabolic cost(I think) of the extra hard efforts, was actually 275 watts so pretty close to your tested ftp.

@drew - cheers for looking. I didnt realise thats what the Normalised Power stat did or was. Every day is a school day! Glad its about right then. Good stuff.

Well last night was frustrating for me. The group stayed too large for what I wanted at the end and although I tried to shake people a few times on the flat and with the draft there was never any real threat of me getting away.

I lost the group on the little hill up the volcano - think my spirits had been deflated by then. I spent about 30 seconds just dawdling and a 9 second gap opened up. I didnt really want to wait for the group behind so decided I might as well catch the other group back up. 360w for 2 mins and I was back onto the group so that made it more frustrating as I knew we could go quicker! From my power graph I attacked on 10 separate times but with no gain! All time power bests from 25 mins through to 37 mins so I shouldn't be too disappointed in reality and pleased that I am able to compete up front.

A lack lustre sprint saw me come in 7th as I missed the @slowpuncheur attack. My aim was a podium but to get that I knew I needed a smaller group for the end. The next two courses dont look likely to achieve that aim although at least yorkshire is quite punchy.

So the lesson is....next series play to my strengths and add an ITT with no drafting 🙂 (I had already submitted the next round of courses prior to last night so any appearance is a coincidence!).

Well done on the win @slowpuncheur a good well deserved result.

@weeksy I think you would have about a minute disadvantage on Stumpy which would put you on about 53 mins so somewhere in the region of 10th -12th place post handicaps.

Edit: Sorry that sounds like a bit of a moan but I had high expectations of myself last night and I didn't react to what other people were doing well enough!

if anyone is interested here’s my race from last night.

Thanks @dangeourbrain was good to see what I missed last night because Zwift wouldn't let me in as a spectator without being connected to my trainer.

Interesting to see where the group gaped you up the hill, then you towing @bails around to the burrito sprint. Impressed that you can sustain an HR of 170+ for so long.

Impressed that you can sustain an HR of 170+ for so long

My recovery is pants though so really I think it's more that I can't get rid of it!

Just realised this series goes into the London (at least our part of it) half term so I won't be able to make race 7.
;(

This has just popped up on the Zwift Coders group! It doesn't work perfectly, and for various other technical reasons also, he's not releasing it publicly... how cool would it be though if there were some kind of proper streaming/spectator mode like this? You'd've thought if ZHQ were serious about e-sports they'd be working on it! (Then again, this is Zwift, so I'm not holding my breath 😃)
[img] [/img]

Yes I saw that too. Would be fantastic, even better put it on to companion, or add ipad support to companion, or any number of trivial changes that would improve usability.

If they read this, they would die from loss of blood.
https://matthewbischoff.com/software-paper-cuts/

I appreciate Zwift, but they sure are slow at simple things.

@v7fmp Look at https://intervals.icu/ it will give you your ride eFTP and eFTP figures which seem accurate.

@dangeourbrain, nice stream, I felt your pain at the 14 min split, wrong wheel, I've done that plenty of times, makes a change from watching @DrP disappear off the front 😉

P.

Yeah, it really didn't help but mainly it was poor decision making. Still I've had plenty of practice at that over the last 40 years so play to your strengths and all.

It's actually quite useful being able to watch it back, I can see exactly where my reluctance to chase thinking it would come back together (as it had several times already) goes from being prudent to fatal.