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Tempted to try the 1710 stage 6 race as there are 124+ riders listed for B, but then I've spotted a 25.5Km TT race at 1810 on the Crit City Bell Lap (so ~13 laps, the ~15Km races are 8 laps) hidden under "race" events on Zwift Companion.
The TT has team points too. Stw could try and mop up the categories 😉
However, not sure how my legs are... Just done a 54min z5 interval workout that beat my legs up a bit, might be able to sustain ~260W for 20-odd mins.
Going to log on and do the 18.10 Stage 6 in a bit, D. So actually starts at 18.13.
I'm frustratingly I'll. Desperate to ride but feel like crap!
19.10 race for me tonight. Legs still sore from the run on Sunday ... how hard can a 17km be?
That hurt.
Felt bad from the off. I've started doing leg stretches before and after Zwift to help with a bit of knee pain. Forgot to do it today and the outer part of my quads felt like taught elastic bands. Not sure if the lack of stretches was to do with this??? Never had my legs feel like that right at the start of a ride, that I remember anyway.
By 6k had been dropped by the 2 big blobs and just tried to hang on with the occasional passer. I was actually grateful for the hills as I could just spin my legs and tried to hold on to 200w or there abouts. Just hoping that was enough to hold of the riders behind me. "Luckily" had a couple of other riders catch me up that gave me a bit of pace too.
By inside the last 1k I got overtaken by a couple of riders again and I couldn't hold on to them but I also had a big enough lead over the rest behind me. Just held on from there in.
Bimbled over the line with a cursory "sprint".
Oh, you get 2 power ups, thought you only got one. Doh.
Glad that one is over.
60th out of 98 on Zwift.
Zwiftpower is down at the moment.🙄
Zwiftpower not just down for me then! 😀
Well today has been a good cycling day for me when I wasn't expecting such things...
My anaerobic capacity 1/2mins workout hurt
Then out of nowhere managed 309.5W average for Richmond stage 6 race at 1610, raising my FTP and still need to confirm if that's the first time I've ever done a 4W/Kg+ 20mins (one of my random cycling goals)
Short break and then managed 275W average for that 25.5Km Bell Lap TT race, which really tested my legs physically and my mental resolve as I was hurting after ~20mins.
The bad news is... I have to work tomorrow, with Weds usually being the hardest shift of the week.:lol:
The 19.10 B cat race was a relatively tame race till the start of first climb.
There were no big efforts until the first climb.
A group of about 10 went off front and strung out about 5 of us stuck in between a group of about 10 chasing group behind. There was too big a gap between us strung out riders to get together and work to keep gap - so by time I got to last climb the chasing group caught me, and I came in 22nd on Zwift companion. Averaged 4.1 w/kg so getting closer to being the slowest A cat rider again!
Then out of nowhere managed 309.5W average for Richmond stage 6 race
I managed 197w!😁
Nice work there mate. Just Richmond was enough for me.
Averaged 4.1 w/kg so getting closer to being the slowest A cat rider again!
That would be a dream come true for me.Lol
3.84w/kg at moment with increases in last 3 races (last 3.89w/kg) - Can be a nuisance because you try and stay with the front group of an A race ... blow and get shelled, and then sit up for the chasing B group to find you had gone into the red too soon and legs not want to play again!
Updated weight. Was still down as 11st 1 lb ... back up to an honest 11st 4lb (weighed in work yesterday and was 11st 7lb fully clothed (no shoes), so figure 3lb for trousers/shirt/jacket.
That safely keep me at B.
Always enjoy reading the race reports. Makes me almost want to do one. Careful use of the word ‘almost’ there 😉
I need to do a new FTP test. I’ve calibrated the Directo and it’s spot on so would be a good time as I’ve not done one for a year (had a few boosts from Zwift based on some hard group rides).
What’s best the ramp or the 20 min? And if I do the 20 min, can I choose the course? Would much rather have something flat so I can concentrate on watts not gears..
Well done chaps...all doing so well and there are results here I can only dream of. I keep getting urges to do more races and will soon, definitely going to have a go at Richmond stage 6, but just trying to work on riding and being able to keep a good solid pace at the moment.
#Alex - Just do a short race of about 30 minutes and that'll give you a FTP ;0)
You don't need to worry about the course on an FTP test as the 20minute ones make it a flat profile so it's just about you picking the power and gear you want to be in. Your head might prefer to be on the flat or going uphill.
tomlevell
Member
#Alex – Just do a short race of about 30 minutes and that’ll give you a FTP ;0)
Stage 6 is spot on for that. Short, sharp shock! Lol
mooman
blow and get shelled, and then sit up for the chasing B group to find you had gone into the red too soon and legs not want to play again!
How do you judge how much you can "hold" as it were? By wattage or heart rate? Or both of course.
Trying to get a better idea of how to judge the same for myself.
#Alex – Just do a short race of about 30 minutes and that’ll give you a FTP ;0)
Right then, I’m stupidly competitive so it’ll be my best value. Or I’ll be falling off the turbo after 10 mins.
3 nasty hills after around 12km. Nice and short so people go full metal jacket right from the off.Lol
How do you judge how much you can “hold” as it were? By wattage or heart rate? Or both of course.
It comes with practice at sustained efforts and for me, it's a bit of both. I know I can sustain ~170-175bpm for 20mins+, the unknown for me is how do my legs feel at the time trying to hold ~260W+ due to fatigue from recent days or sessions earlier that day.
Yesterday in the stage 6 race, last minute I chose my Tron bike over my Cervelo R5, because I fancied trying to keep with the lead B group for at least the first 5mins. I was surprisingly able to stick with them, I even briefly had the #1 spot several times on the flat (I should have take a screenshot 😆 ), so I kept setting myself short goals like try and stick with them until 10mins, 15mins etc. and at that point I commited myself to trying to keep 300W+ until 20mins regardless of race position consequences come the finish line.
Today my quads are completely dead, work was painful but probably did them some good, the cycle home up Cobden Ave and especially "Bitterne 13.5%" was agony compared to normal! But stage 7 is here, I've had ~2 hours rest, so maybe I'm mad enough to do a "recovery ride" sportive effort around Yorkshire UCI at 1700.
My rocky intro to Zwift racing continued last night in Stage 6. It was a very short race and I held 2.8w/kg for the race so have been upgraded to C on Zwift Power and my result didn't count, which is fair enough. Mind you I came 41st in D according to Zwift, so in C I'm going to be right at the back. Hopefully the people at the back with me will be the incentive to keep trying to put out as much as I can, even if it is for the glory of 91st place.
What’s best the ramp or the 20 min? And if I do the 20 min, can I choose the course? Would much rather have something flat so I can concentrate on watts not gears..
Ramp tests are a lot less unpleasant, take the whole pacing thing out of the equation and take less out of you as well. Personally I'd just do a ramp test unless you've done something really bad and deserve to suffer. If you've done something even worse, take out a SF subscription and do the 4DP test 🙂
The other thing is that because the ramp test is a lot less painful until the very end, you're more likely to do it regularly.
Poopscoop
Subscriber
How do you judge how much you can “hold” as it were? By wattage or heart rate? Or both of course.
If its 25k or less I just try to stay with the front group until I start falling off back and my legs tell me they at max but watts showing low numbers.
I can kinda tell where HR is without looking, and in short races it not worth pacing because they generally just go hard till you blow anyways.
In longer races I will try to stay in front group - but towards back of the group waiting for it to split ... if it gets strung out I wont push too hard and wait for a group to come by to get on because the bigger chasing group will hoover up the strung out riders easy enough, and the fast front group will be doing their own race ... generally the weight dopers or the serious fast guys; both of which are pointless trying to stay with.
bluebird
Member
My rocky intro to Zwift racing continued last night in Stage 6.
Great effort mate! You signed up to Zwiftpower too? Well worth it if you are racing. Though I don't fully understand all its metrics yet.
mooman
Found that on stage 6. Big group went off the front and didn't see them again basically. I then tagged on with the odd couple of passing riders but they/I just got swallowed up by following group/s.
I think I might be suited to longer rides/races... which is a shame when I look at the Yorkshire course, riding that tomorrow evening....
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH
5:00PM GMT
Andre Greipel Fight ALS Mega Ride
Anyone doing this on Saturday?
Zwift trying to break the group ride record and will be donating to charity for each rider, erm, riding.
It's an hour at 2-2.5w/kg I believe.
You unlock a new kit too. Just saying.
Yorkshire should not be tougher than Stage 6 because non of the climbs are grinders, which should mean there will be a very big group. Kill yourself with the initial hilly start; sit in till next climb but get to front as you hit climb; expect to drop positions as they try and split group, and hopefully still be within a big enough group to bring it all together by the last 5km. I will guess the average speed for those in front group will be 30mph at least.
I be doing the 19.10 race tomoz.
In the B category of The 18.10 Stage 7 race tonight; Only 3 out of the first 36 riders were under 4w/kg average .... the first 10 riders in the B cat averaged 4.53w/kg .... its a fast course!!
How do you judge how much you can “hold” as it were? By wattage or heart rate? Or both of course.
Trying to get a better idea of how to judge the same for myself.
In racing experience or bloodymindedness.
If it's a C only race I know I can hold the front and dictate the pace if needed.
If it's an all category I know I can hold the front group generally for ~ 10 minutes which should shake out most of the other Cs then see where I am at that point. Less fun than C only races.
Never got round to a B race and I'm downgraded again for now. FTP drop tonights test but that'll come back soon enough as I've been ill for 5-6 weeks.
Plus I've reclibrated my Dorito to the number on the bottom tonight after my test so I'll hopefully have gained 30 watts ;0)
Did stage 7 earlier, still catching my breath!
There were 140 of us in D, I tried to go hard from the off, but not bonkers, thinking there'd be loads of drafting to be had, which there was. After 2 or 3 minutes I got over the initial surge and was happy to see me around 35th. Then, the connection fell out from the turbo, not for very long, (seems like ages when you're stationary and people whizzing past) but enough to blow all the hard work, by the time it re-connected and up to speed, I was in 90th. Bugger. I spent the rest of the race trying to catch people, sit in for a bit then go again, put a bit of a spurt in up the KOM hill, but the last hill before the line was a killer, not done the course before so didn't know it was there, assumed it was a flat finish. Finished 60th/140 which I was happy with considering the start. - 10th/36 on Zwift Power so far.
^^ Oh man, that would have done my noggin in!
I've been lucky and never had a dropout that I can remember.
Great recovery though.
That was fun.
Couldn't sleep so got up just before 2am and decided to spend a "quick 5 minutes" tracking down a really annoying clicking/creaking noise from the turbo trainer/bike.
Over an hour later and I think I might have got it.... After stripping the turbo apart (ish) and cleaning, lubing and greasing everything. I'd taken the rear hub apart recently for some work so I was hoping it wasn't that. Didn't seem to be the qr/ interface either.
I've a Wahoo core and it seems to be where the pivot for the folding legs are, though I've already stripped it apart once. Done it all over again and put some oil on a rubber bumper as I'm suspicious that might have been causing it all along...🙄
Stage 6 tonight and I had better not bloody hear it again. Off to try and sleep again. Night all!
Was on the bike first thing this morning and planned to do "Road to ruin" but realized I hadn't unlocked that one yet being level 5, so I decided to hit the mountain instead.
Beasted myself chasing people, lots of pain especially in the top section where it got steep, I was pushing hard because I wanted to complete the full course before I needed to get ready for work.
Completed it, gained a level and some gloves 🙂
Zwift said my FTP has gone up from 239 to 269, does that mean I now have to race in C in future? In Zwift power it says D but still has my 239 FTP, I just want to make sure I'm in the right category and not disqualified. I was bad in D, I'm definitely going to be at the back in C haha...ouch!
Zwift said my FTP has gone up from 239 to 269, does that mean I now have to race in C in future? In Zwift power it says D but still has my 239 FTP, I just want to make sure I’m in the right category and not disqualified. I was bad in D, I’m definitely going to be at the back in C haha…ouch!
Race in whatever Cat your profile shows, if you break the limits you'll soon find out....
ZP won't update until you do an event.
Divide FTP by weight in Kg and if you are over 0.2 above Cat D limit and you want a result to count move up.
If it's just over race until you get upgraded. As long as you don't smash the limit your result will still count even if it results in an upgrade.
Cheers Weeksy and Tom
Oooooh. Big hitter day in Richmond race today. 4:15pm.
https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=325157
Short one and as we know mostly flat, so suits me fairly well.... Sadly there's a small false flat just as the power goes up on last lap with 2km to go on this layout, which is where i usually end up blowing it.. But i'll have a pop and see what the day brings.
Anyone else fancy some fast C ?
You signed up to Zwiftpower too?
Yes, the results seem a bit fairer on ZP. I really don't understand why Zwift don't enforce the cats in races. Seems counter productive to allow people to win who clearly should be in the next cat up.
Boredom is the biggest problem I have on the turbo, the racing seems to hook me in, so I just need to concentrate on what I'm capable of and not get too hung up on final position or other rider's stats.
Might give the 6:10 Stage 7 a go tonight.
Zwift and Zwiftpower are not directly linked.
It's all a bit daft in many ways. Yesterdays race had only 2 of us finishing in C on Zwiftpowoer, but we were a group of 10 on Zwift at the time. So it's all a question of how you race, how much you care and whether it's just for fun. Me personally, i race just for the tactical fun of racing, the fun of trying to hang with faster guys and the way in which that pushes me harder.
I really don’t understand why Zwift don’t enforce the cats in races.
because they have paying customers. zwiftpower don't.
As we seem to have picked up a few new people on this thread a couple of things to joing.
Zwiftpower team https://www.zwiftpower.com/team.php?id=756
Strava Club https://www.strava.com/clubs/STWzwift
Couple of things I've noticed on ZP.
Team rankings. https://www.zwiftpower.com/team_rankings.php
We were flying high in C last week when it appearad but I'm hemorrhaging points now from no racing so we've dropped about 8 places.
You can now click a ranking button which gives a suggested race ranking by category if you are points chasing. Top left on events page.
Going to try and race either the longer Kalas race at 7pm tonight or the TDZ race just after. If I have the time. Slowly feeling my way back in and not expecting miracles.
probably doing the 2010 Zwift stage 7 race in C's to drag that ranking down a little further...
I've joined, hopefully won't drag the rankings down too far.
Couldn't really have done any better than that.
https://www.zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=325157
Sat in the lead bunch all the way through, then with 3km to go a guy who didn't even make the 'unfiltered' list kicked off the front, i thought he may have been able to hold it as he was sitting at 4.7w/kg, so i jumped on his wheel just in case, took a chunk of effort out of me. But i then settled in again. During the last 2km we have the false flat and i held the bunch, so coming into the hairpin i was sitting in 6th place in the group. As it all went nuts i was just hanging in with 450w for the last bit, i took 2 guys, but got pipped on the line by 1... Every time i looked on the right of the screen all the numbers were orange, so more than 10w/kg... I expected to lose more places at the line.. but all in all, a decent result.
Great effort Weeksy!
Nice!
Crumbs, that felt a tough effort for 129th! Still best 20 min power of 224W since owning a power meter so every cloud …
Looked at the course. Looked short, then looked at the elevation...
Nice one weeksy and guys!👍
I did Stage 7, 6.10 tonight. Not ridden Yorkshire before. Don't remember much flat or downs... Seemed all uphill.
Horrible, horrible.
Felt like I was going backwards by the end of the first climb, attrition by the second and general illness by the third.lol Probably the hardest I've gone in the Tour races. Zwift would seem to agree as it's upped my ftp from 228 to 237.
Tried to hold/catch some wheels on the last climb but heart rate was tickling 180odd and I can't hold that for long.
Could almost reach out and touch the two riders in front of me (so it seemed) cooking near to the finish but they might as well have been a mile ahead. Noticed a guy behind me upping his watts toward the line and I gave all my bandy legs had left to keep the gap. That wasn't pleasant but it was just enough.
I think I've missed Stage 1 so need to ride that "on catch up" next week to finish the Tour.
73 out of 171 on Zwift.
14 out of 52 on Zpower.
I'm doing that charity/social ride Saturday evening where they are trying to break the 10,000+ riders record I believe. Anyone else?