STW Zwift Autumn Series 2

Corrected Sprint results (Spreadsheet is updated)

Sprint 1 Top 5

1. Paino
2. Straightliner
3. Garry Lager
4. IvanDobski
5. Munkeymadness

Sprint 2 Top 5

1. Paino
2. Garry Lager
3. Nixie
4. Straightliner
5. Dangeourbrain

And Sprint race is:

1. Paino
2. Garry Lager
3. Nixie

Tonight felt very pro, it’s so nice to be in the pens.

Stuck with the front group until the reverse KOM and plopped off the back. Ended up in a very civilized group with Scaredypants, Rolo and a few others. We stuck mostly together until the finish, hoovering up a few on the way, and then Rolo boosted off up the KOM climb. Proper hard effort for him as he held us off until the finish line where we just tickled his mech.

All the way through, Robinson was about 12s ahead of us and, no matter what we did, we couldn’t close it down. Again, killer effort there to hold off a group of 6, solo!

As always, thanks Robbo, excellent racing!

My race write up:

Start was great – sitting in the pen – no stress over the start and just enjoying it. When I say enjoying it it was really hard. Managed to stay with the front group until 5 of us dropped of the back (1timmy1, zilog, feed, snotrag) and we stayed together until the final climb. I think we got a bit complacent at one point as the group behind started to catch up but then we seemed to pull away. I was pleased when Zilog used his feather on the ramp out of the underwater section. I had one and didnt have to use it to stay up and then could save mine for the steep section on the hairpin for the last climb. Managed to get a couple of seconds into feed, snotrag and zilog but 1timmy1 started to get away. Managed to pull him back for the descent and then got another feather on the sprint which I used on the 5% hill leading into the esses. Got about 15m away but couldnt hold the gap on the downhill and he got away so went over the line on my own.

I was keeping an eye on v7mfp as he was leading the C race GC by about 3 seconds but managed to put a minute in this week to retake the lead! Will see if I can hold it next week!

Oh and 😀

Is the spreadsheet updated robbo? Sprint points and totals look odd. E.g I’ve no sprint points in the column but do in total. Gary has sprint points but no total points.

Hope you’re back to normal soon Brian. Sounds rough. Missed the bus again at the start but decent group that thinned out and ended up having a ding dong sprint with @v7fmp to the line. 800w after 48 mins of that nearly finished me off!

I think I missed of your 4 points Nixie – should look correct now I hope! It is surprisingly hard to do the results after a race lol – the brain power is fairly lacking – guessing it is lack of oxygen to the brain!

@slowpuncheur I’ll be reet, just need to take it a bit easier for a little bit I think. Wasn’t breaking any records but was doing OK right up until the point I wasn’t.

I saw @dangeourbrain behind our group and just thought we were going to be lapped on a one lap race which I didn’t think unusual at the time given he’s normally at the sharp end!

WHat happened Brian? You went from 2 sec up on me/us after the climb & banner to dropping like a stone. Poorly? GWS if so

I didn’t like the start, too easy and straight forward for STW, Only joking it was great!

When the top group started to pull away, I thought about catching them up but after last week decided against it. Got in a nice group with Robbo, zilog, feed and snotrag and we were just maintaining a lead over the group behind and didn’t make any ground on the small group in front. Was late on the first sprint again and then didn’t see a big green banner so I doubled guessed myself that it wasn’t actually the sprint and I was just making a fool of myself randomly putting the power down on a flat part of the course; so eased off and didn’t do well there as it was the sprint in the end.

Made a break for it with Robbo on the 2nd KOM, then I got distracted for a couple of seconds by the wife and suddenly he was gone up the road on the last little climb with his feather! I got a truck which we now know does nothing when your on your own, so had to put the power down to catch up and then just kept on the power to pass and get to the end. I knew I wouldn’t be able to create enough gap to be head with my handicap though.

My average power was higher than last week and my legs felt fine compared to last week when they were dying. Good race again, had fun which is the whole point 🙂

Thanks @robbo1234biking bet it isn’t easy sorting the results.

It isnt as hard as I seem to make it but sometimes my brain just does not compute! I do far more complex calculations at work and this is just transferring data in reality but I think I brain FTP drops by about 50%!

Maybe do the results after a bit of a break instead 😉

@slowpuncheur I think I went too early for the sprint to the finish. Once I saw you peaked at over 10w/kg I knew it was over!!

Was good to ride with you, had to work hard to catch you after the last climb.

@robbo1234biking its going to be nigh on impossible to catch that minute back up! I’ll take second tho!

Feels like everyones FTP is increasing week on week… well apart from mine!

I agree with Brian, Robbo. Don’t feel like you need to get the results out straight away. I could barely function the shower after last night’s ride, never mind sort a spreadsheet out.

@v7fmp Well done on 2nd place. That catch after the KOM deserved it. I’m off to have a word with my DS though. The team car should have told me to try and drop you instead of wait for the sprint given your higher handicap:) Easier said that done though!

No ZP results? 😭😭

@v7mfp you are pretty competitive in the points standing though and the next race is easy to lose a minute one way or the other if you get on the wrong side of the split at one of the hills.

I am moving my home office (well desk, monitor and chair) back downstairs next week (as my wifes business can reopen) which means I will have access to a bigger screen again which should help a lot! As well as a proper keyboard!

No ZP results? 😭😭

I checked but no – to be fair not everyone is likely registered on ZP so I wouldn’t use that for results anyway and also it helps everyone to improve without bumping up a cat which helps savoyad’s quest for a perfect TTT team!

Robbo – reckon it’ll be useful having another sheet (or column on the results page?) on teh google doc, with the FTP on there?
Just so people can review and let you kow it’s the latest one?
Not sure if you saw, my FTP is now 292 (from 270!) following last night!

A few others went up too…

DrP

Not sure if you saw, my FTP is now 292 (from 270!) following last night

I did spot you were doing remarkably well on the flat bits. You sure you’ve calibrated that new PM right 🤔

That was another tough evening. No-one ever seems to ease up, even for a second. I ride in a constant state of stress about losing the wheel. The start was brilliant. I enjoyed seeing “STW Race Series” up in lights.

The forward KOM was great in our group. We raced up, full on, positions changing back and forth, but everyone ended up together over the top. I don’t think I’ve ever raced up there without it changing the make up of a group like that.

I did my level best to pull away from my group on the ramp into the esses after the sprint near the end. It nearly worked – at one point I got a 4 seconds gap and within 3 seconds of @Phil56 ahead (I could see him!) but the attack up the hill left me with nothing through the rolling bit of the esses. I think as a pair it might have stuck. As it was it just left me with no legs for a sprint, rolling across the line last in the group. I’m not a particularly aggressive rider usually, but I like how this series is a chance to try stuff.

I had a crazy moment near the first sprint – I pressed space to use my powerup but (I have no idea why) this took me into viewing the race from @scaredypants perspective. Which was interesting, but a bit panic inducing. I didn’t even know this was possible. And I have no idea how I stayed in my group while I fixed that.

Next week looks attritional.

Ref. a FTP column: Without wishing to sound like a pain in the a**e, there’s a personal data/GDPR thing that I think Zwiftpower had a few issues with in 2018. It might be worth liaising with Mark at STW towers as that data would effectively be hosted via this website. Having said that, I’m confident Robbo is on the ball so I personally don’t see the need.

Brian.. As much as I can calibrate it..!

Zero offset before each race, and the 4iii comes factory calibrated anyway…

Last race I was at (old) FTP the whole way round..270watts… as it was flat.. I just seem to be able to make more power on the hilly bits (wheras Weeksy is more powerful on the flats.. we’ve chatted about this!)..

I’ve been avoiding alcohol in the week and using zwift to train a bit better..

I think I’m just focussing more on ‘actual training’ and cycle technique – for example I’ve figured I can make and sustain power better in higher RPMs (circa 100-105) on the climbs, rather than standing and mashing… the ZA workouts have taught me this…
Using recovery rides to help sore legs…

I’m warming up with more focus, and stretching before the events…

TBH, I think (and feel) that I’m getting fitter – I lost a lot of strength in my WHOLE body after the big crash (with teh broken wrist and ribs).. using the core and arms to really focus power through the legs etc…

My MTBing is suffering though, as I’m not going out on the hills as much!!

DrP

The forward KOM was great in our group. We raced up, full on, positions changing back and forth, but everyone ended up together over the top. I don’t think I’ve ever raced up there without it changing the make up of a group like that.

I was in the group with you wasn’t I??
I crested the KOM arch first, thinking ‘wahey’… they you bastards all swooned in straight away!!! All that effore thinking I might be able to break, but it amounted to nothing!!

DrP

I ride in a constant state of stress about losing the wheel

I’m glad it wasn’t just me then.

The forward KOM was great in our group.

It was brutal when all those feathers appeared.

I had a crazy moment near the first sprint – I pressed space to use my powerup but (I have no idea why) this took me into viewing the race from @scaredypants perspective

I can see that’d be disconcerting, you suddenly disappearing entirely from view an’ all 🙁

All that effort to get 0 points 🙁

I’ll try harder next week 😀

All that effort to get 0 points 🙁

You’re in Good Company

#DrP I quite enjoyed watching your footage of the race. you put a monster effort in and more than your fair share of pulling at the front.

It looked like I was very close to losing the group on the first climb being 5 seconds back from you at one point but somehow managed to catch back up. seem to have dropped crazy Harry in the process, we crested together then he dropped back as I caught on.

Great Sagan style finish from me, didn’t think I could pass you guys without an aero or feather but I guess everybody was a little gassed and my meagre 750/800w effort was enough.

sorry for the cheeky steal from your stream, hope its OK.

Just watched the first ten minutes or so of the streams and it seems I’m pretty appalling at drafting!

Should have been quite clear how lazy I was for the same time period 😆. The draft is an odd one, at times barely any effort will keep you attached.

Kirky…. your finish was fantastic! The right effort and the right time!

I felt right on the edge most of the race…HR at close to 180 most of the time!
It’s interesting Watching the YouTube feed back… I can see that I REALLY could have done with a PU after the final sprint…being given NOTHING was bad times!!!!

Was happy to take the wind at the front, but…. think it drained the legs for the final few Km…maybe next time I’ll hold back and save a bit!
But…I think cos I’m pretty light (70kg) I just need to hold high w/kg to stay up with the fast lot…..

DrP

Yeah, I noticed you bimbling along at 250 to 280 and me falling through the group at 320 or more.

It’s interesting seeing how little the gaps go out to the group for the relative work – especially DrP’s feed as there’s a few bits where he’s off the front chasing me – for the effort you’re putting in, even when he’s not drafting seeing his lower wattage relative to mine and how little the gap moves.

But…I think cos I’m pretty light (70kg) I just need to hold high w/kg to stay up with the fast lot…..

You were doing plenty well enough early doors!

I only see w/kg when I look at other riders output. So I spend my time trying to remember how heavy they are to work out how much effort they are putting in? Is there another setting I can enable to see what real time wattage everyone else is generating?

Nope 🙁

You were doing plenty well enough early doors!

You have to! Hitting 500 ish watts off the line is needed to stick with the front… it soon ‘calmed down to a steady 270-300w… but if you miss the first mega effort there’s no catching up i reckon…

Another interesting thing to see in my video is even in the group, I’m having to kick out 4w/kg, yet others are at 2.7w/kg… I guess if they weigh 90ish kg, then our actual watts are pretty equal.. its that how it works on the flat?

DrP

Another interesting thing to see in my video is even in the group, I’m having to kick out 4w/kg, yet others are at 2.7w/kg… I guess if they weigh 90ish kg, then our actual watts are pretty equal.. its that how it works on the flat?

Less so than I thought. I’ve 10kg on you and I’m regularly putting out as many or more w/kg to stay in that same group. Nixie (who I imagine weighs about 6kg when wet) sits at a much lower wattage. I think mostly its the draft its just a bit bobbins

I’m having to kick out 4w/kg, yet others are at 2.7w/kg… I guess if they weigh 90ish kg, then our actual watts are pretty equal.. its that how it works on the flat?

To an extent yes. I’m massively off form currently, but on the flat you really can bimble at times when people are flying. I was putting out <200w yesterday for chunks of a race with people at the front piling on 300+. Not because i wanted to, but i’m just really struggling LOL.

Nixie (who I imagine weighs about 6kg when wet) sits at a much lower wattage.

75Kg at the moment. Too heavy to climb really fast and not heavy enough for the flats 😆.

I think my draft had to improve as in fast races A/A+ races I’ve a significant disadvantage. At times I’m on the limit just to draft so got plenty of practice.

75Kg at the moment. Too heavy to climb really fast and not heavy enough for the flats

I think Tuesdays performance may make everyone think “Yeah right, of course …”

😀