Home Forums Bike Forum STW Zwift Autumn Series 2

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  • STW Zwift Autumn Series 2
  • IvanDobski
    Free Member

    Realistically I think there’s almost two races going on simultaneously, the first is the “on the road” race which feels more relevant in the heat of the moment and the second is the actual timed results taking into account the handicaps and slight time differences.

    I know myself that the tendency is to try and work with your group but then win the sprint for the best placing but for the points system it’s more in-depth then that although it’s difficult to keep on top of the various handicaps etc.

    tpbiker
    Free Member

    It really is a bit of a failing by zwift that you can’t organise proper races for select participants. It must be a 5 min configuration for then to do it given the race functionality is already there so can’t see what the motivation is to not do it.

    nixie
    Full Member

    Realistically I think there’s almost two races going on simultaneously,

    Think you’ve nailed it there. I’m gunning for the on the road wins and hopefully picking enough sprint points to do ‘ok’ overall. But the handicap win is not going to happen, if it did the handicap has failed (imo). I’m happy to see the altered handicap appears to have slightly leveled the field from series one though (I.e. appearing higher up the results for the effort expended 😜).

    weeksy
    Full Member

    Realistically I think there’s almost two races going on simultaneously, the first is the “on the road” race which feels more relevant in the heat of the moment and the second is the actual timed results taking into account the handicaps and slight time differences.

    I know myself that the tendency is to try and work with your group but then win the sprint for the best placing but for the points system it’s more in-depth then that although it’s difficult to keep on top of the various handicaps etc.

    The handicap aspect is of no relevance to me at all, doesn’t enter into my head in the slightest.

    I’ve got 5-6 racers who are ‘targets’ in races, the rest doesn’t come into it. Sadly due to missing the start i lost several of them this week… but ended up right in the melting pot at the end of lap 2…. just lost it on the climb on 3.

    1timmy1
    Free Member

    Am I wrong in thinking that times of the people you are riding with give you an indication that although you’re together on the road there can be a time gap between you. For instance yesterday I was riding a lot of the time with J Osborn and T Ward (thanks guys and sorry I was a sleeping partner) and when I was with T Ward he was at – 2 secs to me although we were together so it was apparent that even if I had managed to stay with him I was never going to win the sprint.

    I did wonder that when we were together as well; at least we know why now. I have just been reading up on drafting, it’s very important it seems! I had been just riding at a pretty consistent wattage whether I’m in the draft, out of the draft (not that I knew if I was in or out lol) or going up hill. I have a lot to learn, which hopefully I will with these races. I’ve not done any road riding (and only a couple of Zwift races) so didn’t realise that there are so many things to look out for and the tactics involved.

    cbott
    Free Member

    Hi, new to Zwift but am a long time reader of STW rather than posting much…

    I’d like to join the races please, great shout and thanks for organising.

    Name: Rad Charlie

    (name Involved lots of crashing my first year at the Mega, never lived it down and has since stuck like glue)

    Cheers!

    robbo1234biking
    Free Member

    Handicaps are now live for the second race. There is actually less elevation in this race than last week but the first hill will be tough out of the blocks and if you miss the cut you could lose minutes on your rivals. Would suggest 120% effort and hope to rest on the downhill the other side.

    This is the actual elevation profile:

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    This shows the sprint location:

    [/url]

    2 chances to pick up some bonus points this week although we only go through them once so you don’t get an opportunity to improve! IF you miss your group on the start this could be a valid place to make up some points.

    HANDICAPS

    weeksy
    Full Member

    1 point will be a bonus

    IvanDobski
    Free Member

    I did wonder why people had said it was going to be hard going – your original profile shows us starting at the top of the hill, which, as I’m sure many of us “rouleurs” would agree, is a much better option!

    I might cruise up the climb and try and nail the sprints…

    jamesoz
    Full Member

    Am I wrong in thinking that times of the people you are riding with give you an indication that although you’re together on the road there can be a time gap between you. For instance yesterday I was riding a lot of the time with J Osborn and T Ward (thanks guys and sorry I was a sleeping partner) and when I was with T Ward he was at – 2 secs to me although we were together so it was apparent that even if I had managed to stay with him I was never going to win the sprint.

    I did wonder that when we were together as well; at least we know why now. I have just been reading up on drafting, it’s very important it seems! I had been just riding at a pretty consistent wattage whether I’m in the draft, out of the draft (not that I knew if I was in or out lol) or going up hill. I have a lot to learn, which hopefully I will with these races. I’ve not done any road riding (and only a couple of Zwift races) so didn’t realise that there are so many things to look out for and the tactics involved.

    I do exactly the same, just go at the pace I want to, struggle to adjust my pace to ride with others in Zwift, fine in real life though.
    I slowed down to fall in with you guys and as with every time I do that I fell off the back, took a lot of effort to catch back up, was fun.
    Looking forward to Tuesdays race.

    robbo1234biking
    Free Member

    Yeh I couldn’t find a course profile that included the lead in but created my own this week!

    nixie
    Full Member

    Warm up is crucial this week. There really is no time to settle on this route.


    @cbott
    welcome, some new competition at the front.

    tpbiker
    Free Member

    I’m not familiar with this route at all. Am I right in thinking we do the same climb twice, once straight out the gate, and once at the end?

    If that’s the case then I’m assuming we’ll be congregating behind robbo on the climb itself, which will make things interesting I expect.

    nixie
    Full Member

    Yes pretty much that. It’s all going to get a bit crazy with the go on an incline.

    oopnorth
    Free Member

    Some of us heavier units are going to suffer on the start and finish this week, one for the lighter riders to gain an advantage!
    That first hill is really going to break everything up and it may take some effort to get into a drafting group once over the top.

    I have to hope that all my usual C rivals are big guys too 🤣🤣

    nixie
    Full Member

    Tough to know how to approach this week. Run for time or go for the sprint bonuses.

    robbo1234biking
    Free Member

    Yeh we are going to have to form up pretty quick. The first slopes are a low gradient but need everyone to get on the beacon quickly.

    1timmy1
    Free Member

    Would it be beneficial to get some SPD road shoes and pedals? I’m just using flats and some old 5:10’s at the mo.

    weeksy
    Full Member

    thoughts are ‘maybe’ but we’re not talking the difference between 200w and putting out 300w.. I’d say a couple, 5w maybe.. if you get the benefits. Personally i didn’t find any benefit myself and run flats and FiveTen.

    oopnorth
    Free Member

    I’ve only ever used MTB SPD pedals as that’s all I have, plus all I’m used to.
    I don’t think I’d like to try some of the sprints on flats…I’d probably fall off 🤣

    drew
    Full Member

    To protect my ankle at the moment I’m using 4 season walking boots with flats. Not a good look, strictly no entry policy in operation when on the turbo.

    dangeourbrain
    Free Member

    I can barely imagine how sweaty your feet must get “turboing” in those!

    1timmy1
    Free Member

    I’ve only ever used MTB SPD pedals as that’s all I have, plus all I’m used to.
    I don’t think I’d like to try some of the sprints on flats…I’d probably fall off 🤣

    Flats and 5:10’s is all I am used to, so maybe I’ll just keep them as they are. I am probably more limited in sprints by the turbo stability, it does get a side to side rock on.

    weeksy
    Full Member

    Nixie did the lead in at a time of 5min 36 with an average power of 386w, which is a massive massive figure. His 3rd climb up was a moderate 364w which gives a time jut over 6 mins for the climb.

    Another STWer did 218w which gives a time of 8mins 04… So the differential is pretty much MASSIVE depending on your weight and power.

    robbo1234biking
    Free Member

    Doing your homework then weeksy :-). I don’t think I have ever done the climb where I have really attacked it let alone twice so will see how it goes!

    phil56
    Full Member

    Nixie did the lead in at a time of 5min 36 with an average power of 386w

    Converting this into W/KG and then checking what average power I’ll need to stay with Nixie – answer is 437!!

    Good job I can fall back on a handicap…..oh, maybe not!

    dangeourbrain
    Free Member

    Looking at those handicaps I reckon I could be within sight of Phil if I don’t kill myself (I’m commonly my own worst enemy on these things).15 seconds sounds a tight margin but the hilltop finish will tend to work better for me so long as I can hold onto him on the flat. 100m over 2k isn’t exactly a huge climb though and with no really nasty ramps, holding a wheel up there shouldn’t be too hard, I’m glad I’ve got the few seconds on him as I really can’t see me dropping Phil on that and staying away.

    I can’t see me (nor Phil for that matter) finishing within 15 seconds of nixie though based on those numbers weeksy.

    weeksy
    Full Member

    If i’m honest with y’all, i’m debating whether i race tomorrow or tow my buddy up and see if we can get him a point or 2… bit of a domestique role so to speak. I’m not the heaviest in the series, but i think in a power/weight and ‘form’ context i’m arguably the worst climber out there for where i ‘should’ be .

    dangeourbrain
    Free Member

    I can see the sprints being hotly contested a bit further back tomorrow weeksy and off the back of that you might be pleasantly surprised after too many folks bury themselves chasing the sprints because “oh no, hills”.

    I know for me I’d like to be chasing the sprints but it’s a clear choice of going for the finish and trying to hold a few quick wheels all the way or sitting in comfortably with the next bunch and looking for a drag into the sprints.

    The most likely outcome mind is I get into a quicker group from the off, and have to work to stay in, try for the sprints but partially cooked and probably on my own so no wheels to pull me through, toast my self for 0 sprint points and get marooned somewhere off the back of the As in front of the faster B group then get swallowed a few hundred m from the line.

    jamesoz
    Full Member

    Hopefully this week I’ll remember to start sprinting earlier. With the in game delay and my wind up time, I’m not going full tilt until near the finish. I think my last lap sprint was my fastest last week as I’d remembered to start earlier.
    Does everyone leave the default delay of 4 secs and is there any reason not to set it shorter or to zero?

    dangeourbrain
    Free Member

    Does everyone leave the default delay of 4 secs and is there any reason not to set it shorter or to zero?

    You can change that?

    robbo1234biking
    Free Member

    I think you can have instant or 3 second average within Zwift. Doesn’t affect what it does – just what you see. Instant is too jagged for me so I prefer an average.

    One thing the handicap doesn’t take into account is V02 max capability (nor could I ever predict this). This is why I can tend to perform above my capabilities on short sharp hills as I can do high watts for 1-2mins (not the same as being good in sprints) such as on the short drag on the TTT last week. Anything longer and although I can drop just below FTP I am not as good as others.

    But some of us might be able to 110% for 2 mins whilst others can hit 130% FTP for the same amount of time.

    nixie
    Full Member

    I’m assuming those numbers were from the oh crit smash race weeksey. I won’t be replicating that tomorrow, I’ll be surprised if I get close to the third time’s power. The first climb also involved lots of drafting as the field was big. Painful race that one.

    weeksy
    Full Member

    I’m assuming those numbers were from the oh crit smash race weeksey

    Yes sir.. But i only picked you as you had the fastest time. The actual result and numbers were not important, just an indication really.

    jamesoz
    Full Member

    I just looked on the App and its delay of power displayed, so wouldn’t have an effect.
    The option is 3 sec or instant display.

    paino
    Full Member

    Robbo, Zwift is telling me my new FTP is 318. Probably a nail in my coffin for this week.

    savoyad
    Full Member

    Top stalking @weeksy. This hill is an enigma – a lot of us have ridden it because it’s actually also the start of “ven-top” but no reliable profiles exist because it’s not treated as a KOM in zwift (why not “reverse petit kom”?), ridden as part of ventop even the segment doesn’t register on strava (because of the junction where the “finish line” is officially just after the left turn which ven-top doesn’t take…) and any rides with the whole of ventoux ahead are presumably at a pretty low intensity compared to tomorrow. That’s certainly the case for me anyway. I’ve ridden it. But I know/remember nothing about it and @nixie’s smash crit (which he’s now disowning) is the only time I’ve noticed someone racing it.


    @dangeourbrain
    if that’s your race plan, you should obviously just tow some B’s around and target the sprints from within their blob. (I’m always happy to provide more self-serving suggestions if anyone else wants one).

    weeksy
    Full Member

    As you can imagine, i’ve not ridden it, or Ventop 😀

    rmprest
    Free Member

    I’m pretty new to Zwift racing so my game plan will be to go as fast as I can without throwing up or blowing up.

    Anything positive that happens will be a bonus !

    robbo1234biking
    Free Member

    @rmprest @cbott @doordonot for info we run a rolling start so once the timer reaches zero we congregate on the ride leader (nice big gold crest thing above my head) as soon as everyone is in a tightish blob I start the race by saying go go go. Ill remind in advance of the race tomorrow night as well

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