Ha! I enjoyed that.
Couldn’t keep up on Fox Hill although got a PB so can’t grumble.

Zilog & I made our way round together.
I felt like I was on for a decent average power so kept pushing a hard as I could.

Not a great overall result on the leaderboard but the course didn’t really suit me so pretty pleased with it.
I really need to lose 3kg or more & gain 30w 😀

Really enjoyed that tonight.
It went at a reasonable pace from the start which meant I hadn’t blown up by the climb.
There was a split by then I think with 3 riders away and a couple somewhere in no man’s land.
After the climb our group of 4 worked well and caught Phil(?) and then we worked really well to stay together. Robbo was in our group and I was watching him like a hawk, seemed like he would be the one to try and go away. (apols, I’m new to this so don’t really know who’s who!)
It stayed together though and was becoming obvious a bunch sprint was on!
I think we probably started winding up at 800m or so. For probably the first time for me I timed my sprint pretty well, not on the front!
There wasn’t much between us at the finish.
Loved it, so nice to manage to stay in a group to the finish.
I’ll be back (if you’ll have me!)

That did not go to plan! It was more brutal than I anticipated. No idea why I still fail to predict that happening.
I hoped for a small lead group over the climb – hopefully one from which I could poach the points before we all set about opening a nice gap in the remaining km to do some handicap damage. But instead, @donnersrider smashed the front of the race to pieces on the slopes before the timed KOM even started. He got a big gap fast, and I knew the hill was shorter than advertised, so catching him was out of the question. I was pleased just to get over the top with @kirky72 for company.
We had ~20 seconds to make up coming out of the escalator so I figured 2s/km would mean a catch with time to race the finale. We steadily caught him, but it required a really hard effort for a long time, and I even stooped to naughty psychological warfare in the chat when we got within about 7 seconds (sorry Chris) to try and make him doubt. (I think it worked better than @slowpuncheur’s equivalent attempt in the group behind just before!). I got a bit excited and momentarily and accidentally left @kirky72 behind pushing on for the catch when we were nearly there, but it was always a 2 man effort. Then we virtually stared at each other, and I launched my finish at the moment I had intended to all along (just from a smaller group than planned, with much more tired legs).
So I crossed the line first, but I dropped points at the KOM, and it took recent power bests at 20ish minutes (the climb, the chase, even with that descent…) and also at 45-55 seconds (the end) to get there. These races are demanding.
Superb aggressive riding @donnersrider. Thanks for being there @kirky72. Congrats @msjhes2 on the overall win. And amazing course selection @robbo1234biking – it was pretty finely balanced and that hill could have set up quite a variety of races from this group depending on how it was ridden.

That was a really tough one, I was determined to try and stay with Paul S, but lost contact on the climb. I got in with a good group and at one point we were only 6 seconds behind ‘the Paul’ group in front but they kept pulling a way. I enjoyed their banter of take a turn, I can’t I am dying.

I can’t believe I have won one, the joys of a handicap system and everybody else getting fitter!

Well that was awful (but kinda enjoyable), played a game of 6 a side football last night having not kicked a ball for over 20yrs. was walking around all day like a 90yo, so much pain 🙂

Stayed with the lead group until it pointed upwards, then it felt like my rear brake had seized as I just seemed to stop relative to everyone else. Guess 86kgs is going to make any hilly route tough compared to the feather weights, got 1 point which was 1 more than I was expecting.

Really tough! But pleased as my best performance for a long time!

Start was fast as usual but then calmed down a lot sooner than normal I thought, of course the climb quickly blew everything apart! Found myself with just Stumpy for company and got horrible flashbacks to the team time trial as I desperately clung to his wheel as he dragged me up the climb 😀

Then he did all the work as we held off a chasing group of 4 for the rest of the race. In my defence, I wasn’t intentionally wheel-sucking, was genuinely going as fast as I could… almost feel guilty for deploying a burrito in the last 200m and pipping him in the sprint. Almost. 😂

Thanks @robbo@robbo1234biking for a great race.
Decided from the off that I’d attack the climb and see if the climb would split the fast lads and leave them exposed enough to go long. Managed to get a 20 sec gap at the top of the climb so thought ‘sod it’ cracked on anyway knowing I probably needed a 30 sec gap really. 2/3rds of race done the gap had slowly dwindled and so had my hope. Probably due to me pushing way above threshold for 20 minutes and not making a dent. 2 v 1 on flat roads doesn’t work. With battered legs I slowed up and @savoyad & @kirky72 jumped back on. Was then a waiting game knowing both would be strong in a sprint. legs gave up after about 4 seconds and I crawled over the line. Well done lads great teamwork

Enjoyed that more than last week where I seemed to be riding through treacle in the second race and ultimately just gave up on it. Formed a group with @msjhes2, @v7fmp and @tomnavman on Fox Hill and rode together to the finish. Some good team work but couldn’t manage to make inroads on the group in front but at the same time ultimately didn’t allow the time gap to go out any further. I was definitely running out of steam towards the end and able to contribute less, it seemed like a long half hour. When it came to the sprint I felt I should make a bit of an effort to show willing, stood up to the awful sound of a very unhappy bottom bracket so sat down again and then someone dropped a burrito! Game over and rolled over the line last in our group.

cheers for last night folks.

was in a group of 4 for most of the race. Felt like we were keeping each other on the boil. As @drew said, it was him, me, @msjhes2 and @tomnavman.

After seeing @DrP stream last week, i was clearly not pushing myself hard enough during races, so tried to dig deep for this one. Put in some solid efforts up the short climbs, hoping the others would follow and secretly was hoping to fatigue them!

Then it started to hot up in the last 0.5km, so the sprint to the line was on. I decided i had pushed hard enough during the race to not throw it away at the line, so dug deep and managed to win the sprint to he line, probably by a millisecond or two!

Was good fun!

RObbo has impressed me massively in recent years. About a year ago me and him did a Crit and i beat him…. i can safely say i wouldn’t beat him any more… he’d destroy me !!!!

yup, there are a fair few that have improved massively over the last couple of seasons.

you gotta be in it to win it! 😀

@msjhes2
I got in with a good group and at one point we were only 6 seconds behind ‘the Paul’ group in front but they kept pulling a way. I enjoyed their banter of take a turn, I can’t I am dying.

Haha that was me! I was actually trying to go through but each time I tried, one of them would surge past me. I did pull a few turns on the front after being shamed tho 😉

Ooh. I do love the cat and mouse, the kidology, bluff and counter-bluff that racing creates. So many seem to form allegiances on Fox Hill and work together around the flat roads of London, then the tired legs and tactics kicks in…

I was pleased to make it over Fox Hill in reasonable shape and to drop @Paul-S who’s clearly in good form at the minute. A bit disappointed not to stick with the big guns but hey, they are very strong riders – no matter what shape they’re in. I’m getting closer again though. Like last week, I was sat in no-mans land so sat up for a group of 4 to catch us and that worked OK until a ‘poorly’ @DrP buggered off like a greyhound chasing the hares up front.

Cue a group of 4, losing a few seconds to the leaders but gaining a few on a group behind. We worked well til fatigue/self preservation took over and I might have become frustrated at one point 😉. Why do avatars have such poker faces? How can I tell if its a bluff or someone is genuinely cooked? Anyway, after a few half hearted digs, I tried to stretch the group bit to tire them for the sprint. I felt like going long but 1 v 3 doesn’t go, so sat in til the end and got the sprint. I’m hindsight, not sure I could have done any more. Hill speed is purely wkg and that needs to get better.

Hey @Vanilla83. Apologies for the ‘public shaming’😆, just wanted up to minimise loses to the leaders. Didn’t know if u were sandbagging or genuinely knackered. You flew up Fox Hill.

Sounds like I missed [another] good one. Very disappointed not to make it, having said in advance I needed to be away by 7 if they were scheduling the village hall meeting for Tuesday night, it ran on until 25 past.
I sprinted home, managed to get as far as the pairing screen before the race dropped off companion and I missed the start, of probably have made it of there wasn’t an update to install.

@slowpuncheur haha no problem! I was genuinely knackered. I gave it everything to get over Fox Hill and just watched Robbo slowly ride away from me. Feeling it in my legs today!

Thanks Weeksy!

My race was OK – The front 4 were too fast for me up Fox Hill so I came over the top with a small group. Phil I think ended up in no-mans land between two groups so sat up and waited for us. The hill was 7 mins at 360w to maintain that position! I knew I wasnt going to make it in a sprint with that group so I attacked about 6km from the end using a burrito but 2mins 30 secs at 375w wasnt enough to drop you guys. A couple of times I thought I was going to get a gap but it never materialised. Even recovering from Covid Phil still seemed very strong!

When the sprint came I sat up as my gearing doesnt really let me get over 800w so I always struggle with the sprints. It could also be technique but I just cant seem to hit the big numbers that I need.

Onwards to next week – Watopias Waistband – Which we are also racing tomorrow night for the TTT if anyone wants to join in. Its a flat one so hopefully can stay with the front group next as the skinny guys cant drop me on a climb!

If any of you are interested, this is really an excellent week to try joining us in the TTT.
Waistband is a good team course to do your first TTT AND you get to preview next week’s race.

All the info, and answers to any questions, in the other thread: https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/zwift-team-time-trial-thursday-evenings/page/13/#post-12210624

@slowpuncheur, I was desperate to stick with you to try and make a working group over the top, but just couldn’t.

I’m liking the fact that every race is it’s own max effort time trial to make the time you need on your own personal rivals, I was trying hard to push when I could, as I didn’t want to get caught by the group behind, I didn’t realize that they got within 6 secs.

@msjhes2, 1st time I’ve had a target on my back ;-). Well done on the win.

I’m not sure on tactics for next week, flat, flat and flat, guess it depends on what the fast boys decide to do.

P.

I’m not sure on tactics for next week, flat, flat and flat

Easy.

Head down, pedal, pedal some more, try not to be sick, pedal more, be glad you can’t ride into the back of a bus on your turbo.

Organised this week so here are the handicaps. Flat and fast this week!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Wj8liqQsCZniRGgbnhRASZx73G14bpzfHpWWyuGq1lo/edit#gid=1544776402

What time are we riding and is it invite only? I promise I’ll get the hang of this soon!!
I can see loads of events but can’t remember how we get started!
Sorry!

@sturdylad the link is in your message inbox. Race 4.

Kick of us 19:30!

Just to add as this can all be bloody confusing…..Rob sends out links for the event to your STW inbox.

Go to the inbox and follow the links. You can then join each event and it will then appear in your events tab in the companion app.

Races are at the same time every Tuesday evening – 7:30pm.
It’s a good idea to jump on Zwift in plenty of time so you can get a decent warm-up done and iron out any connection issues.

It’s a good idea to jump on Zwift in plenty of time so you can get a decent warm-up done and iron out any connection issues.

It’s also a good idea to bring a sick bucket, and if you’ve never raced one before maybe watch one of drp’s feeds up there to see what a start looks like. They’re pretty frantic even by Zwift race standards as the handicap format really rewards grabbing the right wheel when flag goes down (or trying to make sure folks don’t!)

D’oh! All sorted!
Thanks

ALAS party people…
given I was going stir crazy with 2 weeks of lockdown..though i’m feeling better, and ama right zwifticles fanboi, I’m actually going out IN REAL LIFE today…
Haven’t seen friends, jumped, or fallen off in AGES, so tonight it’s much deserved!!

Have fun though!

DrP

hoping to join tonight, sorry i’ve missed the previous races in the series. I do have to go for a run with 1mile repeats before hand so not sure how much use my legs will be in the race, best to get those excuses in early!!

Enjoy the ride, DrP. Still pretty windy up this way, but hopefully a bit calmer near you!?

I’ll be on tonight although really don’t this course will suit me. I always find the flat ones a struggle.
Need to go aero to the max!! Might even put on the ridiculous pointy helmet for psychological advantage 🙂

Not feeling well today and went back to bed at 11:00, woke up at 16:30 so won’t be racing this evening. Shame DrP won’t be streaming as it would have given me something to watch. Anyway, enjoy the outing DrP and have a good ride everyone. Best of luck to all.

I raced a crit earlier, but even though my legs are toast a tough effort again this evening may be a good idea. So I’m a probably

I’m full of the cold today (subject to PCR test coming back -ve), so won’t be racing either.

Shame DrP won’t be streaming as it would have given me something to watch.

I’m disappointed about that too. Nobody else fancies doing a live stream do they?

Just had a thought @J-R, I think you can sign up for the race, stay on the start line and just watch other racers to follow the action.

Covid has passed through the family and killed my cycling this Jan. I then tested positive last Tuesday, and still positive now. Going to jump on the turbo tonight and see if I can manage an easy pedal. Still pretty fatigued.

Managed one ride in over two weeks. Mentally, I really need to get back in routine. 🙁

I’m unmotivated plus I can’t race next week so I think I’ll sit out the rest of this series.

Thanks @drew I’ll try that.

I’m out, hurt calf muscle last night playing soccer 🙁

What’s ‘soccer’? 😉 Shame to see so many DNSs tonight. Heal/recover well chaps.

I’ve done the sit on start line and watch before now, works better than streaming as you can go forward and back in the bunch.

Bloody Hell! We’ll be down to single figures at this rate!! 😂
Suppose I should think about warming up!