Sorry guys…just got in, not going to make it this week.

Have a good one!

Wifi gone at 12km

Sorry all, internet went down at the start I think. Really annoying. Could see lots of riders in the pen but nothing from discord. Clock on my laptop is wrong (thanks work) so missed the start. Hope you had a good one.

Nothing quite like Phil calling the final sprint when you still have nearly 4k to go…

Tough ride but better than last week – still had a bit in the legs this time for the sprint finish!! Although the sustained effort to pass those 2 clowns put me in the red early on 😂 don’t think they realised just how big the draft effect is when you sit behind 6 people!!

I enjoyed that, I think for a bunch of relative novices we did OK as well. All who started finished so that’s a bonus. Only separated a little a couple of times. Pretty good showing I think. Possibly about 4 or 5 mins down on the A team.

That didn’t go well, no mic so couldn’t say much then my WiFi dropped out at the 12km point.

Sat at about 330w for about 3km until the WiFi kicked back in and found myself about 5 seconds off the front of the group so inadvertently paced it pretty much to perfection!

The start was a bit untidy – we agreed on an easy start but never clarified what that meant so it took a while to group up and we had a couple of splits on the hills, especially when we were trying to overtake at the same time.
Nicely lined out at times though.

Can’t see our times on WTRL yet.

I couldn’t get any decent volume on discord so only heard mumbles, had phone and discord volumes turned up, any tips on how to get it loude?

Yep those two EMB riders were annoying, once they dropped back we were putting nearly. A minute a lap into them so they were definitely taking the P using our draft.

Thanks for the ride team stw.

Ivan, I was baffled by your post about wifi because you were with the team the whole time! I really thought zwiftpower was imagining you somehow. Anyway, makes sense now. Pretty amazing judgment. Zwiftpower and WTRL are both quite slow tonight.

Yeh that was pretty damn tough! As zilog said the two idiots really cocked it up as it cost me a lot to get past them and then they kept coming back. We def didn’t slow up that hill – I was doing over 300w.

Anyway thanks for the encouragement folks – gave me some confidence back that I can still just about hang onto the back. At least my comms worked so I could let you know to ease up.

Do you stalk us on zwiftpower Savoyad?

Yes, live view is like watching the matrix.
My other trick is repeating myself: passes are a nightmare, and the most likely way for the team to split.

> Zwiftpower and WTRL are both quite slow tonight.

They are still wrangling the results from Tues ZRL. I think we did about 48 mins dead.

No idea what that guy was playing at. Not only did he drop his pal but tried to hook up with us for 5k. What a nobber.
Apart from that thought we were going well. Loving Phil’s motivational chats. No rest on the downs!

Enjoyed that guys.

With it being the 1st TTT it took time to try and get the hang of not surfing back and forth.

Definitely felt the pace at points, but glad to keep at it and finish all together. Though, shame regards Martin, didn’t realise he was behind us until it was too late.

So that’s nothing up on WTRL but it looks like the A team got 48.13 and the B team got 52.54

Edit: I thought we were a 5 man team until pretty late on when I saw Martin – did you miss the start?

Another tough week!

Cocked up start as I had gone into menu mode so assumed it was ok to keep warming up at start. Took a while to realise I’d recalled a few hundred meters up road as you need to be in the connecting page

Put out decent power today but tbh on a course like that i offer bugger all in terms of driving forward the team. I can sit in the draft no problems but on flat, when I push off the front I need to be well over ftp or I’m just holding folks up, and to do that ruins me. I can serve a purpose filling the gaps in the group I suppose!

Good workout however

I noticed you do a solo start TP, wondered what was happening.
You may enjoy doing a ride with the MoreSTW team, I’m like you on the flat, my FTP is 266 and I’m 69kgs, I need to be in excess of 300 watts to be at the front of the A group, and that’s never going to happen or be sustainable.
Today in the MoreSTW team I tried to take some big turns on the front, but with the aim of trying to keep to 260 to 270 watts, about 3.8 w/kg. I averaged 248 watts and 3.6w/kg, about right considering we had 3 times where we had to slow to about 150 watts for over 30 seconds. It’s nice to be able to contribute.
Not racing on a Tuesday made a huge difference, legs felt good today.

You may enjoy doing a ride with the MoreSTW team

I’m more than happy to just get pulled along in the draft!😁 still put out 3.9 watts per kilo for the ride today which is a good workout for me on any day.

Motivation has been a bit low recently so happy enough to not be brutalising myself for 45 min at the moment. If the fast guys want someone to be putting in massive digs on the front for them then they may need to look elsewhere however.

I have noticed pace has picked up a bit over the last 2 week’s compared to the rides ttts I’ve done previously.

Looking on the WTRL website we got faster as the race went on!

The two laps that registered on Strava (the third didn’t as we started from the pens not the startline) were 15:01 and 15:02 so that is pretty good consistency between the laps.

When I am in the race I sometimes think that everyone else looks fine and it is just me struggling but when you read on here I think we are doing a pretty good job of squeezing everything out of everyone on the team. Paino is becoming our Tony Martin – sitting on the front putting out big consistent watts. I forget that tpbiker is a similar FTP to me so on the flats will be a similar pace to me – but flies up the hills as he weighs a damn sight less than me.

There needs to be an ‘Im ****’ avatar that you can select so that people realise as all the avatars look as cool as a cucumber!

I am trying to grow my FTP with structured training but my weight loss has plateaued. I lost a lot of weight from last year but now have stuck on 90ish kg. My body shape has changed and I have more muscles in my legs etc but still got a lot of lard to lose. I prob need to add in some other sport as cycling doesn’t seem as good at losing the belly!

Well done to the MoreSTW team as well – looks like you did a good job.

4 laps of Innsbruck next week – think I prefer that course as Phil will give us a rest on the downhill 😉 I might not make next week actually – might be riding the MTB in the real world but depends on restrictions and weather. Just outside Derby (the opposite side to Nottingham) and it feels like it is closing in.

Sorry I missed last night at such short notice folks.

MoreSTW 89th out of 186, a shade under 48mins at 47:54.

We had a bit of confusion at the start, Martin was way at the back of the pen and could not catch up until we slowed, have to concentrate on going very easy until we are grouped next time.

First two laps we were attacking the hills, but once we concentrated on staying together as a group we were much smoother.

The first lap was 15:54, but I think its a bit shorter due to the pen start. It felt we were going faster on the third lap.

Passing was its usual nightmare, Martin got sucked into a fast passing team on lap 1, and we hit one team on a rise just after being passed by a faster team, and that was not pretty either.

Being in a blob and creeping up close and then extra effort as we pass seems to be better for passing when the speeds are similar. For slower teams cruising past in a line seems to work ok.

Ivan disappeared into the IvanVerse for several minutes and re-appeared, which was impressive, leaving just 4 of us for a while, which adds its own ‘christ-i-have-to-finish’ pressure.

Getting reliable comms working is going to make us even smoother. I was trying to monitor the back so apologies if I was not doing my turn as much as others.

Also sorry for the no show from me guys…evenings are always a gamble for me but I want to get involved when I can. I’ll try be there for next week.

Looks like both teams did well!

I felt I did’t have a great time last night, and didn’t contribute as much as usual, but we put in about 45 mins, so not bad.  We did have one stuck in the pen we had to wait for.

Can I ask, whats the rules about solo riders drafting your group?  We did get distracted messaging a guy who wouldn’t back off when asked whilst afraid of a DQ, but does it matter if they are solo?

whats the rules about solo riders drafting your group?

The WTRL site says:

You may encounter dropped and rogue riders from time to time and they should not “join” your team or interfere in your TTT formation in any way. Please ensure you provide at least 3 warnings via onscreen/direct messages to any interfering team/rider and if they do not back off, please contact WTRL Race Control after the race to report them. Many teams are streaming or recording their rides and we are watching too

The main consequence is that the disruption disadvantages the team getting tangled with. Aside from obvious documented (like a streamed video of dropped rider persistently messing with a following team as they catch up) wrongdoing there’s no effective remedy for that anyway, it’s too late. The most annoying solo riders tend to be those who join the race without appreciating its nature, and there’s nothing WTRL can do about them anyway. Basically – there is a sentence in the rules, but in reality it’s just part of the event.

The original pass on the two idiots last night was fine but when they came and sat in our group I had to go into the red about 4 times to get past them again which ultimately led to me going of the back of the group and Phil towing me back on.

They then said that we had fragmented but couldn’t understand that it was them who had caused the fragmentation.

But there is nothing you can do especially with a team of two. It does become very distracting but there is little you can do about it so better to ignore it if possible.

When I am in the race I sometimes think that everyone else looks fine and it is just me struggling

I would never admit it on here of course but I was only seconds away from putting up the flag myself so it came as a REALLY welcome respite for a few seconds 😃 We all still reacted quickly and then regrouped & finished strong though which was great!

Passing was its usual nightmare, Martin got sucked into a fast passing team on lap 1, and we hit one team on a rise just after being passed by a faster team, and that was not pretty either.

what has been working well for us is the fastest guy drops to the back and then the slowest guys push through first at the max pace they can sustain. That way no-one is left behind because they can’t manage the pace. Obviously passing on a hill if the slowest guys are ALREADY pushing their max is more difficult, this is where discord really helps!!

They then said that we had fragmented but couldn’t understand that it was them who had caused the fragmentation.

yeah they were convinced we were to blame and have probably been cursing us all night!! Not really sure why solo/pairs ride the event as they won’t be given a time by WTRL surely? Guess they feel they still want to participate but it just makes it harder for everyone else!

4 laps of Innsbruck next week – think I prefer that course as Phil will give us a rest on the downhill

Yep I can’t believe those 2 clowns though we’d slowed down after we caught them!

Whilst I appreciate everyone wants to get to the finish in a group, we’d probably go faster if we start sacrificing riders in the last 5-10 k. Ie I could have probably put in a death or glory stint at the front for a couple of km if I’d known I would be freewheeling into the finish. Ideally we want to plan it that the only 3 guys that make it to the finish are the 3 most powerful riders..

Having said that, this is a Thursday night ride on zwift, not the tour de france, so probably fun and teamwork should be prioritised over out and out suffering..😂

fun and teamwork should be prioritised over out and out suffering

Absolutely, though I’m pretty sure fun, such as there is to be had pedaling a bike in a sweaty room, is out and out suffering.

Whilst I appreciate everyone wants to get to the finish in a group, we’d probably go faster if we start sacrificing riders in the last 5-10 k

true, the team could’ve shaved a fair few seconds off if Robbo & I had been dropped… Phil has said before though he’d rather get everyone over the line regardless of the time (don’t know how everyone else feels though!) TBH it’s an incredible workout for me, easily the hardest I work in Zwift (or IRL!) so I’m hoping it’ll do some good and make me faster at some point…

Agree that the team has been faster & a lot better organised lately, if people want to start concentrating on fast times then I don’t have a problem with it & happy to be dropped or duck out. I am conscious that I’m slowing the team down sometimes in the last few km tbh 😭

Keeping the team together is part of the fun. Quite enjoy looking at the splits and adjusting speed to suit-it makes a big difference to permanently looking at distance to go like I do in races. Phil keeps it all together nicely-Robbo hit the front at warp speed last night after a “motivational” chat.
Unfortunately I’m working next week so can’t do Innsbruck, shame as it’s a great wee circuit (assuming it’s not the big climb) and quite like the punchy climb.

Paino is becoming our Tony Martin

I can assure you, having met him, I’m nothing like the guy. We must be a similar height but about 3 stone apart! Think he thought I was going to eat him 😆

I prefer keeping the group together as much as possible, and finishing close together, although I do like to push from about 2k to go just to ensure I’ve emptied the tank, and to get fast finishing practice, regardless of whether we cross the final line exactly together, since we are not prioritising a time.

If you do decide to race for a team time, check you are using the right rules:

“The objective is to get the fastest 4 (for teams of 5 to 8 racers) or the fastest 3 (for teams of 3 or 4 racers) ”

If you do decide to race for a team time, check you are using the right rules:

yep dropping everyone except for 3 riders when you need 4 would be a serious boner to say the least 😂

I don’t think I’d enjoy it that much zilog.

Anyway – two teams are entered for next week’s 4 laps of Innsbruck. It’s the leg snapper circuit, so not the big climb. Rider entries are not yet open – I’ll post the link when I see it.

Paino is becoming our Tony Martin

Wasn’t he that farmer who blasted a couple of burglars with a shotgun? I’m not seeing the likeness to be honest, unless you mean he’s going to murder you if he catches you in a bunch that doesn’t belong to you.

Its not like shaving 30-60 seconds would get us into the premier league so stick as we are I think with a no drop ride where possible.

I enjoy getting to 1.6k to go as to me that means it is only 1 mile (1 is less than 1.6 🙂 ) and we are typically going so fast that is a 2 minute effort and anyone can do anything for 2 minutes right? So then I can really empty the tank.

Where I struggle is when I am sitting at threshold for a long time. If I can just drop to 250-260w for a couple of minutes then I can recover but if I sit at 270-280w for too long then that really fatigues me. Short hills work for me as it is only a 3 minute V02 max interval and normally you can rest for a bit on the other side so that might be why I could do better on the Yorkshire route than I do on some of the flatter routes as you get more of that over/under type effect.

I’m personally aware that the B riders and even the stronger C’s are doing me a big favour by riding in the team, as I am sure they could get a better result elsewhere.

I was missing Brian’s berating this week and had to go and roll on the lawn whilst beating myself with a fallen branch to feel I’d got the whole experience.

I was missing Brian’s berating this week and had to go and roll on the lawn whilst beating myself with a fallen branch to feel I’d got the whole experience.

If it makes you feel any better, several of my installers got a dressing down instead once I arrived in morecambe (70mi each way) in order to switch on a sodding fused spur because, despite my very specific instructions and our current H&S/covid policy, both of the certified boom operators had shared a vehicle (because it saved about 10 minutes vs, as it should have been, one of the non certified folks to pick them up) so when one got the self isolation notice and had to leave site they both had to and I’m now short 2 ipaf certed installers for 2 weeks. <happy face>

Where I struggle is when I am sitting at threshold for a long time. If I can just drop to 250-260w for a couple of minutes then I can recover

It’s easy to underestimate how much difference having a few people in a similar boat makes, having a few people burbling over in the middle really does allow those who would otherwise struggle to hold the front to do so. I know it can feel like you’re not contributing much to the group effort but in practice 4 of you “wobbling” around that 250-280 vs one or two is the difference between those on the front being able to pull a good pace all the way and not, it’s the difference between the whole group having to ride at the pace of the slowest rider and the group being able to hold onto the fastest. The folks in the middle and on the back really are just as important as the front.

Paino = poor man’s tony martin
Phil = poor man’s Leanne Hainsby (google her)

Speaking of Tony Martin…my claim to fame is I once kept up with him on the final descent of the penultimate stage of the tour into morzine in 2016.

He obviously had a mechanical and been left behind so they had mistakenly opened the road so folk could get back down the hill before he’d gone through. I grabbed on to his wheel and got a tow for a mile or so until I shat myself due to the pace he was going ..which admittedly wasn’t even that fast, given he didn’t bother pedalling once.

> Speaking of Tony Martin…my claim to fame is I once kept up with him on the final descent of the penultimate stage of the tour into morzine in 2016.

The MoreSTW team also now have a link to the 1984 Olympics !
https://www.the-sports.org/martin-briggs-athletics-spf651520.html

He also held the UK junior 400m record for 21 years – which ain’t no slouch. Alas, none of us are juniors any more.

Hi everyone

Entry link for next week: Category A here: https://zwift.com/events/view/1139532

The whole squad seem to think they are the weak link etc. It’s like a therapy group in here sometimes.

And @haloric: B’s have to get at least one C across the line to qualify for latte. We place much lower in frappe because there we are competing with teams where a single B (or more…) gets to the end with his 3 A friends. The mixed ability rules couple really well with the draft dynamics of zwift for us as a group. The real difference between the two teams each week (for most of us) is the choice between hanging on for dear life or being more involved in the pace-setting. But both roles are equally important (or even “doing the other a favour”!).