Zwift Chat

[Legs]

Definitely going to be some tired legs on Wednesday morning... but think of the training effect!

 

[Legs]

Crikey. I think my best time up AdZ is a little under the hour and I’m nowhere near that. Then add in the descents, this could be over 90 minutes on Tuesday!

ZwiftPower seems to reckon you've been up in 45:21 , or was that with dodgy trainer calibration?

 

[mjd1988]

I will share this with all of you while I am thinking about it - the profile for Tuesday's final stage:
View attachment 589692

Note that Box Hill is NOT eligible for Prime points - because you approach it from the Richmond Park direction, you don't go through the start timer by the roundabout. Also note that for Leith Hill (and to a smaller extent Fox and Keith), it's only the timed section that I've marked in pink that counts for fastest climb times, not any of the lead-in.

Pretty sure I'm going to be ignoring all the primes. In fact I'd love to pull a cippolini and ignore the whole thing but doubt we have a full squad!

 

[mjd1988]

Definitely going to be some tired legs on Wednesday morning... but think of the training effect!

I'd hope to be finished by Wednesday morning but it'll be tight

 

[straas]

I don't think I'm even going to bother sticking with the front group from the off like usual - although I suspect quite a few will have the same thought?

 

[Legs]

You'll pick up more points for a solid mid-pack finish than you would by tactically trying to save yourself for an assault on one of the primes and finishing plum last (and the FTS points will probably go to the racing snakes at the pointy end anyway).

 

[bridgy]

Next topic for discussion.....bike choice 🤔

 

[bobinski]

My best time seems to be on a bridgy meet-up in March 2019- so 1:19:15. 226w average. Only 4 months after my knee op 😁 A few of you quicker than that but a good guide.

 

[Aleman]

Next topic for discussion.....bike choice 🤔

Lightest option you can get ... Or a tron

 

[bridgy]

Lightest option you can get ... Or a tron

I think it might be Tron again. Race is likely to split up massively on the climbs, and any time you gain from being on a lightweight bike/wheels on the climbs you'll potentially lose more time on the descents. I think...

 

[Legs]

if you haven't got the Meilensteins, you'd do well to be on the DT Swiss, I think. I'll be on the Emonda with DTs (and praying for anvils on the primes). I don't really think there's that much difference between the sensible bikes anyway (as long as you're not on a gravel bike, @mjd1988 ).

 

[DCLane]

Aeroad/Emonda and the Lightweight wheels me thinks for my attempt.

 

[Legs]

I could spend all weekend going up and down the Alpe trying to get the Lightweights but
i) my wife wants to do some bricklaying and I'll be needed to mix mortar,
ii) I'd need to tie the children up somewhere,
iii) it could be quite a boring thing to do,
iv) there's no guarantee of getting the wheels even after a full weekend's riding, and
v) I don't want to crock myself and turn up still shattered on Tuesday evening!

 

[Del C]

I’m riding the route tonight at 18.20 so I‘ll know exactly how much pain I’ll be in on Tuesday night. It’s the ZESP Ardillas race in case anyone else is as dumb as me!

I might go with the Tarmac Pro and Meilensteins just because of the amount of climbing.

I’ll also be able to advise @Norry1 whether to ride for #23 or #68

 

[<Tommy>]

I think these types of races are as much about the quality of the field as the hills. The climbs are natural selection points really aren’t they. Can you hold on to the group, or even set the pace of the group! Or do you pop and go off the back?
The vast majority are near death at the top if they’ve held on. And the minority can’t pull away on their own. So you can recover there. And the gaps between the hills are generally wide enough to allow you to recover a little there too. So I think really what you want to do is empty yourself on each hill, and then see where it gets you.

I think leith hill is one of the toughest hills to race in general I think personally. The run in is tough in itself. Then the hill just goes on and on. People push the pace hard at the start so about 2/3 or 3/4 the way up maybe it becomes very testing indeed. I think you just really want to be at the front of the pack leading into all the hills if you can. Because if you’re further back it’s obviously even more work to retain your race position as the hill continues.

other than that I’m sure we’ll all be fine! 😄