Zwift Chat

[alex_cycles]

Looking on Strava, I took 33s off my PR for the KoM today - twice. And my old PR I'd done twice.
The power numbers are similar, the weight won't be more than a kilo different.
But three things have happened since 2022...

Crr improvement for road bikes on dirt
Levelling up of bikes
Newer light aero wheels

Quite a big difference in speed for fairly comparable power (17 April was no draft testing, 3 Nov was a large group ride.)

 

[steverob]

Yeah, I got a PR on the climb by 20 seconds despite my previous best effort being set on a gravel bike in a C cat ZRL race five years ago when I was far fitter. Even the second lap which I struggled on ended up being my third fastest time.

 

[mjd1988]

Too much climbing for me this series. We need some flatter courses for us heavier riders

A TTT on a 6-7 minute climb seems a bit crazy. It's not going to help those teams who don't have even strength riders.

I have to be say I agree. It's great to see some more climbing and long stages but it is becoming every week. I'm very glad there's a b dev league because if I couldn't hang with the front group it really would too long (and soul destroying)

 

[alex_cycles]

I have to be say I agree. It's great to see some more climbing and long stages but it is becoming every week. I'm very glad there's a b dev league because if I couldn't hang with the front group it really would too long (and soul destroying)

It is too much. I agree. Looks like they've put both points races as rollers with punchy 2 minute climbs, both scratch races as 12-15 minute climbs (if you add the pre-segment climb) and everything is laps rather than longer routes (apart from Roule ma Poule which is twice up Petit reverse).
I'm fine with Cobbled Climbs, but Leith is a b'stard. There'll be bodies all over the road.

 

[steverob]

It’s strange because for ages we’ve said they should put in at least one climby stage per round (and ideally as early in the round as possible) to help force the sandbaggers to upgrade and their response is to go “oops all climbs this round” instead and will probably go back to all flat next round no doubt.

 

[CXRAndy]

I watched A+ riders race yesterday. Crazy the speed they travel.
4 mins30 for the climb

 

[alex_cycles]

It’s strange because for ages we’ve said they should put in at least one climby stage per round (and ideally as early in the round as possible) to help force the sandbaggers to upgrade and their response is to go “oops all climbs this round” instead and will probably go back to all flat next round no doubt.

It's a bit annoying this time because we have 3 ultra-lights in our league. it's a bit boring when the same people win every time.
It's also a bit unfair that they can't upgrade to B. I suppose they've just swapped the 85kg sprinters for the 42kg climbers being perma-Cs, but at least they have to work super hard on flatter routes and they're crap at sprinting - which is an equaliser - as long as it's not climby or sprinty every week. 🤮

 

[mjd1988]

Shout out to Bram for taking second last night with a monster sprint downhill. We had a lone rider breakaway but only on the last climb. 3 in top 10 from CC with myself and Paul.

 

[steverob]

We have a few super-lightweights in our league - and two of them are in our team! The only problem is that neither of them could make last night's race - d'oh!

Because of that I was our highest placed rider and so the team finished 9th out of 10. With those two in the team we'd have probably done really well, but that's how it goes sometimes.