🤣 Good stuff, it's not just us!! I think anyone above 80kg finds it pretty hard to keep up on the climbs compared to the smaller 60-75kg riders. But we do get an advantage downhill 🤣 something to work on, I definitely find flatter routes easier to stay with the front group
Hey Alex. Nice video - it's all about making zwift racing accessible and enjoying it. Couple of tips for you I've learn from racing over the last 6 months (now mid Cat B) : don't start a race whilst wearing a hoodie / top - you'll over heat quickly! Make sure you have a good fan - controlling body temp is important or you'll get fatigued quickly. Think about your form - keep that upper body stiff as any swaying is wasted energy that won't transfer to your legs. Learn the course - if you know where the inclines are, you'll know where to kick. Lastly, keep racing - the more you race, the more you learn - for the first month, I got dropped all the time, but you learn as you go - practice makes perfect. Following you on zwift now - I look forward to seeing you on the podium some day soon!
Hey Simon, thanks for the tips! Ideally I should do a warm up prior and then I definitely wouldn't have the hoodie on ha. But often tight on time and it's 0-10 degrees in there often
Nice video mate! I race at a high level in zwift and one of the things that helped me most when improving was learning race craft and draft mechanics in zwift. Drafting makes such a huge difference to how you'll perform in a race, one of the best ways to learn how to do it properly is to get in with one of the pace partners from the main menu. The pace will stay the same as the bot is pacing the group and it allows you to fall into difference areas of the bunch and practice letting off on that power and seeing if you can stick with the bunch whilst saving energy. With regards to race craft, knowing the courses and doing a recon of the course before you race it will allow you to look at the hills, sprint points and potential attack points beforehand. If you know a hill is coming up at 15.6km and you're at 14km feeling tired, then you can let off on the power, hit the back of the group, draft and recover before you come to it. Hope this helps!
Great advice!! Hadn't thought of the pacers as an aid in that sense. Il give that a go sometime and use that as a way to practice. Definitely, knowing the route would make a huge difference. Worth doing if you have the time and particular want to one a race ha
Great video Alex. That pretty much nails it for Zwift racing and the group rides that turn into races 😆 I’m inching my way up to B, but it’s going to take some suffering 😂
🤣 cheers mate! Definitely does take some suffering, good to have something to chase and aspire to though 🤣 I'm going to try and get back in the Bs by summer too 🤞🤞 let's get it
@@alexreader no worries! I’m thinking (as a C rider) to dive into a B race now and then to force me to push harder, knowing I’ll get blown out the back anyway 😆
@James H yes!! Baptism by fire 🤣🤣🔥 I've heard some stronger riders suggest that as a good idea. I like it as an approach, just have to have the mental toughness dialled in ha
Interesting to see how you got on Alex! I have to say I'm too scared for the races as I'm worried I'll be dropped almost immediately and not be bothered to keep on racing after that. So congrats for keeping racing after being dropped! What's your FTP for reference? Mine is only 230W which isn't great considering I'm 90kg with a background in elite Rugby...
Thanks Dermiez! It's interesting I know a lot of people that say the say, a few rugby guys too ha! Initially when I first tried some races I had no idea what was going on. I must have done about 10 cat D races and came dead last in every single one 🤣🤣 but eventually I figured out you have to put put power above the advertised watts per kilo. What's great now those is even if I do get dropped towards the start of the race I still will have done a good workout just trying to keep up 🤣 you're right though it's demotivating getting dropped, but there's often groups or a few people towards the back you can hang with and have a race like finish with. Think its currently 260W, at 84kg. In these races I actually had my weight set slightly to high 🤣🤦🏽♂️. Definitely recommend giving them a go. Start with the D cat, and you'll probably be better on flat shorter courses. Raw power to your advantage 💪 I also struggle on the hills even at 84kg. Those 60kg riders just fly up. But a flat course levels things out.
Not sure if I missed the first part of that? Currently doing an easy 1.5-2hr spin. Up for some company for sure if that's what you mean? I'm sitting around 2w/kg
I feel much better now after seeing your videos on Zwift...I thought I was the only one who always get dropped especially during climbs!
🤣 Good stuff, it's not just us!! I think anyone above 80kg finds it pretty hard to keep up on the climbs compared to the smaller 60-75kg riders. But we do get an advantage downhill 🤣 something to work on, I definitely find flatter routes easier to stay with the front group
Hey Alex. Nice video - it's all about making zwift racing accessible and enjoying it. Couple of tips for you I've learn from racing over the last 6 months (now mid Cat B) : don't start a race whilst wearing a hoodie / top - you'll over heat quickly! Make sure you have a good fan - controlling body temp is important or you'll get fatigued quickly. Think about your form - keep that upper body stiff as any swaying is wasted energy that won't transfer to your legs.
Learn the course - if you know where the inclines are, you'll know where to kick. Lastly, keep racing - the more you race, the more you learn - for the first month, I got dropped all the time, but you learn as you go - practice makes perfect. Following you on zwift now - I look forward to seeing you on the podium some day soon!
Hey Simon, thanks for the tips! Ideally I should do a warm up prior and then I definitely wouldn't have the hoodie on ha. But often tight on time and it's 0-10 degrees in there often
Nice video mate! I race at a high level in zwift and one of the things that helped me most when improving was learning race craft and draft mechanics in zwift. Drafting makes such a huge difference to how you'll perform in a race, one of the best ways to learn how to do it properly is to get in with one of the pace partners from the main menu. The pace will stay the same as the bot is pacing the group and it allows you to fall into difference areas of the bunch and practice letting off on that power and seeing if you can stick with the bunch whilst saving energy.
With regards to race craft, knowing the courses and doing a recon of the course before you race it will allow you to look at the hills, sprint points and potential attack points beforehand. If you know a hill is coming up at 15.6km and you're at 14km feeling tired, then you can let off on the power, hit the back of the group, draft and recover before you come to it.
Hope this helps!
Great advice!! Hadn't thought of the pacers as an aid in that sense. Il give that a go sometime and use that as a way to practice.
Definitely, knowing the route would make a huge difference. Worth doing if you have the time and particular want to one a race ha
Great video Alex. That pretty much nails it for Zwift racing and the group rides that turn into races 😆 I’m inching my way up to B, but it’s going to take some suffering 😂
🤣 cheers mate! Definitely does take some suffering, good to have something to chase and aspire to though 🤣 I'm going to try and get back in the Bs by summer too 🤞🤞 let's get it
I’m sure you won’t have any problems getting there mate! ZP has me at 3.0 average so I think I need to get above 3.2 😩😆
@James H solid stuff! 🤣. Look forward to seeing you in some B races! I'm not sure I'm doing slightly more running and less cycling so we will see
@@alexreader no worries! I’m thinking (as a C rider) to dive into a B race now and then to force me to push harder, knowing I’ll get blown out the back anyway 😆
@James H yes!! Baptism by fire 🤣🤣🔥 I've heard some stronger riders suggest that as a good idea. I like it as an approach, just have to have the mental toughness dialled in ha
Interesting to see how you got on Alex! I have to say I'm too scared for the races as I'm worried I'll be dropped almost immediately and not be bothered to keep on racing after that. So congrats for keeping racing after being dropped!
What's your FTP for reference? Mine is only 230W which isn't great considering I'm 90kg with a background in elite Rugby...
Thanks Dermiez! It's interesting I know a lot of people that say the say, a few rugby guys too ha!
Initially when I first tried some races I had no idea what was going on. I must have done about 10 cat D races and came dead last in every single one 🤣🤣 but eventually I figured out you have to put put power above the advertised watts per kilo.
What's great now those is even if I do get dropped towards the start of the race I still will have done a good workout just trying to keep up 🤣 you're right though it's demotivating getting dropped, but there's often groups or a few people towards the back you can hang with and have a race like finish with.
Think its currently 260W, at 84kg. In these races I actually had my weight set slightly to high 🤣🤦🏽♂️.
Definitely recommend giving them a go. Start with the D cat, and you'll probably be better on flat shorter courses. Raw power to your advantage 💪 I also struggle on the hills even at 84kg. Those 60kg riders just fly up. But a flat course levels things out.
@@alexreader Cheers Alex I really appreciate it!
@Dermiez see you in a race soon ha!
If you’re available no worries if it’s too late
Not sure if I missed the first part of that? Currently doing an easy 1.5-2hr spin. Up for some company for sure if that's what you mean? I'm sitting around 2w/kg
@@alexreader I’m riding in the group ride/race next fri 1910 racing alongside Erik Lee (don’t get dropped) you tubist & many of my BAKPDL group
@Paul Boreham thats awesome! Il see if I can fiddle the diary around 👌
What's your trainer difficulty set to
I'm at 50 I believe
@@alexreader cool, thanks 😊