The only sprints I win are on zwift tho so ymmv
Every Zwift Race sprint I’ve won involved sitting on an aero or draft power-up for the final minute…
Come to think of it I am shifting at least 1 to 3 times during that whole minute with the bike completely static underneath me on the trainer. But that is wild and whacky Zwift sprinting at its finest for you I guess.
The power-up strategy thing got me really good results (7 out of 10 race podiums), until I got upgraded and now it’s turned into a matter of doing FTP repeats for days, until I either get dropped or somehow make it to the finish line with the front group and putter out the weakest sprint ever regardless of what gear I’m in.
Depends on a lot of things for me, starting speed, wind direction, corners, even how the legs are feeling. If its a flat tailwind or any kind of downhill at low to medium speed and I am pedalling quite fast already I will punch down a few gears and go. At high speed , when already close to the largest gear I just go for it.
If there road steepens during the sprint I will pick a gear that has me spinning slightly too much at the bottom but it means i am still doing 90+RPM at the top.
If the final corner comes not far from the line and and it requires some degree of slowing, I will choose a gear that allows me to quickly get on top of it and get the fastest jump possible out of the corner.
My advice would be do your sprint always in the same place. Try what gear you get the best result. Always go for the same length of the sprint. Do your sprints on save road, good view and things are important. Save money for your rear tire replacement.
Sometimes I turn around and do the sprint at the same spot 3 or 4 times. many times I get my best number on the second or third attempt.
Long one uphill low Cadance
Just after Peak Power higher cadence
First of all as with anything…it depends.
It depends on the course
It depends on the finishing group
It depends on your position in the finishing group
If you’ve got a LONG drag strip finish (super rare) like you see in the world tour races, the strategy around shifting or not shifting is totally different than if you are coming out of a corner with 250m to go to the line (99% of amateur crits). In the latter you are almost always going to have to shift just because the speed continues to increase all the way to the line and you will bog down too much. If you’ve got a long drag strip its easy to chuck it in 53x11 and modulate with cadence because you are already doing 35mph long before you get to launch point.
Being in a big pack sprint at the end of a crit is also a lot different than being in a whittled down group of 3 or 4 at the end of a longer road race. The latter you often have time to drop the speed and hope you get a “jump” on everyone else to get your gap to the line, whereas if you’re pack sprinting its all about keeping the speed as high as possible all the way to the line.