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TR Name: Sweeny21
Zwift Name: David Weinberg (TR)
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This all sounds fantastic guys.
Request submitted…
TR: fairwarrior
Zwift: Kevin Wemyss (TR)
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I’m happy to report a VICTORY!
3R Volcano Flat Reverse Race - 3 Laps (36.6km/22.7mi 138m) Raced in the B group and took 1/13 per the Zwift power standings and also took first on the road of the Bs.
My goal for this race was to focus on my Zwift race craft and keep my power to a minimum while keeping with the lead pack. No bursts up the hill to try and drop people from the group for me. It turned out to be a race where all 4 groups started at the same time, and that really helped my strategy because the A guys did plenty of surges up the inclines. The lead group started with around 70 but whittled down to 30 by the 2nd lap and 20 by the 3rd. At that point it was 1 C rider, 4 Bs and the rest As. Once the sprint happened I had a little zip in my legs and timed it perfect. Everything was empire from the tank maybe 25m from the finish line for first!
The one thing I’m wondering now is if I should jump up to the As. I hung with them this time but I held 3.7 W/kg while the A guys were around 4.2-4.5. From a raw Watts standpoint I was the highest of everybody in the race but that’s mainly because I’m a big dude at 85kg. I’ve now taken 2nd and a 1st in my last two races so maybe that’s a sign? But it’s also my only two podiums ever. What do you all think? (Ramp Test FTP is 340 so I’m literally 4.0000000000000000000 W/kg) 
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@Michael_Tate, well done! #trftw
@Michael_Tate way to go!! It’s likely, you were able to win with lower w/kg because you raced smarter than the others and you likely have a killer sprint!
I have the same dilemma as you but it’s C to B. If the groups start together I’ll typically win or place high from the B group as well, so I just started racing B!
Up to you. Your high raw watts give you a great advantage over other 4ish w/kg riders.
If you stick to riding races where everyone starts together you aren’t going to be spoiling the race for anybody else.
The sandbagging problem comes in when an overpowered rider enters a lower cat race and is able to coast the whole race saving themselves for the sprint at the end playing the game of ensuring their w/kg doesn’t trigger a DQ.
Until zwift sort out real categories that you need to be promoted to then your success in zwift races just depends on how close your w/kg is to a round number 
Great result, well done you! 
The one thing you don’t get in the A category is sandbagging. No-body cares about going over category limits, and likewise nobody cares if the race is won at 3.7w/kg for 20mins. It’s more like real racing TBH. The thing that you may find is that it’s the guys with big, repeatable 1 and 5 min power that will be at the front.
If you look at the punch on Zwiftpower, you’ll notice that the leaders in A/A+ have really high values and that the bar is often orange or red indicating lots of surges. If you look at B and below, mostly it’ll be grey or a little bit of green, indicating most races were a TT style effort.
The mixed start races are often good as you’ll end up racing people of a similar abilty regardless of category.
At 340W you’d hang in an A race on a flatter course no problem.
@mitremlap got 2nd in a C race , nice work Tim. 
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Thanks Jon. I wish I could take credit, but it was a group ride. Felt good to sprint though.
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4 horseman (did before the badges), uber pretzel are the toughest on that list. Prl full I hear gets boring as it is the same loop 8 times from what I read.
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Yeah, PRL I will save for the very end. I’m thinking I may do it in December for Disaster Day, and see if I can do that world hack thing on apple tv 
I’ll only need another 2 hours after disaster 
Just do a meetup
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Oh shoot, I forgot you can do that! 
Hi guys
Request to join
TR Name: darrenoconaill
Zwift Name: D OConnell (TR)
Thanks
Darren
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Hello
Request sent to Zwift Power
TR Name: Phafdawson
Zwift Name: Peter Dawson TR (SCC)
Thanks
Peter
Does anyone know how to change my forum username?
I successfully changed my TR account username to align with my zwift name (so recognisable here) but it hasn’t changed my username on the forum - so rather defeating the purpose of changing my username!
I suspect I’m missing something obvious - would be most grateful if anyone can point me in the right direction (I think support have got more important things going on) 
- It’s not a user option, but I can change it for you (as a moderator action).
Let me know what you want your name to be and I can change it for you.
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Yesterday I decided to give another race a go, and jumped into the A group. I did the Innsbruck “Flat” route and again I was able to hold onto the lead group for the whole race. The one hill of note on that course is a beast and took me pretty much to my limit as I was pushing just north of 600W (7W/kg) for a minute to stay with the group and even employed the sliding strategy where I started the hill at the front and finished at the back. But, hey, I held in with them. The sprint, not much left and ended up 13/21 in Zwift power. Had I raced with the B’s (It was another grouped start) I would have gotten 2nd. For this one I had to do 3.9W/kg to hang with the group.
I think for flatter races I’ll race As going forward and try to learn how those go, and for routes with more elevation where my raw watts are not as useful I’ll slip into the Bs and figure out those types of races, or if I want to work on a particular piece of racecraft.
That being said, what kinds of strategies could we employ if we raced together as a team? Somebody to attack up the hills to try and soften up the legs of the other riders? Team breakaways? Could we do a leadout train?
6 Likes
I suppose a few sacrificial lambs doing the work leading up to the final leaving the anointed one to sprint to glory.
Afraid I’m not at a level to be if any help in a B race never mind A, but that’s the target.
Be real good if we could get a group organised