Zwift takes steps to limit sandbagging....finally

How can one see the races that have the limitation in zwift and not just zwiftpower?

As far as I can tell, the anti-sandbagging measures are still only in the beta-test race (ZHQ Beta Crit City).

3 Likes

I believe that is correct…they are fine-tuning it based on events on that course only for now.

2 Likes

Appreciated, so the point is moot on the complaint above, until it reaches more races.

1 Like

It seems strange to test the beta for a race in which all categories start together…

Why?

Rolling out together does not excuse a D rider from ripping 4+ w/kg for 10 minutes or more in a race.

Guess you are correct for zwift testing purposes, it makes sense. As a racer its not optimal as it makes it much more confusing to know whether to do all you can to stay with the group or ride at your real level. But I guess thats racing…

In other words, I personally would like to have a race that is limited by the zwift limitations and know that everyone in the race is in my cat and limited by the same limitations.

I am with you on the basic idea that separated category (not shared starts) are likely best for racing. I think it sucks when a lower cat rider snatches the tail of a higher group. It’s not realistic to most outside racing, and it tends to blow up Zwift racing.

Your hope is aligned with those of most others I have read, including myself. I am annoyed with Zwift since they chose to ignore racing and deliberately sidestepped it for years. Only now that they see $$$ in it, are they concerned with how to make it work as well as can be expected.

They are behind the 8-ball and really missed opportunities to do this so much better. They are ignoring all the prior work and great ideas from the community and sledgehammering their “solutions”. They are half-assed and well delayed. More of the same bad attitude from Z that shows they think they know better than those who have breathed and bled this racing for years. A shame really.

4 Likes

that’s good to know! I wish they would say that in the release notes, I don’t follow everything that closely, so it sounded like it was actually implemented and being improved on (from what i read in the release notes).

My post was tongue in cheek, I just assumed that it was basically doing nothing, not that the difference between my photo and the other one was an improvement or due to the anti sandbagging stuff. I just thought it was funny

So two years after they were supposed to take more positive steps to stop sandbagging, nothing much has really happened.

Saw this today from Zwift Insider……my main takeaway from this is that even Eric Min is a sandbagger….so no surprise that Awift is not seriously addressing the issue.

SMH.

1 Like

That is disappointing on at least a couple of levels. Min should know better (and most certainly does), but still breaks well known rules.

I have not tried them, but hear relatively good things about the category enforced events. That is at least a ray of hope that Z might end up addressing this wide problem. But until they push that to all races, or make it the default at the very least, there is still plenty of reason to ignore the results and just try to take races as motivation via rabbits to chase more than anything else.

All that, and ignore the double-sided aspect where Z is expecting their premier leagues and other marquee events to be taken “seriously” :stuck_out_tongue:

2 Likes

If RGT does get the extra’s they need from the wahoo deal it will put them way ahead of zwift for pure racing. As it sits now they are already ahead with drafting dynamics and overall feel but they need more exposure and 3+ months of solid updates.

I venture to guess by year end the playing field will be very interesting. Other parts like overall maps, routes, etc those are very different things and Z at this point is way ahead.

Also need to remember that the racing community on Zwift is a very small (but vocal) minority…I think the stat is something like less than 10-15% of Zwift members have done a group ride, let alone a race.

So even if RGT manages to develop a superior race platform, it likely will not convince huge numbers of people to switch services…but it could be the start of the process.

1 Like

That makes sense for sure. I don’t race on Z but do a lot of group rides and the drafting dynamics are not close on Z but I don’t think there is an apples to apples comparison due to the amount of people on Z vs. RGT. Yes RGT does have or can have bots which helps bridge the gap.

The badges though on Z are what have kept me motivated to ride there and I have all of the cycling ones.

1 Like

Probably a coincidence, but I just saw a new post that is partly related:

1 Like

In unrelated Zwift complaining, it seems like Zwift needs an update every time I log in lately… :man_shrugging:t3: the heck, man?!

1 Like

I don’t see it? He raced in his appropriate category based on ZP criteria. That race was also a category enforcement race which could have you in different category, typically higher than your ZP category. Being category enforced, he would have only been allowed to race in whatever the new category enforcement algorithm dictated which appears to be B or higher. Lastly, it appears that is his best 20min power in an event since Sept 2021.

Maybe if he raced more or in harder races, he’d be a ZP and/or category enforced A racer :man_shrugging:, but as is he appears to be playing fair.

The biggest part of sandbagging has been racing out of category, i.e., racing in a lower category than your actual rating. You cannot do that in the category enforcement races.

Is the system perfect now. No, but it never will be. People will find a way to game/cheat the system. And no matter what system you come up with, there will always be moaners. But category enforcement is a big step forward.

1 Like

His 15-second and 1-minute powers of 13.2 w/kg and 9.5 w/kg respectively make him a formidable opponent in the B and even A categories, on certain courses

That is the equivalent of me putting out ~700w for a minute and almost 1000w for fifteen seconds.

B? Yeah, don’t think so.

Strong 1min and 5min power correlate very highly with success in flat Zwift races since breakaways are extremely rare. It doesn’t even have to be a short race.

But doesn’t Zwift categorize by FTP? I’ve only ever raced B and hover right at 3.9-4.0W/kg. Those 15s and 1 min W/kg are slightly lower than mine… but I don’t win B races (in part because there are dudes holding 4.4W/kg for an hour in some of those races). I think I won a long 2.5hr one once where there were like 8 people in it…

I think if I went A right now (about 4.1W/kg) I’d still get smoked. But I haven’t raced on Z in a couple years either.