It has been a while since I posted a race report - probably because of no racing 8-( So, as I approached the latest Zwift Global event, the Haute Route Ventoux (Virtual), as a proper race opportunity (with a proper taper to be fresh) I thought that I would write a full race report. As it turned out, this event was just as tough as any IRL race!
Haute Route Format
This Zwift event was officially part of the actual Haute Route event series, with a specially created kit and race format of a ride/race (all Zwift rides are races?!) over 3 consecutive days. This event had become a short-term goal for me but the format would not suit my poor old man recovery abilities 👀. However, I was feeling all the IRL race trepidation and I was very well motivated to hit the first day hard. What I had not realised was that the normal category system (A, B, C, D) used to segregate riders by ability was not being used. A points system was used to create a GC result table. I still do not understand the scoring method and I seem to be listed as completing 2 events, rather than 3 - oh well, the racing was real and my placings were amongst all cats - including A and A+. All in all, I am pleased with the results and I seemed to recover sufficiently well to record decent performances.
Stage 1 - Petit Boucle. 7th
This was the longest stage of the 3-day event at 63k. But the route had a different dynamic compared to the next 2 stages, which were pure climbing pain-fest stages. As with all Zwift races, getting a good start is crucial. This means hitting huge power numbers for the first 5 min at least, to try and stay in the front group. If you lose the group there is no way back and you leak time massively. I managed to stay with the front bunch but I was on the limit after only 10 min. After around 30 mins, the pace did ease slightly and the rolling terrain made it possible to grab some micro-rests! The race finished with the Petit KOM, which is only 2.6k in length but succeeded to split the field. So I had hopes of streaking off the front, leaving all in my wake. . . . . cough; maybe not.
AS the race progressed, we caught some A Cat groups that had started 2 mins ahead of the B Cat riders. When a big group catches another big group the danger is that the draft affect actually caused you to lose the wheels of the faster group that you are in. To combat this risk, it is best to stay near the front of the faster group. This happened at least 4 times during the ride and I got caught out at around 50k, losing the wheels of my group. I fought hard to get back to the lead group but it was in vain. I caught a couple of riders that were shelled out the back of my previous B Cat group and we basically rode hard to the end.
I figured that pushing to the max on the climb would yield the best results for me, as I am a lightweight rider. I did catch quite a few riders but these were mostly A Cat folk. AS normal, approaching the end in a group of 3, I was 3rd man over the line. I cannot sprint and it shows every tie I am faced with a group at the end of a Zwift race!
But happy with the result. I wondered how the legs would feel for the next stage the following day, which would basically be a mountain time trial up Ventoux - the longest and hardest climb in Zwift.
Stage 2 - Ven-Top. 5th
Stage 2 was a mere 21k. But 19k was the Mt Ventoux climb. I wanted a measured ride on this ride, keeping the power spikes as low as possible. Yesterday's stage was a very up and down type of ride; sometimes sustaining 300+W and other times hiding in the bunch at 200W. This would not be possible on this route and a constant power would be the efficient way to ride.
The start was not as fast as a normal Zwift race - everyone no doubt aware of the constant incline to come. The climbing starts almost immediately and the Ven-Top KOM arrives after only 2k. My plan was to sustain 250W and try to up that during the last 4k.
My best time on the KOM was 1:12:04, which I set in the L'Etape Tour race. I wanted sub 1:10 if possible. After 6k I was feeling ok. The legs were responding, though I was pushing perhaps too hard. I was aware that the climb comes back to bite and I would feel the fatigue after a while. I was maintaining a good position in the top 15. I knew that I was riding the climb more efficiently than my last attempt but with 5k to go, I was getting ragged, struggling to keep the Watts above 240. But everyone else was struggling by the looks of it and I started to pass a few dying riders!
As the line approached I was wrecked and, again, lost a couple of places to fast finishers. But my finish time for the KOM was 1:09:46. Happy with that. I enjoyed the spin back down the climb to try and flush the legs out for the final stage the next day. I was sure my legs would not be working at all for Stage 3. . . . .
As I set up for stage 3 I pondered on a plan of attack. Assuming that my legs would be fatigued and knowing that the route was very similar to Ven-Top, in that there was constant climbing for the majority of the ride, I had to measure my effort in order to not blow a gasket. But the first 8k was on rolling/flat roads. If I lost the bunch I would haemorrhage massive amounts of time. So the plan was to try and get in the lead group no matter what and then measure the climb to stay at 240W. Success! My legs were ok - why? I have no idea! But I made the base of the climb feeling tired but not frazzled.
I held 252W for the course and a new PB at 1:02:40 for the whole race. That was another 3 min faster ride. Happy wit that.
But I was drained!
So what next! I have enrolled on the Zwift Academy Road Training Plan. That will give me a good focus during Oct - Nov 20. My hip injury is still preventing any running volume and I am lucky to run twice a week over short distances. But lately it seems to be improving and I am structuring a return to running journey. Currently I am aiming to run every 2 days for 2 mins. Then, I aim to run every other day for 15 mins - all at Z2 HR. If the hip is good I will develop the Z2 efforts further, with a goal of bringing in some increased efforts mid-Nov 20.
Onwards and upwards
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