I can’t figure out why you would be put in C based on your zp.
it’s worth signing up to another category enforcement race to see if it was maybe a bug as I know there has been tweaks to the formulas since you first tried racing.
Failing that worth a read here to try figure out your CP for a start might give some idea.
Hey, @Rhino-Racing thanks for the quick reply. I think the issue may revolve around my raw FTP (I am a bigger rider) not my w/kg, but I am not sure.
Overall, I am excited for the Category Enforcement races, but they all look like an hour of racing and my fitness level is better at 20-30 minutes (like the ZHQ anti-sandbagging D races). When more races are Category Enforced I will definitely sign up again.
Category enforcement is being further trialled on community events so you should fine some short races. See events here Events
I’ve got a funny feeling it might be the formula so would be interested to what cat you get put in now as I had a high power rider but still low zp cat that was initially getting wrongly categorised but has since fixed.
I know the electric spirit lunch time crits are starting to use them if you like short races and time suits
Tim
Gordon has shown you where to look for why you might be in C in test races and D elsewhere. It is a bit of a minefield.
IMO these are the key issues in your own case.
2.27 wkg is ZP average of 3 best x 95% 20 min.
Category enforcement test are using best ONE effort converted into a Critical Power (CP) but also using efforts over other times.
Your best one figure for 20 minutes alone is 2.44 w/kg - so already close to the 2.5 limit.
It is generally recognised that CP can be a little higher than FTP so as you can see the percentage difference to move from 2.44 to 2.5 is only 2.5%. Quite possibly covered by the CP calculation.
You have also said that you prefer shorter races and it may be that your power profile shows your strengths to be in the shorter punchier range. CP might pick up on this and give you a slightly high CP score than just through FTP.
If that is the case the quote put out by ZWIFT on how Category Enforcement says
“Riders with an ability to sustain higher short duration power and with a lower FTP might see their available categories increased as a result.”
You are so close to the Category Boundary your weight becomes ever so important. From your post it is clear you support honest racing.
You may only be talking about a 1-2% change in weight and it can be the difference between one category and another.
Too heavy and you are up in C category
Too light and you are down in Category D.
Because the difference is so small, and for some the temptation too great, this is one reason why I am starting to wonder whether the wkg boundary condition should be such a tight one only figure. I wonder whether there is any merit in having a small wkg band which overlaps two categories. If so possibly another metric would then decide whether a rider raced in the higher or lower category.
In addition my concern now about using just one best effort is that score is now in place for 2 months. It can only move up it can’t move down. Dynamic up - Nothing Down.
Thanks @Rhino-Racing and @Ian_Attoe!
I tried to register for both a Sprint Crit and a longer Chase Race and neither would let me race as a D racer. Frankly, I am not opposed to that, but think that there should be a single formula for determining Category throughout Zwift, and not be all over the board. It seems like it should be very cut and dried – even if it is complex. You should be able to say with certainty “I am in the D category in this event because of X (or Y or Z)” and it should never be a mystery.
My original post (reply) was also an attempt to find out if there is anything us racers can do to make things more fair and honest or if it is ALL in the hands of Zwift and “the powers that be”? Like I stated, I hate to “shame” sandbaggers or get into any sort of (virtual) verbal confrontation, but is there anything we can do to help the process?
Sure, part of me wants a more level playing field, but another part of me is just so curious about what makes someone so egotistical that they would even take a chance at ruining someone else’s race just to be on a podium. I know that there are other reasons that people sign up for the wrong category (like rehab/recovery, etc), but if we could figure out a way to not satisfy that ego-itch for many, then the sandbagging problem would take care of itself. Maybe treat the illness, not the symptom?
Sorry, I got rambling there. Probably more than anyone wants to read. 
I’m the original poster, and have been reading along. I’m glad to see there’s misery in company. I did a race a few days ago - in D group. There were only 4 of us, and the top 2 were C riders, though admittedly one of them was close to D.
If it makes you feel better, I call out the sandbaggers still. Most ignore the comments. And I doubt it makes a difference, but it does make me feel better.
Cheers,
Mark
Thanks @Mark_Cheers1, and yes, misery loves company! I identified with your initial post, which is why I felt I should reply.
So, what do you say and when do you call them out? Are you able to identify them while still in the start pens, during the race or wait until after the race?
Before or during the race is tricky because I want to be focused on my own effort rather than what someone else might be doing. Plus, some pre-register, but many sandbaggers do not register in advance, so they are not listed on the ZP startlist before the race starts.
After the race seems too late, the race has blown up and their ego has already been stroked.
The strange part is, I don’t even mind racing against them (in moderation, of course) because it will make me a stronger rider. I just wish I had a way during the race to tell the sandbaggers from those who are racing fairly and honestly so I can judge my own effort, and not chase a B rider just to blow myself up.
To me, it seems like a pretty easy ask to have sandbaggers listed as DQ’ed on any and ALL leaderboards. Being at the top of the leader board on the Zwift App standings does nothing but feed their ego, give them bragging rights, hide the fact that they cheated and encourage them to do it again. It is not lost on me that while I say “it seems like a pretty easy ask,” Zwift can not seem to definitively say what a defines any given category – which should be the starting point.
Speaking of Category definition, it is slightly humorous that there is even a thing called “Category Enforcement.” In other words, Zwift is saying that the current system of “Race Categories” are guidelines (to be followed or ignored at the riders’ discretion), not hard and fast rules (that are applied evenly and fairly by the system). If I sign up for a CAT4 UCI/USACycling event, I am very confident there is no chance of me having to keep up with a CAT2 racer. Category Enforcement is NEVER an after thought. It just seems odd to me that it is not the same in Zwift.
Dang! Again found myself rambling. So sorry.
when I used to race in B I’d look at zwiftpower to see how many A cat riders were signed up into B and call them out in the pen about being in the wrong cat and sandbagging, some would reply most would ignore it
I run D Only races and suffer with sandbaggers but apart from telling them in the pen the easiest way is what I and many others organisers do.
We don’t show results on screen so you have to log into Zwiftpower and the software has already DQ’d them.
It is not ideal as they can ruin races but I keep Zwiftpower Live open and then you can see who is out of Cat, don’t follow them.
By the way, I have finally been allowed into D Category Enforcement races and it is a little slice of heaven. The ones I have participated in have been very challenging, but competitive and loads of fun.
THANK YOU! to the powers that be, to finally implement something like this. Won’t ever be perfect for everyone, but this was a huge step in the right direction. I will look for Category Enforcement races FIRST when I want to race.
My Friday night TFC D Races (19:00) are now Cat Enforcement if you fancy a race with us.
All the courses are flat and around 20km.
No more A’s… B’s… C’s… in with us…
I am now unable to register for Cat D races due to category enforcement. I am slow and have never come close to winning a D race. I have one podium finish where I finished over a minute behind the winner in a 15km sprint race and everyone else ahead of me got bumped off the ZwiftPower rankings. I have no hope of even keeping with the main group for 15 minutes in a C race with a fast start. Thus ends my brief and very mediocre Zwift racing career for now.
There are several options open to you.
First one is are you still a D on Zwiftpower.
If you are then you can enter any race without Category enforcement. eg. I run two races on a Friday eve. one is D Only with Category enforcement and the other is normal A, B. C. D without enforcement. There are still a lot of races which do not use enforcement.
If you are a C on Zwiftpower then try one of the “Split Cat” races where you will find other riders in your situation of just being above the D threshold in the “Low C Cat”.
I had the same issue Mark, heading towards the top end of D and still D on ZP, but the new cat enforcement has me as a C. I’m not bothered though, take struggling to hang on to the Cs over winning a D race. Trying a couple of C races I found a struggle but still enjoyable on cat enforced races with larger numbers, so typically a group to hang with albeit at the back.
Hopefully my sporadic ventures into group rides are not a culprit here. Occasionally I’ll join a group ride just to ride with a group. I’ve never thought I was joining a race, but after the event is over sometimes I find out the group ride was a race. I don’t know what category I would fall in, except I’m sure I’m not in any A racing category. Usually when I join a group event I’ll join a group that’s tagged as D. Sometimes it’s all I can do to keep up with the front half of a D group, and sometimes, like yesterday, I find myself miles out in front with a breakaway group. Sometimes I find myself rolling side by side with the group leader (the rider with the yellow icon) for the whole event. I ride for fun and exercise, and have no idea how to look at my statistics to determine what category I should ride in. Honestly, when I’ve joined group rides I never thought I was joining a race. All that said, I hope my joining of any of these rides has not caused anyone angst. I suspect I’m not the only novice out there just trying to figure things out and have fun in the meantime.
Just join your rides/races as an A and enjoy the group your riding with.
You wont have too worry about messing with anybody’s podium or points and you will be able to ride at what ever pace you want.
I have to vent a little further. I was in a group D ride (not category enforced), and I noticed ahead of time, there was a rider who was average 3.5 wpk signed up. I won’t say who as I’m sure that violates some T&Cs. The race went off, and sure enough, she crushed everyone.
So later, I went and checked her Zwift Power Profile:
Now I know that Zwift Power doesn’t have all the results. But looking at her last race - May 2nd. She finished 2nd of 6 - 21 seconds behind the winner. Her w/kg was 2.9 (next best was 2.6). What I consider a real D rider, 2.0 w/kg, finished last, 8 minutes behind. And that’s sad.
This is the person that to me is the worst. Why struggle in C when you can crush most of D, right? She is a great reason for category enforcement in every race.
Cheers!
She is a very light rider, her raw power is under 150w and therefore are classified as D for mixed racing.
Correct but only due to flawed power floors that were set years ago by previous zwiftpower owners.
They need to be on a sliding scale as the current method at the extremes gives a big advantage to light riders.