Been training during the pandemic to hit the sharp end of Cat C so that one day I might dominate the Cat C… I can dream right?
Then last week I did a race on Bologna, it’s a 5miles course with the last 2km climbing about 198m at a 9.4% gradient. My intensity was at 98% and I ended up with a 3.4 w/kg. Needless to say, this is a one off event and no way can I hold that power for anything longer than 5 miles.
So now for Enforcement races, I can only race in Cat B and above. Is there anyway for me to drop back to Cat C ? If I manage < 3.0 W/kg for all my races, will this demote me ? I really want to go back to C, I don’t belong in B.
I did a Cat B race today and got dropped as soon as the road pitched up, had to TT the rest of the way home solo. Got an average of 3.0 W/kg.
cat enforcement do not use the wkg methodology that zwiftpower does for your cat, its based on your power curve and CP/MAP/Vo2max over a certain time so you must have triggered a value that took you over the threshold when you went up bologna, as its been pointed out the newer system uses 60 days data not 90 that zwiftpower does but you might drop back into C well before 60 days
It would be nice for zwift to actually show your power curve and/or CP value somewhere seeing as its based on all your rides on zwift and not just races like zwiftpower uses
Probably worth reiterating that’s it’s not a 20min effort for cat enforcement races, so you can avg 3wkg for 60 days and still only have B available if you have a strong 1/5/8/10min efforts as it’s based on CP.
Your a B, embrace it and improve rather than trying to punch down and manage your output
I’m tired of placing dead last in B races. It’s very frustrating to not be able to race in a category commensurate with my level. I’ll never be able to do a top 25 finish in a B race unless there are only 25 competitors in a race. B racers are powerful! They’re like US CAT-1 racers.
Zwift needs to base categories on race performance and placing, not on theoretical power. I WANT TO RACE WITH MY PEERS!
As a light weight rider with better long term power than short, it’s going to be really tough in most Zwift races unless you are very selective about the route. If the time works for you, you might try doing the Masters SA events like this one:
Some riders also get a more accurate CE category by doing max efforts at shorter durations, even in a free ride. Those kinds of efforts don’t usually happen during races (at least for me). Whether it works depends on your existing power curve and abilities. I was able to get my zFTP value more in line with my actual FTP by doing a 3 minute test. Go to zwift.com and click on My Feed → My Profile → More Info to see your current CE data. Make a note of it before trying anything, then check back and see what happens to zFTP afterwards.
Thank you, Paul. I will try what you suggest.
I need to be able to enter a C or D race.
I’m old (very) and raced sanctioned races 38 years ago at 37 years old. I’ve kept up my strength and fitness as much as my age will allow. It’s a losing battle, but I can still train with strong riders here in Dallas. (I quit racing about a decade ago)
I’m a lightweight rider at 149 lbs. Zwift allows me to train and race hard in relative safety when the weather doesn’t cooperate here.
Unfortunately, Zwift doesn’t include the dynamics of real cycling/racing. But it should at least allow racing based on race placings and not some theoretical standard.
I need to get catted down before this winter is over so I can start events with more enthusiasm.
As far as I can see you don’t need to be entering B races (possibly Category Enforcement Cat B but I doubt it)
You are a ZwiftPower Category C and can enter Category C races which fall under the ZwiftPower umbrella.
It looks like you entered (over the past few weeks) 3 Category D races run under ZwiftPower race conditions. As you are a ZP Cat C you will receive the UPG disqualification if you race in D category, even if you don’t do so well.
I wish it would allow me to enter “C” races. They’re grayed out. I can’t click on them. B and A are my only clickable options.
I can sometimes do well in a “D” race (but usually get out-sprinted if it comes to that), but would rather race “C” where I’m always stretched to the limit and turn inside out to stay with the lead or 1st chase pack. (I’m 75 and have been racing since 38 years ago)
I’m not sure why you are a Category Enforced Cat B. I don’t think you exceed the 200watt category limit. However without seeing what your zFTP & zMAP are it’s difficult to tell.
Please check out the relatively new link below. It will tell you how to find your important Category power numbers.
[Possibly easiest way now is just to go into ZwiftPower and click the new My Zwift Feed link on your profile page]
You are not alone asking questions about your category. You do however have power numbers to put you into C Category so it may also be a case of finding races which suit you better than short flat races.
There is the option for you to write into Support and ask them to invalidate a specific activity’s power numbers in cases where you feel that power wasn’t correct, which should bump you down depending on what is invalidated. Keep in mind this is intended for instances where your trainer misreads, your spouse or child uses your account and inflates power, etc. and you’ll be asked some questions around why you need the invalidation.
Took some digging but with your help, I found my Fitness information. I don’t believe there’s any way someone with my numbers can stick in a “B” race. The “C” racers are generally more powerful than me. In Zwift Power, I can see what the others have done in the same races. I can look at their profiles and hands-down, they’re very accomplished and powerful racers.
Suggested Category B
Minimum category allowed in category enforced events.
zFTP
205w
Estimate of your current Functional Threshold Power (FTP), the power you can sustain for a long period of time, i.e. > 40 min.
zMAP
220w
Estimate of your Maximal Aerobic Power, i.e the power at which you achieve peak oxygen consumption in a short duration effort 4-6 min.
VO2max
40.8
Estimate of your maximal oxygen uptake relative to your current weight expressed in ml/kg/min. (Assumes a fixed cycling efficiency)
*For accurate metrics estimation you need to have done maximal efforts of at least 12 minutes in duration.
If you divide the watts by the W/kg, it shows that some of your numbers have you at as little as 57kg, others are as much as 67kg. That’s probably affecting your CE calculation. It may correct itself after the data times out (60 days).
Part of the problem lies in the fact that Zwift doesn’t distinguish between flat races and climbing races, even though everyone recognizes that different metrics (watts vs w/kg) determine success there.
Your 30 min w/kg is higher than mine. But 3.23 w/kg for me would be over 290 watts. Even without taking sprinting into account, on a flat course my raw wattage is going to overpower yours, even though you should be able to outclimb me on a long enough climb (we’re not so far apart in w/kg, a short enough climb would likely not make enough difference). As IRL, even though I’m likely also larger than you in profile, the extra drag doesn’t make up for the extra raw power.
If Zwift wants to keep using physiological performance numbers (as opposed to wins), they should be classifying people separately for flat and climby races.
Sprinting will make a difference too, but that’s less on Zwift. Your power curve is very flat–your 30 min w/kg is higher than mine, but my <1 min raw power is significantly higher. But to me, the fact that someone can sprint better than someone else is less of an issue of properly organizing racing, and more of a simple issue of competition. I also play volleyball, and there are plenty of people who jump a lot higher than me. Just something I have to deal with, not itself a reason to shuffle us into different leagues.
so I can start events with more enthusiasm. 
