I’ve started Zwift racing only this year, so my experience is fairly limited, but I wonder whether all racing in Zwift is as full-on nuts as I’ve found.
IRL racing the roll-out is sometimes quite full-on, though usually that’s until the break forms and even then not every time. The majority of the race distance can sometimes be quite calm as a result, only building up towards the end, with the usual surges for position in key points.
In Zwift the start is ALWAYS 1-2 mins of absolute hammer - if you dont join it, it’s race over almost immediately. Then, after that the level stays really high, at the upper end of the category w/kg and usually way higher (I had to do 7w/kg for what felt like 5 mins just to sit in the group in an A-cat (4-5w/kg) enforcement race). It’s almost as if the peloton is one big break and it’s trying to drop weaker riders.
Are there any race/series that act like real-life racing a bit more? I’m thinking it’s because most racers are not in teams so can’t rely on draft, and there’s very poor communication, that everyone is just battering the hell out of it wishing everyone else would calm down a bit.
Chase races tend to have more tempo start as you all work together, and then its get tough as the groups start coming together.
Zwift dynamics simply dont allow for break aways (most of the time) as the power of the blob is to strong - Hence the only option is to lose weaker riders out the back.
But, IRL is all about shaking the tree and losing the weaker riders - That’s what the starts in Zwift do and then they settle down after a while.
The Kiss 100 last Sunday morning was the most road race like Zwift race that I’ve done since the Flahute series we did a few years ago. The issue with Zwift races are that they are typically so short that everyone is confident enough to rage from nearly start to finish. When you start doing 2-3 hour events is a bit more realistic.
Bullseye is awesome - but be aware that’s a points race, there’s typically a sprint every lap. It’s very much a race where it’s sit & sprint, except the odd attempt at a banner attack.
the kiss 100, B or A category. also, the fusion thursday races. or any other race over 60km, DBR sometimes put them on… these are races you can possibly win solo or form breakaways in even on reasonably flat courses
events.php?zid=2696949
events.php?zid=2684330
two examples of flat breakaway successes from my time in B, but there are plenty
tip for forming breakaways in races: use the direct message function in the companion app and make friends with people you see regularly in races and you can coordinate things. a solo breakaway is sometimes possible but you usually have to be the strongest person in the race anyway if you want to do that