Minimum category calculation

How is this done? I think there’s a race missing from my top 3, but I have 2 races with very similar numbers so I’m not sure which one it is.

Is there a way to find our which ones are used to make the calculation??

Thanks so much

If you go to your profile and click “Info” next to your category it should show you the three it’s using:

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If you go to your results list and click the “View 95%” you should be able to pick out the three best within the past 90 days. For me for example:

It’s slightly different as the category info list shows 2 decimal places, while the results list shows 3; but if you round them you should get the same numbers.

Ok so in that case, what if it definitely looks like one isn’t being used?? A higher one in this case. I have 2 races that would round to 3.3w/kg and 3.29w/kg at 95% but only one is being used

The three in yellow being used as an example, and the one red not

Looks like the last event you have highlighted (3.299w/kg) is beyond 90 days - the first 2 yellow and red one are being used in the calculations.

It was the day before the one in red. Feb 10/21

Ohhhhh, american date. Ooops. :rofl:

I guess I’ll post here rather than create a new topic or hijack a different one.

Why is the category based on only three results/races? This will only detect outliers and push people to a higher category when they can’t compete there (by compete, I mean they will finish near the bottom almost every time)

The more data points used, the more accurately your performance will be reflected.

Maybe I should just eat some extra holiday fruitcake and gain a few kilos/pounds. That should take care of it.

I don’t think the more data points the better in terms of numbers of races. If you have shown to be capable in 2 or 3 races of a certain cat that’s where you should be racing.

Increasing the races to average will only skew you down the categories making it unfair on everyone else.

What does need to happen though is look at the full power curve and not just based everything on the 20 minute metric. because of this historical 20 min metric there is a lot of riders sandbagging that have high 1/5min power to win races but purposely keen their 20 min efforts below the category limits.

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I think it should only be based of your best ride three is already to much. But I can see why they use the average of 3.

I would like to move to ranking instead of power. Any power metric will be open to be skewed by
the rider.
but this is all discussed here: Anti sandbagging and other areas that need development and communication

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So would y’all be okay with finishing in the bottom 3 of your category 90%+ of the time?

I did two races a couple days ago. Was required to join A, yet finished last both times. Would you be okay with that? Sure, two races in a day and I can’t expect to do well. But last both times? Really?? (got lapped in the second race)

Not asking for an average, although that makes more sense than 1-3 data points.

I tried to follow that anti-sandbagging thread but it’s kind of a mess. The overwhelming consensus is that Zwift is not going to address the issue, so I’d rather consider simple ways to work with the existing system:

  • Use more data points (10% of your races? a random sampling? It’s easy math and is scientifically-based)
  • Allow a rider to hide the cat indicators (ignorance is bliss)
  • Something else I’ll think of as I get dropped hard in my next race (such as gain weight)

When I was allowed to enter B it just felt right. I usually finish in the middle depending on the number of people. Sure, I’ve “podiumed” in B when I was allowed to join B. 70% of those times were because there were 3 or fewer riders in the category.

We have all been there. With any system there will be some at the top and some at the bottom.

There are may races that has mass start so you won’t ride alone and can draft with the top B’s.

With your weight and power you should be mid A pack soon.

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I guessed you would be at the “■■■■ spot” of 65kg and 4.0x and looked you up and sure enough…

My advice to you is to gain a couple of kg. Put on some more clothes and carry a water bottle next time you weigh in. As you say, you’re hardly going to be mashing up the B cats if you ride there.

Yes it’s a ■■■■ system. I recall a similarly lightweight team-mate of mine upgraded while struggling (mostly failing) to hang on to our fast frappe TTT team. What’s the point of making them ride A cat, other than to ruin their zwifting experience?

Also, ride events like the ZHR masters. You can be as good or as bad as you like there, cats don’t matter. I see you did one recently.

I’m at the bottom so frequently that there must be some sort of correlation, which certainly doesn’t feel good.

If I’m riding with Bs, then I’m a B. Pretty simple. Also, when Bs see I’m an A, they tend not to take their turn to lead. They just slow down to stay in my draft. Super annoying.

This has been going on for a couple of years for me so I don’t think it’s going to change. I believe most people in my situation will figure out a way to stay in B. My thought is to treat races like interval training. I need to work on punch/recover anyway.

Thank you. I will try to eat more fruitcake this holiday season :grinning:

Yes, I enjoy the masters races and climbs the most. Sometimes I “climb” out of the bottom spot in a climbing race.

I’m relatively new to bike racing. I did a TT race last summer and was stunned how poorly I did as I consider myself to be in pretty good shape.

events.php?zid=241392

Someone must be the last one…

I was D for some time last winter, later D almost C - started in C immediately. Mostly not last, but somewhere near the bottom. The same now - after 3 events D almost C…
Conclusion? The summer was not good enough!

Ride on - in the right category.

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Sure… but no one should be last every time.

Last again today. Would have been ~7th in B, which is where I belong.

Not sure what I’m supposed to see here, SA. But I do see you’ve collected a fair number of podiums in B. Results that would have put you somewhere up the ladder in A.

I also see you’ve gained a couple kilos recently. Holiday fruitcake gets the better of many of us, it seems. Maybe I’ll strap some directly to my bike.

I wish there was an option to hide your category.

it’s the answer to this question … i was fine with it. it didn’t matter