Hi everyone! I am looking for suggestions for what I should do. Since I am a kid I am very light so I get disqualified from the zwift crit city races when I race C. I have followed the suggestion of racing B several times but just keep up. I am kind of stuck in between C and B because I can keep up with C pretty easily but can’t outsprint them cause i’m not good at sprinting. I typically get dropped after a few minutes if I race B. I still race C in races that are not run by zwift and I typically get top 5 ish. I want to race B because I do not want to become one of those sandbaggers but can’t stay with the group. Any suggestions on racing B and what to work on so that I don’t get dropped?
there should really be another category in between C and B because 3->4 w/kg is one hell of a jump.
if you’re getting DQ’d in C then you got 2 options:
- Do race events as a Cat B but accept ur gonna get destroyed for a while (try find a group to sit in with anyway, doesn’t have to be front pack)
- Do group rides as a Cat C on recovery days (keep it under 3.1w/kg avg)
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Thanks for the advice!
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Why not just do other races that don’t have the anti-sandbagging? There are only a few races that have those controls, and tons that don’t.
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Enter only races where the organiser has enabled ZwiftPower to overrule w/kg categories. This is where you need be above w/kg as well as absolute power to be promoted, e.g., 3.2w/kg AND 250W, so lightweight riders aren’t penalised.
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The zwift races are very convenient because they are like every hour. I really enjoy the crit city races and it is hard to find ones that are not by zwift at a good time…
To find these do I have to go to zwift power then see which ones have that setting on?
Yes but I don’t think there’s any way of filtering the events. Almost all of them will use the Zwiftpower override and you can see it when clicking on an event on ZP.
Sounds like you’re getting unfairly caught out by Zwift’s anti-sandbagging function, which is only used in their events. It’s too crude to be used more widely.
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Yeah, I am hoping they don’t roll it out to all events until the problem is fixed. I notified them about the problem but they did not seem to understand…
I’m really sorry. The way Zwift does categorization is always going to penalize anyone at the bottom end of the category.
A total replacement is needed and not reinforcements of the existing category system like anti-sandbagging and Zwiftpower.
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I hope they never roll it out. It will have to be to broad spectrum to catch tru sandbags it will only stop the few that enter any category.
It is like having a stretch of road with no speed limit sign and then if you go to fast you get pulled over.
Oliver… I really feel for you. I’m in the exact same situation but between B and A. W/Kg rule the day, regardless of how you arrive at it (age, weight, etc).
I get dropped in every A race but I get DQed if I enter B. Only rarely can I keep up with A… it just depends on how many are racing and the type of race. I always get dropped on a hill.
Ignore the people that say “just pick the right type of race…”. That’s bullocks… just race when you want and it’s convenient.
I agree with the post that there could be more categories, but I don’t think that would really solve the issue.
If you are like me, you are forced into the higher cat because of just a few races where you performed relatively well. The rest of the races (90% or more) are in the lower cat. That’s a terrible way to determine category and sets people like you and me up for repeated failure.
I think I can improve with some targeted training… anything that works on sprints. I’ve also been “sucking it up” and really trying to push myself at the moments when I know I’ll get dropped. Maybe over time I will improve. I’m 47, so not sure how much room I have to improve. Probably some. Age is on your side with this.
I did an open cat race yesterday. That felt much better! I’d be happier if all the races were open.
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I want to race C but can’t cause I get DQ even though it is my proper category, it is really the annoying, the customer service person suggested I might have an “in accurate power source” I ride a tacx neo 2T. I can’t even calibrate it. Lol. When Anti sandbagging is fully rolled out it will help for some people but at the same time it will basically force me up a category I have only stayed with once when there were 5 people in the race. I have to push 4 to keep up with C because I am so light, and when I am racing C all of a sudden I get booted out of the race because I am pushing “B” cat stats. Very frustrating.
Your category should be whatever cat you finish with the majority of the time. Unfortunately, that’s not how the formula seems to work. I can’t see your stats, but I suspect the cat system is focusing on just a few of your results when the majority of the time you’re actually under the cat limit. The formula appears to be designed to pick out outliers in your results, which is the exact opposite of any scientific evaluation. And the more you race, the more you are likely to have outliers in your results.
A random sampling and average of results would work better. Dropping the cat system entirely would also be better, as many have expressed.
It is definitely super annoying. Customer service is probably a waste of time, although I’m considering making a formal request to adjust the formula via the forums or other written request.
In the meantime, the best solution I’ve come up with is to “suck it up and try harder”. Not working very well so far.
With all things that involve a response from Zwift, the best option is to avoid any of their events.
I’m still waiting (since August!) on major issues that prevent me from properly managing my events. So much so that I’m considering withdrawing entirely after five years of providing content - without which, Zwift would be no further than RGT et al.
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I’ve done some of your rides and enjoyed them! thanks for doing it!
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I enjoy the ZHR races too. It would be a shame if you were compelled to pick up your toys and go to another playground: I understand some of your pain…
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if you are getting DQ’d for racing in C, then your proper category is B (or A). that’s the breaks of how it’s organized today.
is the system perfect or fair? nope, but that’s how it works currently
on sunday a few guys I beat in my C race got hit with the upgrade tag while I did not, and I’ll bet that would be frustrating for them.
That is very unfortunate.
I hope you can find a reason to stay.
I have raced in some of your events and really liked them.
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To the OP.
I don’t race the crits but if you participate in mass start events,it won’t matter if you get dropped by your group.
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